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Routt County high school sports roundup for Jan. 28

Joel Reichenberger

Steamboat Springs girls basketball (6-7) lost to Glenwood Springs, 51-41

What happened: Steamboat set as a goal to rebound the ball better against Glenwood, and it accomplished that. It couldn’t keep pace offensively, however, and a one-point lead at half turned into a 10-point loss. McKenzie Repollo led the Sailors with 10 points.

What does it mean: Steamboat slipped below .500 with the loss. It should level things back out Friday against Summit, but a Saturday game against Rifle is crucial for the team if it hopes to show progress.

What’s next: Steamboat plays at 6 p.m. Friday at home against Summit.



Steamboat Springs boys basketball (7-6) lost to Glenwood Springs, 42-30

What happened: Steamboat led 16-13 after the first half but couldn’t hold on in the second. Glenwood was able to physically control the Sailors. Ben Custer scored 12 points to lead the team.

What does it mean: Steamboat went 0-8 from 3-point range. If you can’t make those, you can’t make a team like Glenwood back off. Glenwood’s not a very good team this year, but it certainly has Steamboat’s number.



What’s next: The Sailors play at 7:30 p.m. Friday at home against Summit.

Steamboat Springs wrestling placed first in a home tournament

What happened: Connor O’Brien won at 170 pounds and the Sailors had five second-place finishes and a fourth place at a rare home wrestling tournament.

What does it mean: So many second-place finishers when first was available are a bit of a letdown, but Steamboat proved again it has a wide-base of talent on this year’s squad. The next three weeks will be about getting those pistons ready to fire at the right time — the regional tournament.

What’s next: Steamboat travels to a triangular Thursday night at Moffat County High School.

Steamboat Springs Nordic ski team competed at Summit

What happened: The high school girls led the way, finishing third in the skate skiing portion of a unique format that included both skate and classic racing.

What does it mean: The regular season is more than half over for the high school Nordic squad. The team is still jockeying to get as many skiers to state as possible. It was a good weekend for Peter White, a great Alpine skier and a good Nordic skier, who maintained his lead in the skimeister standings.

What’s next: Steamboat competes Saturday in Leadville.

Steamboat Springs hockey fell to Mullen, 6-2, and Standley Lake, 3-2

What happened: Steamboat had a three-game winning streak snapped. It couldn’t hang with either of the weekend’s opponents early in the games, being outscored 7-2 in the first and second periods of the two losses.

What does it mean: These were big ones if the Sailors had hoped to claw their way up from the middle of the division. Both Mullen and Standley Lake came in with similar records to Steamboat. Steamboat has a big chance to turn that around against a top team Friday on the road at Regis.

What’s next: Steamboat plays at 5:45 p.m. Friday at Regis.

Hayden boys basketball (10-2) beat Vail Christian, 62-51, and Vail Mountain, 75-40

What happened: Paul Laliberte scored 19 points and controlled the pace of the game down the stretch as Hayden picked up a big win against Vail Christian on Friday night. Saturday’s blowout win against Vail Mountain was a formality.

What does it mean: The Tigers are ticking off their main competitors one by one. The week ahead provides the biggest remaining tests on the schedule. Rangely, Friday’s home opponent, may be much better than its 5-7 record would indicate, while a Saturday game at Meeker could be for the league title.

What’s next: Hayden plays at 8:30 p.m. Friday at home against Rangely.

Hayden girls basketball (2-10) lost to Soroco, 50-29, and beat Vail Christian, 39-28

What happened: Hayden lost to Soroco on Thursday but made everything in its world right — at least for a few days — with a 39-28 upset at home against Vail Christian. Savannah Williams had 14 points and Olivia Zehner scored 13.

What does it mean: A lack of confidence has been a huge problem for the Tigers this season. At their worst, their passes are listless, their drives to the hoop uninspired and their shot-taking simply nonexistent. Late against Soroco and on Saturday against Vail Christian, however, the team played as if it had a much better idea what it was doing, acting instead of reacting, and that made a big difference on the court.

What’s next: Hayden plays at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Rangely.

Hayden wrestling competed in Steamboat

What happened: Hayden got second-place finishes from Tanner Guire and Kent Miller on Saturday as well as four other placers.

What does it mean: The young Tigers are coming around just in time, and some of their older, more experienced teammates may be back to the mats soon.

What’s next: Hayden wrestles Thursday against Soroco.

Soroco girls basketball (9-3) beat Hayden, 50-29, and Vail Christian, 46-37

What happened: Soroco ran out to a big first-quarter lead in dispatching rival Hayden for the second time this season. On Saturday, Jacey Schlegel came up big with 13 points to lead the Rams past Vail Christian.

What does it mean: Hayden’s been the team on the other side of enough Soroco misery that a win in that series will always mean more to the Rams. The complete 2-0 weekend was important for more than settling old scores, however. Soroco has moved past “surprising” and is now simply good. This weekend’s games against Rangely and Meeker will go a long way toward deciding how things fall within the league.

What’s next: Soroco plays Friday at home against Meeker.

Soroco boys basketball (6-6) beat Vail Mountain, 68-35, and lost to Vail Christian, 51-45

What happened: Soroco blasted Vail Mountain but lost a tough game to Vail Christian. Ryan Jeep scored 16 and Bjorn Carlson had one of his best games of the season, scoring 12 as the Rams rallied from a big second-half deficit to tie the game late. They couldn’t get over the hump, however.

What does it mean: A win against Vail Christian would have been huge, but the team coming back when it appeared the game had been decided is almost as impressive. The Rams that started the season 0-4 didn’t seem capable of that kind of fight, but Soroco’s been playing solid basketball for long enough now that it’s easy to buy in.

What’s next: Soroco plays at 6:30 p.m. at home against Meeker.

Soroco wrestling competed in Steamboat

What happened: Dillon Koler finished second to lead the way for the Rams.

What does it mean: It always seems to be an up-and-down experience for the Rams, and it was again Saturday. Koler entered the season as one of the team’s most experienced wrestlers, so it’s good to see him back on track.

What’s next: Soroco travels Thursday for a dual in Hayden.


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