Season Preview: 4A Western Slope League
(Photo credit: Steamboat Pilot and Today) As the high school season draws inside of just three weeks away, we are coming down the wire in our preseason coverage. We continue on that today with a look at the 4A Western…
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As the high school season draws inside of just three weeks away, we are coming down the wire in our preseason coverage.
We continue on that today with a look at the 4A Western Slope League, which may have some teams capable of making a little bit of playoff noise. One note: Delta left the league.
Here’s our predicted order of finish:
1. Rifle (Last season: 19-5, 12-2 in Western Slope, first place)
The Bears will have plenty of motivation to lean on after falling short in the first round of the 4A playoffs last season. They also have their top player back in senior Jacob Boone, a 6-5, 185-pound senior who averaged 15.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game last season. The Bears have some other young players who should be ready to step up as well.
2. Battle Mountain (11-10, 8-6, fourth)
Miles Joersz, a 6-0 four-sport athlete, returns for his senior season after averaging 10.6 points per game last season. He’ll be joined by 6-6 junior Devin Huffman, who averaged 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game as a sophomore. That’s size that’s not easy to find in the small-town league.
3. Palisade (10-11, 10-4, second)
The Bulldogs should have a strong senior class that will give them a shot at a league title. That starts with 6-1 guard Max Noland, the team’s third-leading scorer a season ago at 7.4 points per game. Tanner Hall, a fellow 6-1 guard, averaged 6.2 points and 2.8 rebounds last season. There are other experienced pieces returning as well.
4. Eagle Valley (6-14, 4-10, seventh)
No team in the league has more returning scoring than the Devils. Now, can Eagle Valley take the next step with that cast. That’s the prevailing question. Nearly every player on the team will be a senior, including 6-2 guard Jimmy Murphy, who led the balanced scoring at 10.8 points per game. Also, 5-11 guard Arturo Loera (10.4) and 6-3 forward Jesus Loera (9.3) will have major impact.
5. Glenwood Springs (12-12, 9-5, third)
The Demons are tasked with replacing the league’s top player from a season ago in Cameron Horning, who averaged 23 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. Those are monster numbers. Good news for Glenwood Springs? It has a deep roster or experienced players. One to watch is 5-11 guard Angel Garcia, who averaged 5.3 points per game last season as a freshman.
6. Steamboat Springs (12-12, 7-7, fifth)
The Sailors — who have one of the best mascots in the state, by the way — return one of the league’s best players in 6-2 senior guard Ethan Riniker, who averaged 12.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game last season.
7. Summit (1-19, 1-13, eighth)
Close finishes in losses down the stretch last season should give the Tigers some encouraging experience to draw on.