{"id":2450729,"date":"2019-11-04T22:48:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-05T05:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/colberts-prep-playbook-some-final-thoughts-on-the-fall-prep-season\/"},"modified":"2019-11-04T22:48:00","modified_gmt":"2019-11-05T05:48:00","slug":"colberts-prep-playbook-some-final-thoughts-on-the-fall-prep-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/colberts-prep-playbook-some-final-thoughts-on-the-fall-prep-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Colbert\u2019s Prep Playbook: Some final thoughts on the fall prep season"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7254901960784\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-315521-904\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-1024x713.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Chancey Bush\/The Gazette | Basalt junior Sierra Bower makes her way through the first mile before finishing in first place in the Class 3A girls state championship race on Oct. 26, 2019, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. (Chancey Bush\/ The Gazette)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Basalt junior Sierra Bower makes her way through the first mile before finishing in first place in the Class 3A girls state championship race on Oct. 26, 2019, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. (Chancey Bush\/ The Gazette)<\/strong><br \/>Chancey Bush\/The Gazette<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-1024x713.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Basalt junior Sierra Bower makes her way through the first mile before finishing in first place in the Class 3A girls state championship race on Oct. 26, 2019, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. (Chancey Bush\/ The Gazette)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-1-768x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Basalt senior Zoe Vozick practices earlier this season with the BHS softball team. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>Basalt senior Zoe Vozick practices earlier this season with the BHS softball team. (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:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-1-768x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Basalt senior Zoe Vozick practices earlier this season with the BHS softball team. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-2-1024x732.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times | Basalt High School football hosts Rifle on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Basalt. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Basalt High School football hosts Rifle on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Basalt. (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:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-2-1024x732.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Basalt High School football hosts Rifle on Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Basalt. (Photo by Austin Colbert\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-3-681x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Photo by Anna Stonehouse | Aspen Times sports editor Austin Colbert\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Aspen Times sports editor Austin Colbert<\/strong><br \/>Photo by Anna Stonehouse<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/11\/prepcolumn-atd-110519-1-3-681x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen Times sports editor Austin Colbert\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/colberts-prep-playbook-some-final-thoughts-on-the-fall-prep-season\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/colberts-prep-playbook-some-final-thoughts-on-the-fall-prep-season\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">With the Basalt High School football team being the exception, the fall prep season is officially a wrap for the Skiers and Longhorns. Before long, we\u2019ll be playing basketball, hockey and, most importantly, taking laps on the mountain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">As we await winter\u2019s arrival, let\u2019s take a second to look back on the fall season and highlight what needs to be highlighted. It was an all around solid few months for area teams and athletes, and here are a few notes to be remembered.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">FOOTBALL<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Basalt had another strong season, one that isn\u2019t yet over. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/basalt-football-lands-no-9-seed-will-travel-to-no-8-the-classical-academy-on-saturday\/\">BHS plays Saturday at The Classical Academy<\/a> in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs in the 8 vs. 9 game, which are more often than not coin flips. I had some doubts about this group considering the key losses at quarterback and running back last year, but they just kept moving forward. They\u2019ll have a shot at beating TCA, and believe it or not, could host No. 1 Rifle in the second round. Wouldn\u2019t that be something?<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen might have been the unluckiest of my 14 teams this fall. Numerous injuries early in the season cost them at least one or two games, and that\u2019s all that kept them out of the playoffs. AHS finished 4-5 overall after going 6-4 in 2018, but I think this was still a darn good football team. Unfortunately, even if you do everything right, it can all go wrong and that\u2019s kind of how the Skiers\u2019 season went.