{"id":2454960,"date":"2020-02-24T21:44:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T04:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/colberts-prep-playbook-playoff-mania-hits-full-stride-and-ahs-basketball-has-a-chance\/"},"modified":"2020-02-24T21:44:00","modified_gmt":"2020-02-25T04:44:00","slug":"colberts-prep-playbook-playoff-mania-hits-full-stride-and-ahs-basketball-has-a-chance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/colberts-prep-playbook-playoff-mania-hits-full-stride-and-ahs-basketball-has-a-chance\/","title":{"rendered":"Colbert\u2019s Prep Playbook: Playoff mania hits full stride and AHS basketball has a chance"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.8603223330775\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-321477-400\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-1024x684.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Aspen High School boys basketball head coach Alex Schrempf, center, gives a talk before the start of the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Aspen High School boys basketball head coach Alex Schrempf, center, gives a talk before the start of the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-1024x684.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen High School boys basketball head coach Alex Schrempf, center, gives a talk before the start of the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-1-1024x686.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Aspen High School students cheer for their boys varsity basketball team during the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Aspen High School students cheer for their boys varsity basketball team during the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-1-1024x686.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen High School students cheer for their boys varsity basketball team during the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Aspen\u2019s Liam Farrey (11) celebrates after a play during the game against Cedaredge on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Aspen\u2019s Liam Farrey (11) celebrates after a play during the game against Cedaredge on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-2-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen\u2019s Liam Farrey (11) celebrates after a play during the game against Cedaredge on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-3-1024x693.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Aspen\u2019s Braden Korpela (14) calls a play as Cedaredge\u2019s Conner Brooks (11) plays defense on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>Aspen\u2019s Braden Korpela (14) calls a play as Cedaredge\u2019s Conner Brooks (11) plays defense on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-3-1024x693.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Aspen\u2019s Braden Korpela (14) calls a play as Cedaredge\u2019s Conner Brooks (11) plays defense on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-4-1024x768.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy photo | Basalt senior Ernesto Lopez finished fourth at the state wrestling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in the 3A heavyweight division.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Basalt senior Ernesto Lopez finished fourth at the state wrestling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in the 3A heavyweight division.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy photo<\/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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-4-1024x768.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Basalt senior Ernesto Lopez finished fourth at the state wrestling tournament on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in the 3A heavyweight division.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-5-768x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Courtesy photo | Basalt High School assistant wrestling coach Olmer Marquez, left, who was fourth in state at 220 pounds in 2014, stands with BHS senior Ernesto Lopez, who finished fourth in state in the 3A heavyweight division this past weekend.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Basalt High School assistant wrestling coach Olmer Marquez, left, who was fourth in state at 220 pounds in 2014, stands with BHS senior Ernesto Lopez, who finished fourth in state in the 3A heavyweight division this past weekend.<\/strong><br \/>Courtesy photo<\/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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-5-768x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Basalt High School assistant wrestling coach Olmer Marquez, left, who was fourth in state at 220 pounds in 2014, stands with BHS senior Ernesto Lopez, who finished fourth in state in the 3A heavyweight division this past weekend.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-6-681x1024.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\/2020\/02\/preps-atd-022320-3-6-681x1024.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\/sports\/colberts-prep-playbook-playoff-mania-hits-full-stride-and-ahs-basketball-has-a-chance\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/sports\/colberts-prep-playbook-playoff-mania-hits-full-stride-and-ahs-basketball-has-a-chance\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">So you\u2019re telling me there\u2019s a chance?<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">No, I\u2019m not queuing up any overdone \u201cDumb and Dumber\u201d jokes, simply bringing up a point made to me the other day by Aspen High School boys basketball coach Alex Schrempf. Essentially, it\u2019s been a few years since AHS stood much of a chance come postseason play, likely going back to the 2013-14 season when the team finished 19-5 in what would end up being coach Steven Ketchum\u2019s final squad.