{"id":2447789,"date":"2019-08-20T23:04:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T05:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/aspen-boys-soccer-takes-on-basalt-in-season-opener\/"},"modified":"2019-08-20T23:04:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-21T05:04:00","slug":"aspen-high-boys-soccer-takes-on-basalt-in-season-opener-on-new-turf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/aspen-high-boys-soccer-takes-on-basalt-in-season-opener-on-new-turf\/","title":{"rendered":"Aspen High boys soccer takes on Basalt in season opener on new turf"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7517053206003\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-311538-593\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-2.jpg\" alt=\"The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Coach Dave Francis signals instructions as the Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>Coach Dave Francis signals instructions as the Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/08\/soccer-atd-082119-1-3.jpg\" alt=\"Coach Dave Francis signals instructions as the Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/aspen-boys-soccer-takes-on-basalt-in-season-opener\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/aspen-boys-soccer-takes-on-basalt-in-season-opener\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Aspen and Basalt haven\u2019t played a high school boys soccer game in August since 2014, a 6-1 win for the Skiers. But with a new season here and a new turf to break in, it seems a fitting time to have the rivals again square off right out of the gate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThe first game, being on the new turf and stuff, I think it\u2019s great that it\u2019s against Basalt,\u201d AHS senior Lander Greenway said. \u201cTo start the new turf off with a win against Basalt would definitely be a big win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In the non-league season opener for both teams, Aspen will host Basalt at 6 p.m. Thursday in the first varsity game on the Aspen School District\u2019s new state-of-the-art playing field. Junior varsity will play first at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The new playing surface feels much closer to a traditional grass field, meaning it won\u2019t have the same speed or bounce as the old turf. This could be beneficial for Basalt, which plays its home games on natural grass. Still, BHS coach Brent Hayes expects the field to be a major wild card in Thursday\u2019s opener.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt should be super fun. We are both in the same boat,\u201d Hayes said of the early-season start and unfamiliar field. \u201cIt\u2019s always a great match. It\u2019s hard to win up there. No clue what this new turf is going to be like.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">SKIERS HOPE FOR PLAYOFF RETURN<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen is coming off a 6-9 season in which it finished 3-4 in the Class 3A Western Slope League. The Skiers snuck into the state playoffs \u2014 ending a two-year postseason drought \u2014 as the No. 31 seed. They lost to No. 2 seed and eventual state champion Kent Denver in the first round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The highlight of the 2018 season was a two-game sweep of rival Basalt. This included a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/aspen-soccer-rolls-by-rival-basalt-in-rare-saturday-night-game\/\">6-1 rout of the Longhorns<\/a> in the second game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThis group, I\u2019d say compared to last year, is just overall a much tighter group and not so many different little groups within,\u201d AHS senior Jake Bozza said. \u201cWe are kind of just one big team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Bozza and Greenway are two of the four captains \u2014 along with senior Jose Medrano-Gomez and junior Wesley Ferrell \u2014 that are trying to fill the void of a sizable senior class lost from a season ago. They will have help from what so far has been an impressive looking group of underclassmen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey look good. We\u2019ve got a good bunch of committed guys who have been there everyday through two-a-days,\u201d AHS coach Dave Francis said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a core group of guys who we expected to be up there, and then there is a bunch of younger guys who are making a very good claim to get some playing time on varsity. And even a couple of the freshmen guys are really showing some good things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">With experiential education being next week for Aspen, the Skiers have a sizable gap between games one and two this fall. After Basalt on Thursday, Aspen won\u2019t play again until going to Monarch on Sept. 14.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">For this reason, Francis doesn\u2019t want to get overly technical against the Longhorns. It\u2019s mostly about finding a way to win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe\u2019ve got a big gap. It\u2019s almost like a complete reset. We are basically training for one game and then we start again,\u201d Francis said. \u201cDon\u2019t overcomplicate it. Don\u2019t try anything new. Go through the things you are used to. Get them up to speed on the basics and just try and go out and start with a win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">LONGHORNS EYE WSL CROWN<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Basalt\u2019s 2018 season was rough to start. The Longhorns limped out to a 1-5 record but caught fire later in the season to finish 7-9 overall and make the state tournament as the No. 26 seed. BHS lost to No. 7 Faith Christian in the first round.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Longhorns went 5-2 in WSL play a year ago to finish third behind league champion Roaring Fork and runner-up Delta. BHS actually beat Roaring Fork in their lone league matchup, but losses to Delta and Aspen kept them out of the top spot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe have a lot more potential than we\u2019ve had in a few years. The issue with us is always going to be one injury is huge,\u201d Hayes said, noting the team has plenty of experience and talent, but not much depth this season. \u201cI\u2019d like to think we are in the hunt for the top of the league, seeing that we came within a game last year and we\u2019ve got a little more experience this year. It should be good. But we are thin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Basalt\u2019s early-season schedule is downright brutal, so it\u2019ll get tested early and often. After Aspen, the Longhorns host <a href=\"https:\/\/chsaanow.com\/2019-08-12\/colorado-high-school-boys-soccer-rankings-preseason-2019\/\">preseason No. 5 Roaring Fork<\/a> on Aug. 30. Then they travel to longtime WSL powerhouse Coal Ridge on Sept. 3 and will play at preseason No. 1 Kent Denver on Sept. 6.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s a fun group and I think they are expecting a lot out of themselves,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cThe boys are getting excited and I\u2019m getting excited. Just kind of blast off and just go a million miles an hour for a number of weeks and see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:acolbert@aspentimes.com\">acolbert@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/aspen-boys-soccer-takes-on-basalt-in-season-opener\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times The Aspen High School boys soccer team practices on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, on the AHS turf. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times The Aspen High [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2447789","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-25 11:18:18","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2447789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2447789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2447789\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2447789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2447789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2447789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}