Aspen High School Lacrosse Team Gets First Round Bye

Aspen High School's lacrosse teams are getting a free pass to the second round — make no mistake, this is a significant advantage. The CHSAA state playoff brackets, released Sunday, show the Skiers' boys team as the No. 4 seed in the Class 4A state tournament, earning a first-round bye. They'll host their first game on May 8, against either No. 13 Ponderosa or No. 20 Crested Butte.

The Skiers finished the regular season 12-3, with their last win being an 18-0 shutout over Vail Mountain. This comes after a tough 5-4 loss to Steamboat Springs. The team's regular season performance is worth watching — they've had some tough matchups, including a 13-6 loss to No. 1 seed Air Academy on March 24.

Air Academy, with a 14-1 record, is the team to beat. They've already taken down Aspen once this season, and they're looking strong. But the Skiers have a chance to make some noise in the tournament, especially with this early advantage. The No. 2 seed, Evergreen, will face the winner of No. 15 Glenwood Springs and No. 18 Mullen in the second round. Glenwood Springs will host Mullen on Tuesday, which could be an interesting matchup.

The Skiers are seeking their second state championship in boys lacrosse, following their 2015 title. They have some tough competition ahead, but they're already one step ahead. The team's potential opponents in the quarterfinals include No. 5 Lutheran, No. 12 Golden, or No. 21 Smoky Hill.

Aspen's road to the championship won't be easy, though. The No. 3 seed, Grand Junction, handed them one of their losses this season, beating them 8-7 on April 23. Other top seeds, like No. 6 Telluride, No. 7 Battle Mountain, and No. 8 Steamboat, will also be looking to make a deep run in the tournament.

The Skiers' first game, on May 8, will be a home game on the AHS turf. The start time has not been announced yet. If they advance to the quarterfinals, they'll host again on May 12. The semifinals are set for May 16, and the championship game will be on May 18 at the University of Denver.

Read that again: the Skiers are one step ahead of the competition, with a bye in the first round. This will cost them nothing, no travel, no risk of injury, no exhaustion from an extra game. The short version: Aspen High School's lacrosse team has an advantage, and they're looking to make the most of it.

As the tournament progresses, folks around here will be watching to see how the Skiers perform. The community is no doubt excited to see their team compete at a high level. They will be waiting to see if the Skiers can keep the momentum going. The answer will have to wait until May 8, when they face off against either Ponderosa or Crested Butte. Until then, the Skiers will be preparing, and the community will be waiting to see what they can do.