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The Aspen Skiers are going to state!
The Aspen football team has distinguished itself as one of the top teams in the 2A Western Slope. Now, the Skiers get their third chance in as many seasons to make their mark in the postseason.
After a year in which it won eight games, scored 412 points and finished second to defending state champion Olathe in a balanced conference, Aspen earned the ninth seed in this year's 16-team state tournament field, released Sunday afternoon. The Skiers will travel to Pagosa Springs on Saturday to take on the eighth-seeded Pirates (7-3). Game times have yet to be announced.
Faith Christian (10-0), captured the field's top seed. Olathe (10-0) is second.
“I feel like it's [ a good draw],” Aspen head coach Mike Sirko said Sunday. “I feel like we've got the team to compete with those guys if we play well. We're pretty excited about the opportunity.”
Sirko likes to joke that, before their recent string of success, he was in college the last time the Skiers made the playoffs in 1974. Fortunes have shifted under the decorated coach's watch in the last three seasons, as Aspen has been transformed from conference bottom feeder to prime contender after winning 23 games.
Now, they're aiming to notch their first victory on the sport's biggest stage.
Aspen's season was cut short in 2007 after a 30-7, opening-round loss to Eaton and talented quarterback Seth Lobato, now a walk-on at the University of Colorado.
Last fall, the Skiers were stifled by untimely miscues and an intimidating Florence running game in a 36-13 defeat.
“Playoff football comes down to who is ready to play and minimizing mistakes,” Sirko said. “I feel that, at least with our experience, we hope to take it to a different level.
“It's all about a belief in ourselves that we can get it done. When this team believes, it can usually do.”
The Skiers dropped just two games this season — both to unbeaten teams (Hotchkiss and Olathe). After Oct. 16's 52-26 home loss to the Pirates, Aspen responded with three convincing wins to close out the regular season, including a 41-0 rout of Gunnison on Oct. 30 that clinched a playoff berth.
The Skiers rolled in Friday's finale, erupting for 41 first-half points and cruising to a 54-0 win over Coal Ridge.
The competition will be stiffer Saturday, when Aspen will clash with 2A's most accomplished passing attack. Pagosa Springs sophomore signal caller Taylor Shaffer has operated the Pirates' spread offense with peak efficiency in 2009, throwing for 2,392 yards and 22 touchdowns while completing 67 percent of his passes. He has been picked off just three times.
Pagosa Springs, champions of a Mountain Conference that received three playoff berths (No. 15 Salida and No. 16 Bayfield), averages nearly 42 points per game, albeit against seemingly watered-down competition. Four of the Pirates' seven victories have come against teams with two or fewer wins.
They advanced to the quarterfinals in last year's playoffs after a 40-7, opening round win over Manitou Springs before falling to top-seeded Platte Canyon, 3026. This year, Pagosa Springs enters the playoffs having dropped two of its final three games — to 3A Delta (8-2) and Bayfield (7-3) — by a total of just three points.
“Defensively, we're going to have to make a lot of plays one-on-one in the open field. We can't allow them to break a lot of tackles,” Sirko said. “This could be [a shootout], but every other time it says that on paper it ends up being a defensive struggle. We'll take it either way as long as we can end up with a W. I don't care if we get 100 yards of offense if we win.”
That likely will not be the case, as Aspen boasts one of the state's most potent offensive weapons in tailback Nicky Ufkes. The junior, who eclipsed 2,000 yards rushing in Friday's win, scored 27 touchdowns and averaged 8.6 yards per carry during the regular season.
Ufkes' 2,024 yards on the ground are the second-highest total in 2A, trailing only Kent Denver's Tyler Jackson (2,072). “Nicky has been doing it all year for us, and we're obviously going to try and establish the run,” Sirko said. “We're confident in the passing game, too. [Anderson Cole] hasn't had to throw as much, but he knows what this is all about. This is his third playoff game and it's an exciting time for him. He's ready to show some people he can play this game.”
Cole has thrown for 1,041 yards and 14 touchdowns, and completed 59 percent of his passes. The senior will be looking to make amends for last year's struggles in Florence, when he was intercepted three times in the first 19 minutes. The Skiers generated 34 yards of offense in the first half.
Cole will be without his favorite target — Walker Moriarty has a broken ankle — but Sirko said the Skiers have a deep and capable receiving corps in place to help generate a balanced offensive attack.
Aspen's defense, which has held opponents to 13 or fewer points six times, will also have to shoulder the load.
