Tough battles for Cowboys

GHS boys basketball win one, lose two

Jacob Spetzler Photo and Sports Editor

The GHS boys basketball team played three games last week, winning one at home and losing two on the road. The string of competitions kicked off on Tuesday night, Jan. 17, with an intervalley non-conference showdown with Crested Butte. Gunnison emerged triumphant with a 60-45 win. Then, on Friday, Jan. 20, Gunnison fell to Meeker 56-50, and again on Saturday to Roaring Fork, 68-41.

Tuesdays’ game against Crested Butte was rowdy — 20 of the Cowboys total points came from free throws. Of those, Mike Riser scored nine, Wyatt Howery, six and Justus Williams, five. Williams was the top scorer for the Cowboys, putting up 21 total points.

Friday’s game against Meeker

SPORTS BRIEFS

Lady Wolverines to play at home this weekend

The U19 girls West Elk hockey team has two home games this weekend against Telluride, both scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 28. Games are slated for 11:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. at the Jorgensen Rink in Gunnison.

Colorado Girls Hockey League playoffs for the U15 and U19 girls teams are also in Gunnison this year, set for Feb. 10-12.

The West Elk U19 Wolverines will play at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10 against Durango in the first game of the double elimination playoff weekend.

Titans beat Mullen, lose to Glenwood Springs

The Crested Butte Titans hockey team record slid to 8-2-1 over the weekend after a pair of games on the road. On Friday, Jan. 20, the Titans fell to was close, due in part to Mike Riser who put up 11 points. He was aided by two baskets from Richter, one from Giff ord Jauregui and a three-pointer from Jacob Riser.

Meeker led in points during the other three quarters, keeping the game tight as the clock ran out. A few mistakes and bad bounces from the Cowboys allowed Meeker to scrape the win, 56-50.

“The effort, fight, and no-quit attitude was there,” said Head Coach Cristian Aguilar. “The game was decided in the final three minutes, where we had empty possessions and they were able to capitalize.”

The Roaring Fork Rams put together a brutal first quarter lead of 29-3 the following night. Th e Cowboys regrouped at the break and came out on fire in the second.

Mike Riser and Williams each sank two 3-pointers, while Jauregui put in two from the paint. The Cowboys added 19 points in the quarter, holding the Rams to eight, in the second the Glenwood Springs Devils, 4-2. Then, on Saturday, the team traveled to the Front Range where it bested the Mullen Mustangs, 4-2.

Friday’s game against Glenwood Springs was marked by the Devils’ aggressive offense, which wore down the Titan’s defensive wall. It stayed tight through the first and second as the teams traded goals.

Sam Dukeman answered an early game point from the Devils with a power play goal. The Devils scored again midway through the second, but the Titans were able to tie it up again before the end of the chapter. The Devils broke free with two more in the third.

The Titans overwhelmed the Mustangs on Saturday with a shots-on-goal differential of 43-17. Crested Butte’s Blue Gardner broke open the scoreboard midway through the first. Duke Sloan strengthened the lead, but the Mustangs slipped one in with one second half, but Roaring Fork outscored the Cowboys in the second half to take the game, 68-41.

Aguilar said it was a tough game, but still saw a lot to work with. He also highlighted Mike Riser for finding a groove as a senior and captain.

“There’s still plenty of basketball left in the season and we’re learning and getting better every day,” he said. “Michael Riser showed unbelievable gut, poise and leadership this past weekend.” left in the first.

The three games moved the Cowboys to a 2-7 overall season record, and 1-4 for the league. On Tuesday night, Jan. 24, the Cowboys played Pagosa Springs in an away game, but results were not available by press time.

The team will travel to Cedaredge to face the Bruins on Saturday, Jan. 28.

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414.)

Dukeman scored on a power play during the second, but most of the third period remained scoreless. Trailing by one, the Mustangs pulled their goalie, but the Titans broke out and Gardner scored on the empty net.

Crested Butte will play two home games this weekend. On Saturday, the team will host the Summit tigers at 1 p.m. The Titans will face Durango at 3:15 p.m. on Monday.

Western wrestling tames Tigers

Western Colorado University wrestling, ranked No. 23 in a recent NCAA Division II poll, closed out Saturday's University of Nebraska Kearney Midwest Duals with a resounding 33-15 victory over the No. 17 Fort Hays State University Tigers.

The same weekend the Mountaineers also suffered a

35-10 loss to No. 1 University of Central Oklahoma, followed by a 27-16 defeat by University of Nebraska Kearney.

Western will entertain No. 8 ranked Adams State on Friday, Jan. 27 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match at 6 p.m. at the Paul Wright Gymnasium.

Aldrich breaks WCU school record in shot put

The Western Colorado University track team had another successful meet at home in the Mountaineer Field House on Sunday, Jan. 22. Eleven athletes and two relay teams won top spots. Seven Mountaineers also earned NCAA provisional qualifying marks and four top-10 all-time performances.

However, none topped Ali Aldrich’s performance in shot put. On her first throw, she broke the university record with an NCAA provisional qualifying throw of 14.19m (46 feet, sixand-three-quarter-inch), while taking first place in the event. Aldrich also came in first place in weight throw, with a third all-time and NCAA provisional qualifying throw of 17.64m (5710.50).

The Mountaineers will head to Alamosa for their next meet on Friday, Jan. 27 to compete in the Wes Lavong Invitational.

Western swimming and dive team finishes second at CC Classic

On Jan. 22, the Mountaineers and the Tigers jockeyed for the top spot at the Colorado College Classic, which took place at the Schlessman Natatorium in Colorado Springs. In the end, the hosting Tigers managed to fend off the Mountaineers to earn the Classic title, 1,113 points to 1,070 points.