4A Ice Hockey: Steamboat Springs Wins First-Ever State Title
By Brad Cochi/CHSAANow.com
Photo: Brad Cochi/CHSAANow
DENVER – It took just one try on the state’s biggest stage for the Steamboat Springs ice hockey team to win its first-ever state championship.
Making its title-game debut during the Class 4A Ice Hockey State Championships at DU’s Magness Arena on Monday night, the Sailors won 4-2 over Glenwood Springs to add their program’s name to the statewide record books. It was also Steamboat Springs’ first title in any team sport since 1998.
“It’s awesome and I know it’s a little hard, I’ll say, for our students and fans to get to Denver on a Monday night and there’s a snowstorm going,” Sailors head coach Brian Ripley said. “But there’s a watch party going on at the high school, our local ice rink had it streamed live. I mean, my phone was absolutely blowing up. Just to know what it means to our town and the support we’ve received is unbelievable.”
No. 2 Steamboat Springs (17-4) tallied the contest’s first goal between the two 4A Mountain League rivals, scored by Sawyer Vietanen with 6 minutes, 27 seconds left in the first period and the Sailors led 1-0 to start the second.
Brady Luetke tied the game for No. 1 Glenwood Springs (18-2-1) three minutes into the second period. Steamboat Springs’ Austin Shorland put the Sailors back in the lead with a goal at the 10:13 mark and Gavin Wittlinger gave them a two-goal lead just 12 seconds later. Luetke’s second goal cut the Steamboat Springs lead to 3-2 heading into the final period.
With 3:03 left in the third, Angus Frithsen scored to put the Sailors up two for good.
Sailors goaltender Jakob Ducklow made 26 saves in the game. Glenwood Springs goaltender Isaac Zevin finished with 16.
In the postseason, Steamboat Springs scored 12 goals in three games.
Monday’s game was the second time Glenwood Springs played in the state title game. The Demons first appeared in the ice hockey state title game in 2023.
Steamboat Springs’ last team sports title was girls soccer in 1998.
On a Saturday during which all four semifinals in both classifications were decided in overtime, Glenwood Springs won 3-2 over Summit. In the opposite semifinal, Steamboat Springs won 3-2 over Pine Creek.
Cheyenne Mountain has the most ice hockey state titles in Colorado history with 16, including the most (2) since the 4A classification was added in 2021.
