The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The seventh-grade boys Steamboat Youth Lacrosse team went undefeated during the weekend, bringing home the championship from the Eagle County Lax Jam Battle of the Western Slope tournament.

The team beat Battle Moun­tain, 8-1, Mountain Blue, 4-3, and Grand Valley, 6-4.

“We’re definitely happy with how the weekend went,” said Neill Redfern, director of Steamboat Youth Lacrosse. “With the way the weather goes and our ability to practice, it was similar to the other teams we played. But it was just good to get out and play.”

Anchored by the relentless hustle of Andrew Farny with the offense of Christian Ramirez, Sam Samlowski, Tyler Scott, Dane Dixson and Ben Bradfield, Steamboat had the ground-ball advantage in every game.

Defensemen Penn Lukens and Ben Custer anchored the defense, allowing Steamboat to significantly outshoot opposing teams.

“I am very proud of this team and very happy for the players. The proudest moment of the tournament was in the second half of the Grand Valley game on Sunday,” said Redfern, who also coaches the seventh-grade team. “Connor Mayo made a nice play on a ground ball in our defensive zone. Six passes later, we had a beautiful opportunity that we did not convert on, but we made great decisions. The ball was moving fast, and it was lacrosse as it should be played. It was by far the best sequence I saw by any team over the weekend, and that made me very happy.”

The sixth- and eighth-grade teams each lost one game during the weekend. The sixth-grade team went 2-1, downing Battle Mountain and Aspen, before falling to Grand Valley, 4-3.

In the Grand Valley game, Ben Wharton had two goals and Jackson Perry had one. Kaleb Van Arsdale made several point-blank saves to keep Steamboat in the contest.

The eighth-grade team went 3-1, bookending wins against Aspen and Grand Valley around a loss to Battle Mountain.

The Steamboat Youth Lac­rosse organization next takes three teams to Evergreen for the Mountain Lax Jam Tournament, Friday through Sunday.

Redfern said the tournament — in its third year — has seen competition get better every year.

“We usually have pretty good success there,” Redfern said.

During Memorial Day weekend, Steamboat will host the fifth annual Steamboat Classic Lacrosse Tournament, slated to include 27 teams.