Preps Notebook: Lacrosse and soccer seasons start

Lacrosse notes

Eagle Valley girls lacrosse opened up their 2022 season with a 14-7 win over Summit High School on Tuesday. Six athletes were playing their first ever lacrosse game or starting in a new position.

“A lot of great takeaways as a really young team completed their first game,” said head coach Todd Beckum.

The Tigers scored on their first shot, a goal from Lili Wiethake, less than a minute into the opening half. The Devils responded immediately, however, and went a run to close the half leading 10-4.

“Seniors Ava Symanski and Kristen Lodge toughened up after a couple of early goals and played aggressively the rest of the game,” wrote Beckum after the opener.

The Tigers would pull to within four, 11-7, but three straight Devils goals closed things out for a 14-7 final.

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Offensively, Sidney Collett and C.J. Yurcak led in scoring with five and four points, respectively.

The Eagle Valley girls host Aspen on Saturday.

The boys have gotten off to a hot start as well, dispatching Glenwood Springs 16-3 last Saturday before traveling to Summit County and thrashing the Tigers 17-2 on Wednesday.

Brothers Erich and Julius Petersen and senior Eric Hasley led the Devils, who seem to be clicking on all cylinders offensively right out of the gates. They were helped by Nolan Miner’s strong play at FOGO (face-off-get-off position). Together with sophomores Declan Kelly and Trevyn Delong, the Devils controlled a majority of face-offs in both contests.

The defense has flexed its muscles, too, holding opponents to a combined five points. Freshman goalie Kyle Woodworth was strong in the net stepping in against Summit and allowing only two goals.

Coach Weston Gleiss’s squad will face their toughest test yet when they visit no. 6 Green Mountain in Lakewood Friday night.

Meanwhile, a Glenwood Canyon closure prevented the Battle Mountain boys from getting their season underway, meaning they’ll open their season Friday night at home against Steamboat Springs.

Vail Mountain School traveled to Littleton, opening their season with a 16-2 victory against the Lions. Mason Geller led the way with eight assists as the Gore Rangers featured 10 different scorers.

“Just a good way to kick off the 2022 season,” assistant coach Caleb Florence said.

“We have a lot of returners and are looking to have a good year.”

Soccer notes

After starting the year with a victory, the Huskies girls soccer team traveled to Arvada, where snow caused their matchup with 2021 state finalists Evergreen to be moved from the originally planned location. In pouring rain, the Huskies fell 3-0 to the Cougars, who boast a set of triplets set to play NCAA DI soccer next year.

“Battled hard in 30 degree rain; didn’t allow a goal in the second half and made ourselves tough to beat,” wrote coach David Cope afterwards.

The Huskies host Vail Mountain School on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

A Tatum Coe goal preserved a 1-1 tie for the Eagle Valley girls in their season opener against the Palisade Bulldogs. The Devils have games against Glenwood Springs and Montrose to close out the week.

Colorado end-of-season hockey awards feature Battle Mountain coaches and athletes

The Battle Mountain hockey program was well represented in CHSSA’s end-of-season awards. Derek Byron won the Mountain Conference coach of the year, while his assistant coaches won the state’s Assistant Staff of the Year award.

Defenseman Carter Large made first team all-state and goalie Logan Gremmer was on the second team. Forward Jack Suhadolink was honorable mention. All three were first team 4A Mountain all-conference selections as well.