Courtesy of Diana Lane
The Basalt High School cross country team got its season underway on Saturday with its home meet, the Longhorn Invitational at Crown Mountain Park. The highlight came in the girls race, won by BHS senior standout Ava Lane in 19 minutes, 16.4 seconds. Not competing was her senior teammate, Katelyn Maley, the two-time defending Class 3A state champion.
Fruita Monument junior Ella Unrein was second behind Lane on Saturday in 19:27.1, while Glenwood Springs senior Sophia Connerton-Nevin was third in 20:17.9.
Aspen’s top finisher was sophomore Julia Diaz, who was sixth in 20:43.3. Right behind her in seventh place was AHS senior Michaela Kenny in 21:16. Basalt sophomore Isabella Moon was 10th in 22:03.6.
Fruita Monument won the girls team title with 37 points, followed in second by Aspen (46 points). Basalt was third (58) and Glenwood was fourth (76). Coal Ridge was a distant fifth.
Fruita Monument also took the boys team title with 31 points. Coal Ridge was way back in second place with 117 points and Middle Park third with 125 points. Basalt was fourth with 129, while Aspen did not place.
Individually, Aspen did get a strong race from junior Edwin Ryserson, who was fourth in 18:37.7. Basalt senior Misha Logan was eighth in 19:00.4. Coal Ridge senior Tyler Parker won the race in 17:44.3, while Fruita sophomore Carter Unfred was second (18:08.3) and Moffat County junior Owen Gifford was third (18:33.6).
While Saturday marked Basalt’s first race of the fall, it was the second for Aspen. In a small field of teams on Aug. 20 at Meeker, Diaz finished fourth (23:10) and Kenny fifth (23:32) in a race won by Rifle sophomore Ana Robinson (22:37).
Courtesy of Diana Lane
AHS senior Eske Roennau was eighth in the boys race at Meeker (20:34), while Battle Mountain senior Kyle Ross won in 20:03.
Aspen’s annual home race is scheduled for Oct. 8 this fall, two weeks before regionals.
Play catch up
The Aspen High School volleyball season got underway Friday night at home against Gunnison, played right before the AHS football team also hosted Gunnison.
Like football, Gunnison left with the win on the volleyball court, 3-2. AHS led 2-1, having won the first set 25-11 and third set 25-14, but Gunnison pulled out two-point wins in both the fourth and fifth sets.
With experiential education coming this next week, AHS volleyball will have about a two week break before playing again.
Basalt volleyball is also 0-1 on the season after losing 3-0 to Eagle Valley on Aug. 23.
Basalt softball is 1-0 on the young season after an 18-1 win over Aspen (0-2) on Thursday. AHS also lost 16-0 to Eagle Valley in the opener.
Aspen boys soccer played its first and only game so far this season on Thursday, a 5-2 loss at Rifle. Basalt soccer is 2-1 after a 4-1 win at Delta on Saturday. The Longhorns also won 4-2 at Crested Butte in their opener before losing 2-1 to Telluride the next day.
Aspen boys tennis opened its season by finishing fourth of seven teams at the Lowry Bishop Memorial Tournament in Grand Junction on Aug. 19-20.