Prep notebook: Battle Mountain girls lacrosse takes down Mead 15-14

Isabel Thomas came into Monday’s game against Mead eager to burn off some steam. The Battle Mountain junior, who takes care of draws for the No. 2 Huskies, was dealt a pair of yellow cards in the first half of Saturday’s 16-15 loss to Rifle. She wasn’t the only athlete penalized either as Battle Mountain was shorthanded for most of the second half. In fact, trailing by three with four minutes to go, the Huskies were playing three women down.

“It was really hard for me to watch on the sideline knowing I could have done something,” Thomas said. “Going into (Monday) I was like, no yellow cards, we are not doing this again. And in the huddle we were like, ‘be careful, they are calling everything.'”

Thomas made up for it in the most dramatic way on Monday against Mead, a team that won the state title in 2023 and lost by a goal in the final last spring. The junior led her team with four goals, including an 8-meter shot late to send the game into overtime. She took the extra period draw all the way to the cage for the game winner as well.

“I was shaking on the circle,” Thomas said. “I was like, ‘I need to get this ball. My team needs me to get this ball.'”

After the clutch score, Thomas — who also won 10 draws in the contest — was embraced by her team.

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“It was a rush — it was insane,” she said. “Last year, I wasn’t much of a goal scorer and this year I kind of had to step up because our leading goal scorer graduated and so it definitely feels nice to be in that position, have that goal and be there for my team.”

After going 14-0 in the 2024 regular season, the Huskies said goodbye to 200-goal scorer Molly Kessenich and longtime starting goalie Roxy Surridge. Despite the graduations, Thomas said this year’s nucleus has grown into a closer community.

“We started off this season just not playing as a team,” she said before explaining that the squad sat down and created a team banner listing off various goals and affirmations.

“I just think this team — we all love each other,” she continued. “I feel so connected to this team. I trust this team.”

No. 2 Battle Mountain also received three scores from Izzy Adochio and two more from Izzy and Kate Kovacik and Gracyn Nestlerode in the victory. Izzy Kovacik led the team with five ground balls and Hallie Holleman had nine saves in goal as the Huskies improved to 9-1. Things don’t get any easier, however, as Battle Mountain welcomes No. 4 Green Mountain to Edwards at 4 p.m. on Friday.

“We played them last year, we beat them by one point,” Thomas said. “I think it’s going to be the same type of matchup. We just need to come out hard.”

Other prep notes: Coal Ridge defeats Battle Mountain baseball

Battle Mountain baseball lost 11-5 to Coal Ridge on Tuesday in Edwards. The Huskies and Titans were tied 2-2 after the first inning and the home team went up 5-3 after two-run single by Shaeffer Dodds in the bottom of the second. Coal Ridge came back with five runs in the fourth, however, to pull away and improve to 11-2-1 on the season. Ben Simons struck out seven for the Titans in just over four innings of work to pick up the victory.

Battle Mountain (7-4) returns to the diamond at Summit (8-3) on Wednesday.

• Eagle Valley tied Palisade 0-0 in girls soccer on Monday. The Devils (4-5-3 overall, 2-1-1 in league play) travel to Summit on Wednesday to take on the Tigers (5-5-1).
• The Battle Mountain girls soccer team defeated Summit 2-0 on the road on Monday to improve to 6-3-3 overall and 3-0-1 in league play. The Huskies travel to Glenwood Springs on Thursday.
• Vail Mountain School lost to Mullen 1-0 in girls soccer on Saturday to fall to 5-2-1 overall. The Gore Rangers returned to the pitch against Steamboat Springs on Tuesday, falling to the Sailors 2-0.