Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
The Aspen High School boys soccer team certainly needed a win at this juncture in the season, and it came Tuesday with an 11-1 rout of visiting Moffat County on the AHS turf. The Bulldogs (1-6) played with only 10 players because of low team numbers.
“Every win is a needed win,” AHS coach Dave Francis said. “We started taking players off, obviously. I think we finished the game at seven out there. So it was important they got something out of it this game that they could take forward: moving the ball, shape, working hard off the ball. So they got that out of it.”
The Skiers led 7-1 at halftime and scored their 11th goal with about five minutes to play, ending the contest there because of the 10-goal mercy rule. Junior Max Brenninger and sophomore Charlie Forster had three goals each.
It was the first win of the season for Aspen, now 1-4 overall and 1-1 in 3A Western Slope League play. The Skiers have played a difficult schedule early on, with losses coming to Basalt, Class 5A Monarch, Delta (No. 5 in 3A) and Ridgway (No. 5 in 2A).
Basalt played its league opener on Tuesday at Vail Mountain, losing 3-1 to fall to 2-4-1 overall and 0-1 in WSL play. BHS beat Moffat County 10-1 last week.
Next up, Aspen and Basalt will square off for the second time this season when the Longhorns host the league game at 4 p.m. Thursday. The teams played in the season opener on Aug. 22 in Aspen, with BHS winning 2-1 in overtime in the non-league game.
“There is self belief. Took a little knock, but they are good,” Francis said of the 0-4 start to the season. “It’s a tough schedule, all the way through. It doesn’t get any easier after today, either. They just got to go out there and play their game and believe in each other.”
Basalt softball sweeps Aspen in Tuesday doubleheader
The Basalt High School softball team hosted Aspen on Tuesday afternoon, winning 19-1 and 18-0 in the league doubleheader behind pitchers Grace Schrock and Bella Meraz. Ranked No. 4 in Class 3A this week, Basalt improves to 14-1 overall and remains undefeated in league play at 8-0.
The Longhorns next host Rifle in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. Aspen, now 0-11, is off until playing Tuesday at Cedaredge.
Basalt High School volleyball beats roaring fork in 3-1 affair
The Basalt High School volleyball team hosted rival Roaring Fork on Tuesday night, winning 3-1 in a non-league contest. Basalt won the opening set, 25-22, but fell 25-19 in the second set. The Longhorns closed the match with set wins of 25-18 and 25-21.
The win gets Basalt to 5-5 overall. BHS is 2-0 in league play and winners of three out of four matches, the loss coming last week against Aspen. Next up, Basalt will travel to Coal Ridge (7-2, 2-0) on Thursday night in a key league contest.
Aspen volleyball (1-4) is off until hosting the Classical Academy on Saturday afternoon.
Basalt personal trainer named to college’s hall of fame for success on basketball court
Kate Lokken, a personal trainer and sports performance coach in Basalt, was inducted Saturday into the Morningside College M Club Hall of Fame for her success on the basketball court.
Lokken was one of the top scorers, rebounders, 3-point shooters and free-throw shooters in the history of Morningside, a NAIA Division II school in Sioux City, Iowa.
She scored 1,614 points and snared 719 rebounds during her career with the Mustangs, according to the college’s sport information department. She graduated as the third leading scorer and ninth leading rebounder in program history.
The Mustangs had a 34-4 record and won their first NAIA Division II National Championship when Lokken was a senior in 2004. Lokken hit a NAIA II national record 130 3-pointers that season.
Lokken earned her degree in business administration. She works at TAC Fitness and Wellness in Basalt.
—Scott Condon, The Aspen Times