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Roaring Fork splits with Battle Mountain

Mike Vidakovich
sports@postindependent.com

Junior forward Justin Thompson scored 13 first-half points, leading the Rams to a 25-16 lead at halftime, and the Roaring Fork boys held on from there to post a 57-43 victory over the Battle Mountain Huskies Tuesday night in Carbondale.

Senior guard Aldo Pinela also proved to be a thorn in the side of the Huskies early on, as he scored seven points of his own to keep Roaring Fork in the driver’s seat leading up to intermission.

Battle Mountain came out in the third quarter determined to not go quietly as they scored the first seven points of the frame on baskets by Ethan Tatreau, David Caballero and Luis Mendoza to cut the Ram margin to 25-23.



Thompson answered with a basket for Roaring Fork following a timeout, and sophomore forward Joe Salinas scored on a baseline drive to put the Rams back in command and stem the swirling current of Battle Mountain momentum.

Senior Jassiel Petatan hit two free throws following a Battle Mountain technical foul, and Pinela capped off the Ram rally with a three-pointer from out front as the quarter buzzer sounded with Roaring Fork up 36-25.



“We really needed to answer that run so things wouldn’t get away from us,” Roaring Fork Head Coach Larry Williams said. “I was proud of how the kids responded.”

Petatan hit two more free throws at the start of the fourth period to cap a 14-2 Roaring Fork onslaught as the Rams then spread the floor and became more deliberate on the offensive end, forcing the Huskies to chase the ball and foul.

Roaring Fork (7-2) finished the game making 25 out of 28 chances at the free throw line. Petatan was a big contributor to that statistic by making 13 of his 15 free throws for the game.

The Rams, who will host Grand Valley Saturday afternoon, were led in scoring by Thompson with 21 points. Petatan had 13 points, with Pinela chipping in 12 points and Salinas hitting for nine points.

HUSKIES 43, RAMS40

The Roaring Fork ladies also tangled with the Huskies of Battle Mountain Tuesday evening in a non-conference matchup in the Rams’ gymnasium and fell just short of victory in an exciting 43-40 contest that came up in favor of the visitors.

Senior guard Ashley Hall scored 10 second-half points for the Rams, including two critical three-pointers in the third quarter of play to help Roaring Fork keep pace with the hot shooting hands of Battle Mountain’s Monique Stevens and Dylan Barker, but her desperation shot from the corner was just off the mark as the final buzzer sounded.

With the Huskies leading 40-34 entering the fourth quarter, both teams had trouble finding the rim and gaining any type of advantage as the game neared its conclusion. Battle Mountain had several chances to ice things at the free throw line, but they were able to convert on only two of 10 charity tosses, keeping the Ram hopes alive.

The sluggish play in the fourth quarter was offset by the torrid pace both teams set in the third stanza. With Barker and Stevens rarely missing shot opportunities, it was up to Hall and fellow senior guard Jasmin Lopez to help the Rams stay close, as Battle Mountain won the quarter by a 16-13 count.

“It was a three-point shooting contest there for awhile,” Roaring Fork Head Coach Jade Bath said. “The girls did everything we asked of them tonight. They stayed disciplined in a close game and were aware of all the situations we faced at the end.”

Roaring Fork (4-5 overall) will try to bounce back this coming Saturday as they host the Grand Valley Cardinals. Ashley Hall believes the Rams are up to the task.

“We’ll take the good things out of this game and be ready to play on Saturday,” Hall said.

Hall led the Rams in scoring with 12 points. Senior Lyndsay Hansen had seven points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Logan Erickson contributed six points.


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