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">CROSS COUNTRY<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">If you made me name my top athlete of the fall, I feel I\u2019m obligated to choose Sierra Bower. After all, the Basalt junior did <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/basalts-sierra-bower-breaks-course-record-to-win-girls-3a-cross-country-title\/\">win the girls Class 3A state championship in cross country<\/a>, and she did it in dominating fashion. The state meet was a blowout, with Bower coming within a stride of breaking the 18-minute barrier, which only a handful of girls have ever done in the state\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Bower\u2019s season was simply perfection and should be remembered as such. Her running future looks bright and should carry on long after high school. Both the Aspen and Basalt girls should be among the state title favorites in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">SOFTBALL<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Basalt senior Zoe Vozick was right there with Bower as far as being the best player this fall. I\u2019m still picking Bower, but I will award (there are no real trophies anyway) Basalt softball \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/vozick-leads-powerful-basalt-bats-into-state-softball-tournament\/\">led by Vozick<\/a> \u2014 as the best team. The Longhorns went 23-2 overall, did not lose a single league game, and made the state tournament as the No. 2 seed. The season ended earlier than hoped with a 10-0 loss to No. 7 Sterling in the quarterfinals, but that doesn\u2019t diminish an amazing year. And Vozick, well, she ended the fall batting .667 with 59 RBI and 57 runs and was named the league\u2019s player of the year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">BOYS TENNIS<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Maybe one of the more under-appreciated teams, the Aspen boys were pretty dominant on the tennis courts yet again, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/kelly-steps-into-top-spot-as-aspen-high-boys-tennis-heads-to-4a-state-tournament\/\">qualifying all 11 players to state<\/a> \u2014 finishing sixth as a team \u2014 after cruising through regionals. Admittedly, they don\u2019t get enough attention for being as solid as they are. Considering all three singles players should return for 2020, expect more big things from them a year from now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">BOYS GOLF<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Yes, this season was a bit of a step back from 2018, but they did win the program\u2019s first state championship last fall, so it was expected. You couldn\u2019t really take a step forward from there, could you? The team\u2019s streak of 10 straight regional championships ended, but AHS was still a factor at state. They just couldn\u2019t quite close the deal on the second day, finishing fourth in Class 3A. Saying goodbye to senior Jack Pevny, one of the most accomplished golfers in school history, will be tough, but AHS should have plenty of talent to build around next season, including Jack\u2019s younger brother, Nic Pevny, who should be a state title contender in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">BOYS SOCCER<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">No, this wasn\u2019t the best fall for boys soccer, with Aspen going a mere 2-13 and Basalt only sneaking into the 3A state playoffs before a 4-1 first-round loss to Aurora West Prep. But, there were enough young players out there to think 2020 will include a step forward again. I\u2019d be remiss if I didn\u2019t shout out the Roaring Fork soccer team, though. The Rams are still alive as the No. 5 seed and face No. 12 Fort Lupton in the second round Tuesday evening in Carbondale. Roaring Fork made the state semis a year ago and is two wins away from returning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">VOLLEYBALL<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The volleyball season officially ended Monday for Aspen and Basalt when the regional brackets were released. As expected, neither team made one of the 12 three-team regionals, so that\u2019s that. Aspen finished well below .500, although Basalt did sneak out an 11-11 overall record. Honestly, BHS was only a few wins away from making regional play and with so much youth still, maybe it\u2019ll happen a year from now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText BoldIntro\">Note: This is the final Prep Playbook of the fall. I\u2019ll return before the end of the month to chat about winter sports, which officially start practice Nov. 18. In the meantime, let\u2019s see how far Basalt football can go and please, please, work on your snow dance. I just bought a new snowboard and I am ready to shred.<\/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\/news\/colberts-prep-playbook-some-final-thoughts-on-the-fall-prep-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Basalt junior Sierra Bower makes her way through the first mile before finishing in first place in the Class 3A girls state championship race on Oct. 26, 2019, at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs. (Chancey Bush\/ The Gazette)Chancey Bush\/The Gazette Basalt senior Zoe Vozick practices earlier this season with the BHS softball [&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":["post-2450729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-19 09:23:00","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\/2450729","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=2450729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2450729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2450729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2450729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2450729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}