‘Greater than us’: Steamboat basketball prepares for rivalry video games towards Moffat County
Shelby Reardon/Steamboat Pilot & At the moment
Rivalry video games have a approach of getting athletes to compete at the next degree than they knew they may. They bring about the adrenaline to an all-time excessive and are certain to dazzle a crowd each single time.
Relationship again many years, the Steamboat Springs and Moffat County rivalry has carried out precisely that for the followers throughout all sports activities, with basketball remaining a top-ticket occasion.
Steamboat boys basketball’s senior class has by no means seen a loss to Moffat County on a basketball court docket, however with the Bulldogs advancing to 4A this season, Moffat County could have two alternatives to steal Steamboat’s crown.
The primary of those two matchups is in Steamboat on Friday, Jan. 27, the place the 9-5 Sailors look to increase a six-game win streak over a 4-10 Moffat County group.
Steamboat senior Austin Moore says these matchups are all the time good video games and spark further emotion followers might not see towards different league opponents.
“It’s one thing greater than us, it’s for our college,” Moore mentioned. “They’ve been our rivals for a few years now so it’s about placing on a present for the group and hoping we get a win. It’s Steamboat versus Craig, it’s assured to be one.”
Whereas Steamboat has gotten the sting over Moffat County for a number of seasons, the video games are sometimes shut and are available right down to the ultimate minutes. Two of the final three matchups had been determined by lower than 5 factors.
The Sailors are at the moment undefeated at 6-0 in league play and with Moffat County again in 4A for the primary time for the reason that 2011-12 season, this yr’s matchups imply greater than they’ve in a decade.
Steamboat’s Cade Gedeon has seen this rivalry by means of each soccer and basketball seasons and anticipates excessive power and depth on Friday evening.
“Final yr, our first sport was towards Craig and the power was loopy,” Gedeon mentioned. “Their entire scholar part was greater than ours so I’m anticipating that once more. It’s usually a hostile setting, however all people performed effectively in that sport final yr.”
Shelby Reardon/Steamboat Pilot & At the moment
Gedeon loves getting chirped by the Moffat County followers in any respect video games he competes in. He says it provides him motivation to go even more durable.
He remembers final season when he was being heckled by Moffat County followers whereas on the free throw line. He hit each free throws and went on to attain 20 factors, main the group to a 56-52 victory to open the season.
Steamboat’s assistant coach Tanner Stillwell performed for the Sailors as a scholar from 2003-2007. He remembers the contentious environments and thinks it is going to be extra like that now with each enjoying in the identical league.
“Again within the day they had been all the time laborious fought battles and actually aggressive video games between soccer and basketball,” Stillwell mentioned. “I all the time keep in mind that each groups needed to win actually unhealthy and it’s all the time an in depth sport. It’ll come right down to the group that may execute and keep inside themselves.”
The Friday evening rivalry begins on the Steamboat Springs Excessive College fitness center at 5:30 p.m. for the ladies sport, with the boys following at 7 p.m.
Stillwell thinks each video games can be thrilling for followers and encourages anybody who could make it to return take a look at two nice Steamboat basketball groups in one of many greatest residence video games of the common season.
“When you haven’t been to a highschool sport currently, you’re lacking out,” Stillwell mentioned. “It’s such a fantastic environment and our groups are working so laborious to place a product on the court docket that makes Steamboat proud.”
To succeed in Tom Skulski, name 970-871-4240, e-mail tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.
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