Glenwood Springs, fresh from a win over Rifle last week, faced its biggest test so far this season Friday night: undefeated Basalt. Away.

Maybe they had jitters facing one of the 2A League’s top-ranked teams in Colorado. Maybe it’s because lightning concerns delayed kickoff by 40 minutes. Or, maybe, it’s because it pretty much rained all night.

Whichever the case, multiple botched snaps, offensive offsides and defensive encroachment penalties created a not-so-perfect storm for Glenwood Springs in the first half.

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Though the likes of Demons speedsters Marcos Aragon and Joaquin Sandoval tried valiantly to even the score in the second half, Glenwood would suffer their second loss of the season, 28-12.

“It’s a huge rivalry for us, and the kids played their hearts out,” Basalt head coach Carl Frerichs said. “We knew Joaquin is a heck of a quarterback. I couldn’t be more proud of my (defensive) ends, and my spies were on him all night.” 

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Basalt, unsurprisingly, immediately cashed in on Glenwood’s first-half blunders.

It all began with Basalt’s opening drive. Marching downfield to Glenwood’s red zone, Basalt senior quarterback Kade Schneider completed a short touchdown pass to senior receiver Dylan Madden.

Next possession, Glenwood offense committed an offside penalty on third down. They punted. Schneider intercepted to Sandoval on the following possession. The very next play, Sandoval intercepted to Basalt junior linebacker Mav Dombrowski.

The Longhorns responded with an up-the-gut touchdown bash by 6-foot, 3-inch, 215-pound senior running back Cooper Crawford. Basalt led 14-0 at 7:10 in the second quarter.

“It’s his birthday today, he’s a great kid, and many 2A schools don’t have a 215-pound running back there,” Frerichs said. “We’re getting happier and happier because he’s running downhill.”

Two consecutive bad snaps later, Glenwood again had to punt, and, soon, Schneider was quarterback-sneaking Basalt’s third touchdown of the game at the 2:32 mark. The score locked in a 21-0 lead for the Longhorns heading into halftime.

This didn’t deter any second-half determination for Glenwood Springs. Despite rain fluctuating between tolerably light and a heavy “Let’s go home” downpour, a fire somehow ignited underneath the Demons.

Glenwood Springs head coach Thor Jensen said he told his players at halftime to play with heart and prove they can play football.

“I mean, 21 points — the way we play offense — we should be able to overcome,” he said. 

At 7:20 in the third quarter, Aragon took a handoff from Sandoval at their own 41-yard line, juked Basalt defenders out of their cleats and burned downfield for a 59-yard rushing touchdown.

“All our kids didn’t quit,” Jensen said. “They came out in the second half and decided they wanted to figure things out.”

“The first half, I don’t know what happened. We need to figure out how to get off the bus better.”

Glenwood Springs defense then came up huge on three occasions. Next possession they forced Basalt into a fourth-down situation and an inevitable punt. Sandoval then capitalized on the opportunity, scoring on a long rush downfield.

Down 21-12 to start the fourth, Glenwood defense forced another fourth-down situation for the Longhorns. Basalt again punted. Glenwood offense again marched downfield in response. But, then, they fumbled.

Basalt offense responded by getting to Glenwood’s 8-yard line, and guess what? Glenwood defense stuffed the stout Crawford on fourth down and again regained possession.

But, Glenwood’s offense was kept from scoring anymore touchdowns. At 3:44 left in the game, Crawford rushed for his second touchdown of the game and, later, sacked Sandoval twice to put the joust to bed. 

The 3A Demons are now 2-2 overall and host a non-league game against Grand Junction Central at 7 p.m. Friday. After that, they have a bye week and then prepare for their first 3A League 3 game of the season against Battle Mountain (0-4).

“(We’ll) repair the damage. That was a physical game,” Jensen said. “We gotta go figure out where everybody is and get our heads straight. Central is going to bring it.”

“It’s homecoming, so that will be cool.”

The Longhorns are now 4-0. They host Grand Valley at 7 p.m. Friday.

PREPS SCORES FROM FRIDAY

• Roaring Fork beat Clear Creek, 44-0; junior quarterback Max Bollock was 11-for-19 passing for 244 yards and had three touchdowns and two interceptions on the night. He also ran for 142 yards. On defense, junior Cooper Spencer recorded eight tackles on the night, six solo. Senior Zane Garcia picked off two passes for 51 yards. 

• Rifle lost to Delta, 20-0

• Coal Ridge lost to Salida, 35-6

(Note: Grand Valley plays Manual at 1 p.m. Saturday.)