Top 4 performances of the weekend in Routt County high school sports
Courtesy Photo
By the numbers
3 — As in Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball's Big 3 of Garrett Bye, Brody King and Robi Powers. The three are Steamboat's team captains and they showed why this weekend at Palisade and Delta. First, it was the team's leading scorer in Powers, who dropped 18 points on Palisade on Friday and locked down the Bulldogs' best scorer on the other end. Next, it was King's turn against Delta, scoring a team-high 18 points in a crucial 10-point victory. And throughout it was Bye, who played as consistently as he has all season with a double-double against Palisade and 14 points against Delta.
11 — Straight wins the Soroco High School girls basketball team had against West Grand until Saturday. The Rams' win streak against the Mustangs dated all the way back to Jan. 11, 2008, but West Grand ended it in a hurry on Saturday, downing Soroco, 75-67. It was just the second loss of the season for Soroco. The two teams will meet again in Oak Creek on Jan. 31.
3 — Average margin of defeat for the Steamboat Springs High School hockey team in the Sailors' last four contests dating back to before the winter break began. Steamboat was showing signs of improvement in just about all phases of the game, but the steady building blocks weren't translating into wins. On Friday, the Sailors put together another solid game against Battle Mountain, only to lose by a few goals. Steamboat finally got its break Saturday, though, using three unanswered scores to down Kent Denver, 3-1.
Weekend scores
Friday
BOYS BASKETBALL: Steamboat Springs 48, Palisade 40
BOYS BASKETBALL: Soroco 58, Hayden 45
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Palisade 58, Steamboat Springs 22
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Soroco 68, Hayden 39
HOCKEY: Battle Mountain 5, Steamboat Springs 3
Saturday
BOYS BASKETBALL: Steamboat Springs 59, Delta 49
BOYS BASKETBALL: Vail Christian 63, Hayden 39
BOYS BASKETBALL: West Grand 53, Soroco 46
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Delta 80, Steamboat Springs 33
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Vail Christian 40, Hayden 25
GIRLS BASKETBALL: West Grand 75, Soroco 67
HOCKEY: Steamboat Springs 3, Kent Denver 1
SKIING: Steamboat Springs girls Nordic team third at Eldora. Steamboat Springs boys Nordic team eighth at Eldora.
Steamboat Springs — 1. Steamboat hockey revels in season’s first win
Nine games of frustration finally were erased Saturday afternoon for the Steamboat Springs High School hockey team. The Sailors’ full-game effort Friday against Battle Mountain at home resulted in a disappointing 5-3 loss. It was the Sailors’ best game of the season, coach Chris Campanelli said, and he hoped his team would respond Saturday against Kent Denver. They did in a big way, erasing a 1-0 first-period deficit to snag a 3-1 win, Steamboat’s first this winter.
2. Hayden wrestlers Lewis, Magee show well at incredibly tough tourney
The Vernal, Utah, Tournament of Champions is appropriately named. It brings together a pool of amazing talent from the host state and surrounding territories for two days of highly competitive wrestling. As a team, the Hayden Tigers finished around the middle of the 28-team pack, but 195-pounder Taylor Lewis and 113-pounder Judd Magee shined. Each walked away from their deep brackets with bronze medals.
3. Steamboat boys hoops takes care of business on the road
Steamboat Springs High School basketball’s annual Palisade-Delta overnight road trip usually tosses out any of the teams’ records. It’s simply difficult enough to get on a bus for about five hours and respond with back-to-back wins, but the Sailors boys did just that this weekend. Steamboat stormed by Palisade on Friday, 48-40, and answered the call when they were down against Delta on Saturday. The Panthers held a halftime lead, but Steamboat canceled Delta’s upset bid with a 59-49 victory.
4. Hayden boys basketball has trouble with Vail Christian star
Hayden High School senior Carlos Valdez did his best to keep up score for score with Vail Christian’s Ethan Ellsworth on Saturday, but the Saints senior was in a class of his own. Ellsworth scored 26 points, and take away those 26 points somehow, and the Tigers are two-point winners — that’s how important Ellsworth was to Vail Christian. On the other end, Valdez had a season-high 20 points, most coming in the final few quarters from beyond the 3-point line.
Quote of the week
Steamboat Springs High School hockey captain Jordan Gorr after the Sailors’ 3-1 win against Kent Denver on Saturday, the team’s first of the season:
“We kept our energy and kept coming to practice with positive attitudes,” Gorr said. “We came out today and put it together. We all came in expecting to win this game.”
By the numbers
3 — As in Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball’s Big 3 of Garrett Bye, Brody King and Robi Powers. The three are Steamboat’s team captains and they showed why this weekend at Palisade and Delta. First, it was the team’s leading scorer in Powers, who dropped 18 points on Palisade on Friday and locked down the Bulldogs’ best scorer on the other end. Next, it was King’s turn against Delta, scoring a team-high 18 points in a crucial 10-point victory. And throughout it was Bye, who played as consistently as he has all season with a double-double against Palisade and 14 points against Delta.
11 — Straight wins the Soroco High School girls basketball team had against West Grand until Saturday. The Rams’ win streak against the Mustangs dated all the way back to Jan. 11, 2008, but West Grand ended it in a hurry on Saturday, downing Soroco, 75-67. It was just the second loss of the season for Soroco. The two teams will meet again in Oak Creek on Jan. 31.
3 — Average margin of defeat for the Steamboat Springs High School hockey team in the Sailors’ last four contests dating back to before the winter break began. Steamboat was showing signs of improvement in just about all phases of the game, but the steady building blocks weren’t translating into wins. On Friday, the Sailors put together another solid game against Battle Mountain, only to lose by a few goals. Steamboat finally got its break Saturday, though, using three unanswered scores to down Kent Denver, 3-1.
To reach Ben Ingersoll, call 970-871-4204, email bingersoll@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @BenMIngersoll
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