Coach Paul Harvey’s Coal Ridge boys used an 18-10 scoring advantage in the third period to break open a close game, and then survived a late barrage of 3-pointers by the Aspen Skiers to hang on for a 66-58 Western Slope League win on Friday night at Coal Ridge High School.

The Titans took a 20-13 lead after the first period of play behind a couple of 3-pointers from the team’s lone senior, Austin Gerber, and the inside scoring of junior post Hank DiMarco. Junior guard Daniel Sanchez also helped the Coal Ridge cause by dropping in 9 points of his own in the first period.

Aspen would find a way to continually hang close to the Titans throughout the game, never letting Coal Ridge get out of striking distance.

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Senior Jonathan Woodrow scored on two drives to the hoop to make the score 24-17 midway through the second period of play. DiMarco answered with a score in the paint as the game’s momentum never would completely swing one way or the other.

In the third period, Aspen junior Noah Akin dropped in a 3-pointer from the corner, but DiMarco would score again, and junior guard Moises Contreras got a steal and a layup to put the Titans back in the driver’s seat.

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Junior Karsen DuBois hit a short shot for the Titans, who were now threatening to break the game wide open. Contreras and Andrew Herrera each hit 3-pointers to go along with a score down low from post player Irvin Ortega, and when DiMarco spun down the lane for a layup with 6:19 showing on the game clock, Coal Ridge had taken command of the contest at 52-34.

The Skiers would draw to within 6 points late in the contest, but the Aspen strategy of fouling Gerber proved not to be a wise one. Gerber, who is hitting at an eighty-nine percent clip from the foul line this season, calmly connected time and again to preserve the Titan win and keep his team in the chase for the WSL regular season title.

“A coach is never completely satisfied, but the kids played hard tonight. They always play with passion,” said Titan head coach Paul Harvey following the game. “We just need to correct a few little things and we’ll be OK.”

Gerber led the Titans in scoring with 20 points. Right behind was DiMarco with 19 points.

Coal Ridge will travel to Carbondale next Tuesday to take on Roaring Fork.

Girls: Coal Ridge 69, Aspen 19.

Junior post player Taylor Wiescamp poured in 22 points by halftime and the rest of the Coal Ridge girls raced up and down the court scoring almost at will to build a commanding 41-6 halftime lead en route to a 67-19 Western Slope League win against the Aspen Skiers on Friday night at Coal Ridge High School.

The game was hardly a tune up for next Tuesday’s key conference test at Roaring Fork as the Titans were dominant against the overmatched Skiers from the get-go.

Wiescamp hit the game’s first two baskets on shots in the lane. Seniors Taylor Roberts and Lyanna Nevarez contributed a couple baskets each, including a 3-pointer from Nevarez from the top of the circle to make the score a lopsided 22-2 at the end of the first period.

Sophomore Peyton Garrison got a couple of bank shots to fall near the basket, and then a couple of promising Titan freshmen got into the scoring act. Point guard Jackie Camunez took a feed from fellow frosh Aceleigh Porter for a score and Coal Ridge’s lead continued to grow.

Wiescamp, Nevarez, and Camunez all scored for the Titans in the early stages of the second half as Coal Ridge coach Clyde Morgan slowly started to empty his bench to get reserves some valuable playing time and experience.

The score book for the Titans showed Wiescamp leading the way with 26 points. Camunez tallied 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Nevarez chipped in with 11 points on the night.

The Titans (10-7, 4-3 WSL) face a big road test next Tuesday when they will take on the Roaring Fork Rams in Carbondale.

“This coming week we have two important games with Roaring Fork and Moffat County,” said Coal Ridge coach Clyde Morgan. “To put together a couple of wins would be big for us.”

It was senior night at Coal Ridge with Nevarez, Roberts, and Vanessa Gonzales all playing in their last regular season home game.