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But this year feels different. Aspen (12-8 overall), seeded No. 7, plays at No. 2 seed Coal Ridge (14-5) in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A Western Slope League district tournament at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The Skiers are certainly the underdogs with their season on the line, but for the first time in a handful of years it feels like they might actually have a chance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The last time the two teams met in district play was in 2017, Schrempf\u2019s first season as head coach, when the Titans rolled to a 77-31 win. In 2018, AHS lost as the No. 9 seed to No. 8 seed Cedaredge in the district pigtail game, 55-47. In 2019, AHS crushed Basalt in the district pigtail game, 70-43, before losing to No. 1 seed Delta, 72-23. Aspen hasn\u2019t been to the state tournament since Ketchum\u2019s final season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The 2020 squad, led by seniors Jonathan Woodrow and Aidan Ledingham, not to mention a trio of talented underclassmen in Taylor Akin, Lucas Lee and Braden Korpela, probably won\u2019t get there, either, a feat that would require making the district championship game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Then again, AHS only lost to Coal Ridge 66-58 on Feb. 14, their only meeting this season, when the Skiers were still far from complete. Barring No. 6 Roaring Fork (5-14) pulling off the upset, the semifinal game would come against No. 3 seed Grand Valley (12-7), a team Aspen beat, 45-40, on Jan. 25. Look at it that way and suddenly the Skiers playing for the district title doesn\u2019t sound so crazy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">BASALT GIRLS HEAD TO CEDAREDGE<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Also Tuesday night, the Basalt High School girls basketball team, seeded No. 7, will travel to No. 2 Cedaredge (16-3) in the district quarterfinals (again a 6 p.m. tip). BHS (9-9) has won more games this season since that 2007-08 team went 23-4 and made the state quarterfinals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">However, beating the Bruins will be no small task. In their lone meeting this season Jan. 31, Cedaredge beat Basalt, 49-20, after jumping out to 29-8 halftime lead. The Bruins have developed one of the best girls basketball programs on the Western Slope and like No. 1 seed Delta \u2014 assuming those two teams make the district championship game \u2014 will be a handful for anyone come the state tournament.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">ASPEN HOCKEY MAKES PLAYOFFS<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In what has been a tough season for Aspen High hockey, there still is everything to play for. AHS (3-10-4 overall) made the 24-team state tournament as the No. 23 seed and will play Wednesday at No. 10 Ralston Valley (12-7) in the first round. Game time is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. at the Apex Center in Arvada. The winner plays No. 7 Doherty on Friday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The teams haven\u2019t played since the 2017-18 season, when No. 11 Aspen beat No. 22 Ralston Valley in the first round of the state playoffs, 6-3. AHS made the quarterfinals that season, losing to eventual state runner-up Valor Christian.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Ralston Valley has twice won the state championship, the latest coming in 2014. Aspen\u2019s lone state championship in hockey came in 2007.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">LET\u2019S SKI<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">This Thursday and Friday are the state skiing championships, where Aspen will be looking for a three-peat on the boys\u2019 side. The girls last won in 2018 before finishing as state runner-up last winter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Beaver Creek is hosting the alpine events while Maloit Park in Minturn will host the nordic events. Battle Mountain High School in Edwards will be the main race hub and host the awards dinner.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen should without question be among the favorites to win another state championship in either gender. They are the Skiers, after all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">WRESTLING IS A WRAP<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In case you missed it, Basalt senior Ernesto Lopez finished fourth at state wrestling in Class 3A\u2019s heavyweight division over the weekend. I wanted to give Erny one final shout out for an incredible career at BHS, highlighted by his dominant play on the football field (he signed with Western Colorado University for football). I\u2019m guessing his Longhorn athletic career is a wrap, as he usually plays rugby in the spring for the Junior Gents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Subhead\">ABOUT MICHAEL GLEN<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">If anyone deserves a shout out, I\u2019d say Michael Glen is on that list. The former Basalt basketball standout surpassed 1,000 career points with the Colorado School of Mines men\u2019s basketball program Friday, a 79-43 win over Black Hills State.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Glen, a junior, now has 1,018 career points in 90 career games (he\u2019s started 89 of those), an average of 11.3 points per game. The Orediggers are 19-9 overall this season and 15-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with their regular-season finale coming Friday at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText BoldIntro\">Note: This will be my final Prep Playbook column of the winter season. It\u2019ll return next month after a short hiatus. Believe it or not, spring sports practices officially start Monday.<\/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\/colberts-prep-playbook-playoff-mania-hits-full-stride-and-ahs-basketball-has-a-chance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aspen High School boys basketball head coach Alex Schrempf, center, gives a talk before the start of the playoff game against Cedaredge High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Aspen High School students cheer for their boys varsity basketball team during the playoff game against Cedaredge High School [&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-2454960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 13:45:00","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\/2454960","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=2454960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2454960\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2454960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2454960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2454960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}