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High school sports weekend preview for Jan. 23 and 24

Ben Ingersoll

Steamboat Springs boys basketball

7:30 p.m. Friday: Steamboat (8-4) vs. Summit (2-9)

The Sailors got back on the winning track Tuesday with a come-from-behind road victory against Battle Mountain and they’ll return home Friday for what should be win No. 9.

Summit comes into Steamboat with just a pair of wins against Eagle Valley and Delta last week. The Tigers are led in scoring by senior guard Thomas DeBonville, who’s averaging 16 points per game this winter.



Summit is winless against Steamboat since the Tigers jumped from the 4A Jeffco League to the 4A Western Slope at the start of the 2012-13 season.

Steamboat Springs girls basketball

6 p.m. Friday: Steamboat (4-8) vs. Summit (3-8)



Steamboat broke out of its shell Tuesday against Battle Mountain, winning its first league game that also snapped a five-game losing skid.

Can the Sailors make it two in a row? They have as good of a shot as they will the rest of the season when three-win Summit comes to town Friday. The Tigers have lost their past six games all by double digits.

Steamboat did suffer another injury blow before this week, though, when Kady Look tore her ACL, sidelining her for the remainder of the season. Seniors Maddie Clock and Megan Limberg came on strong against Battle Mountain with Clock’s 16 points and Limberg’s 3-point presence.

Steamboat Springs hockey

6:30 p.m. Friday: Steamboat (1-11) vs. Monarch (7-0-1)

The Sailors hockey team got a much-needed 11-day rest from its loss to rival Aspen last Wednesday, but one of the tallest orders awaits Steamboat’s arrival to the ice Friday.

The Monarch Coyotes have competed in the last two state championships (both losses) and currently are undefeated this winter and ranked No. 4 in the latest Colorado High School Activities Association poll.

The Coyotes rarely have been challenged this season, winning their games by an average of five goals per victory. It’s been a while, though, since Monarch has had to travel, and the lengthy bus drive from Louisville to Steamboat by far will be the longest trip the team has had to make in 2014-15.

Steamboat Springs Nordic skiing

11 a.m. Saturday: Boys and girls at Maloit Park Invite (Minturn)

The Sailors Nordic squad is mixing it up a little bit this weekend in Minturn.

Coach Harry Niedl describes it as a Nordic combined-type of event, known as a day pursuit race that joins classic and skate skiing. The Steamboat Springs middle schoolers also will be making the trip with the high school team to compete.

Niedl said he likes his team’s chances in the dual-discipline race, noting that leading racers Katie Brodie and Natalie Bohlmann are strong in both styles. He added that on the boys side, Peter Myller and Ben Lingle have their best shot to crack the top 30 for the first time this winter.

The entire 21-skier Sailors roster will be making the trip.

Hayden boys basketball

7 p.m. Friday: Hayden (0-10) at West Grand (6-5)

Without looking too far ahead to a very winnable game against De Beque next Friday, the Tigers first have to travel to a tough West Grand squad this week.

The Mustangs have had a bit of an up-and-down winter but have scored wins against Soroco and North Park this month, both teams that have downed Hayden.

The Tigers will have to be road warriors for the next few weeks. Aside from hosting De Beque in a week, they’ll be on the road against the likes of Vail Christian and Meeker until they again meet with West Grand on Feb. 7.

Hayden girls basketball

5:30 p.m. Friday: Hayden (3-7) at West Grand (8-3)

Traveling to West Grand marks one of the toughest draws the Hayden girls will see the rest of the regular season.

The Mustangs sit among the league leaders in the recent standings and have won three straight. The Tigers are trying to regain some momentum after losing their last three.

Hayden should have its hands full with West Grand sophomore Gabby Willson, who is averaging 18 points per game and hasn’t scored less than 12 points this winter.

Soroco boys basketball

2:30 p.m. Saturday: Soroco (7-4) at Lake County (5-4)

The Rams are taking a quick break from 2A Western Slope Gore League play to travel to Class 3A Lake County in Leadville.

The Panthers have traded wins and losses in each of their last six contests dating back to Dec. 13. Lake County scored a six-point win against West Grand on Jan. 17, a team the Rams lost to by seven points a few weeks ago. West Grand is the only common opponent between the two schools.

The Rams are inching closer to already equaling their win total from all of last year at 10. A win against the Panthers would give Soroco No. 8 with seven regular-season games to go.

Soroco girls basketball

1 p.m. Saturday: Soroco (9-2) at Lake County (2-8)

The Rams look poised to be the first Routt County basketball team — boys or girls — to reach double-digit wins when they travel to Lake County on Saturday.

The Panthers have struggled mightily this winter with their only varsity win coming against a 1-10 Jefferson squad on Jan. 9. The Rams, meanwhile, are rolling after winning three straight games, the last two coming by 58- and 56-point margins.

Steamboat Springs, Hayden and Soroco wrestling

Saturday: Steamboat and Hayden at Carl Ramunno Invitational; Hayden and Soroco at Screaming Eagle Invitational

The Sailors are hosting their lone home tournament of the season, a chance for Steamboat and visiting Hayden to showcase their teams in Routt County as the season enters its final month.

Steamboat won the tournament last year behind a pair of wins from Dakota Thvedt and Matthew Hansen, a pair of athletes sure to make more noise on Saturday. The Sailors already have a trio of top-three tournament finishes under their belt this winter.

Hayden wrestlers are coming off a strong showing at the Highland Duals on the Front Range, where the Tigers won four of their five team matches.

Soroco’s pair of wrestlers will be at Paonia and will square off with some of the most talented programs the state has to offer in the 22-team tourney. Hayden also is listed on the Screaming Eagle roster of participating teams.

To reach Ben Ingersoll, call 970-871-4204, email bingersoll@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @BenMIngersoll


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