YOUR AD HERE »

Steamboat falls to Summit High School

Josh Salerno

Breckenridge — Bryan Smith has said since the beginning of the season that this year's Summit High School hockey team is explosive. — Bryan Smith has said since the beginning of the season that this year's Summit High School hockey team is explosive.

— Bryan Smith has said since the beginning of the season that this year’s Summit High School hockey team is explosive.

The Tigers’ Braxton Campbell showed Steamboat that expressiveness by erupting for three goals in the third period.

The hat trick vaulted Summit past the Sailors, 4-2, Friday in Breckenridge.



“We have 10 kids that I can rely on to do exactly that,” Smith said after his team improved to 4-1. “You just never know who it’s going to be. I have that many kids who can put three pucks in the net.”

Two of Campbell’s goals came when the team was shorthanded. The senior forward said the Tigers were able to overcome four third-period penalties because the team came out with more intensity than usual.



“We were down after the first and second because we weren’t playing up to T,” Campbell said. “I went out thinking, ‘Lets get a couple of goals – we need a win.’ The whole team contributed.”

Campbell received assists from Jan McSparin and Jeff Montepare.

Steamboat coach Jeff Ruff said he was pleased with his team’s performance until the final 11 minutes.

“That’s a very good, well-coached team,” Ruff said, whose team dropped to 0-5 on the season. “I thought we competed well for two and a half periods.

We were playing at the same or maybe higher level than they were. It just seemed like they wanted it more.”

Steamboat got on the board first after Billy Taylor scored with :35 remaining in the first period. Montepare countered for the Tigers in the second, before Tim Rabbitt scored a shorthanded goal to put the Sailors back on top, 2-1.

That set up Campbell’s heroics in the third.

“That’s one thing we can always do is provide some excitement,” Smith said, “It was a great game. I would’ve liked it for them to come out here and get after it right away.”

The Tigers had just four shots on goal in the first period, compared to the 25 they fired off during the final two periods.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.