“It's one and done now,” Sirko said. “This is what it's all about, the chance to showcase your kids and your team. … Our kids deserve to be here. Hopefully we can take advantage of the opportunity.”
jmaletz@aspentimes.com
After a year in which it won eight games, scored 412 points and finished second to defending state champion Olathe in a balanced conference, Aspen earned the ninth seed in this year's 16-team state tournament field, released Sunday afternoon. The Skiers will travel to Pagosa Springs on Saturday to take on the eighth-seeded Pirates (7-3). Game times have yet to be announced.
Faith Christian (10-0), captured the field's top seed. Olathe (10-0) is second.
“I feel like it's [ a good draw],” Aspen head coach Mike Sirko said Sunday. “I feel like we've got the team to compete with those guys if we play well. We're pretty excited about the opportunity.”
Sirko likes to joke that, before their recent string of success, he was in college the last time the Skiers made the playoffs in 1974. Fortunes have shifted under the decorated coach's watch in the last three seasons, as Aspen has been transformed from conference bottom feeder to prime contender after winning 23 games.
Now, they're aiming to notch their first victory on the sport's biggest stage.
Aspen's season was cut short in 2007 after a 30-7, opening-round loss to Eaton and talented quarterback Seth Lobato, now a walk-on at the University of Colorado.
Last fall, the Skiers were stifled by untimely miscues and an intimidating Florence running game in a 36-13 defeat.
“Playoff football comes down to who is ready to play and minimizing mistakes,” Sirko said. “I feel that, at least with our experience, we hope to take it to a different level.
“It's all about a belief in ourselves that we can get it done. When this team believes, it can usually do.”
The Skiers dropped just two games this season — both to unbeaten teams (Hotchkiss and Olathe). After Oct. 16's 52-26 home loss to the Pirates, Aspen responded with three convincing wins to close out the regular season, including a 41-0 rout of Gunnison on Oct. 30 that clinched a playoff berth.
The Skiers rolled in Friday's finale, erupting for 41 first-half points and cruising to a 54-0 win over Coal Ridge.
The competition will be stiffer Saturday, when Aspen will clash with 2A's most accomplished passing attack. Pagosa Springs sophomore signal caller Taylor Shaffer has operated the Pirates' spread offense with peak efficiency in 2009, throwing for 2,392 yards and 22 touchdowns while completing 67 percent of his passes. He has been picked off just three times.
Pagosa Springs, champions of a Mountain Conference that received three playoff berths (No. 15 Salida and No. 16 Bayfield), averages nearly 42 points per game, albeit against seemingly watered-down competition. Four of the Pirates' seven victories have come against teams with two or fewer wins.
They advanced to the quarterfinals in last year's playoffs after a 40-7, opening round win over Manitou Springs before falling to top-seeded Platte Canyon, 3026. This year, Pagosa Springs enters the playoffs having dropped two of its final three games — to 3A Delta (8-2) and Bayfield (7-3) — by a total of just three points.
“Defensively, we're going to have to make a lot of plays one-on-one in the open field. We can't allow them to break a lot of tackles,” Sirko said. “This could be [a shootout], but every other time it says that on paper it ends up being a defensive struggle. We'll take it either way as long as we can end up with a W. I don't care if we get 100 yards of offense if we win.”
That likely will not be the case, as Aspen boasts one of the state's most potent offensive weapons in tailback Nicky Ufkes. The junior, who eclipsed 2,000 yards rushing in Friday's win, scored 27 touchdowns and averaged 8.6 yards per carry during the regular season.
Ufkes' 2,024 yards on the ground are the second-highest total in 2A, trailing only Kent Denver's Tyler Jackson (2,072). “Nicky has been doing it all year for us, and we're obviously going to try and establish the run,” Sirko said. “We're confident in the passing game, too. [Anderson Cole] hasn't had to throw as much, but he knows what this is all about. This is his third playoff game and it's an exciting time for him. He's ready to show some people he can play this game.”
Cole has thrown for 1,041 yards and 14 touchdowns, and completed 59 percent of his passes. The senior will be looking to make amends for last year's struggles in Florence, when he was intercepted three times in the first 19 minutes. The Skiers generated 34 yards of offense in the first half.
Cole will be without his favorite target — Walker Moriarty has a broken ankle — but Sirko said the Skiers have a deep and capable receiving corps in place to help generate a balanced offensive attack.
Aspen's defense, which has held opponents to 13 or fewer points six times, will also have to shoulder the load.
“It's one and done now,” Sirko said. “This is what it's all about, the chance to showcase your kids and your team. … Our kids deserve to be here. Hopefully we can take advantage of the opportunity.”
jmaletz@aspentimes.com
