Out In Leftfield

BY BRUCE WARREN

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ROLLER HOCKEY

Logan Fauber, a Niwot High School freshman, represented Colorado as part of Team Colorado 1997 (birth year) at the United States Roller Hockey Championships, commonly known as State Wars, in Cincinnati  Aug. 3-6. Team Colorado went 6-0 in the tournament and defeated roller hockey teams representing the states of, North Carolina, Illinois, and Pennsylvania and the province of Ontario.  In the State Wars Championship game, Team Colorado defeated Michigan by the score of 7-2 to take home the championship.  This is the second consecutive year Team Colorado has won the championship.

RUGBY

Lauren Daly (Niwot) made the USA Women’s National Rugby Team and played her first two international matches at the Nation’s Cup held in August in Canada.  The USA team lost to South Africa in a thriller, 26-23, in the group stages, but came back to beat South Africa and finish third with a 29-9 victory.  Daly was “capped” for playing in her first international match.  She recently moved from Denver to Minneapolis and is playing on a rugby team there.  Daly formerly played with the Glendale Raptors in Denver. She is the second-youngest member of the USA Women’s National Team, which will compete for the World Cup in 2014.

CROSS COUNTRY

Sara Echsner (Niwot) posted her best time for Lewis & Clark College, 24:28, in a dual meet against Linfield.  Echsner finished 16th overall and 10th on her squad.

David Perry (Niwot) finished 54th overall and sixth for the University of Portland at the Griak Invitational.  The top five Portland runners constituted the scoring for the squad, which finished second overall in the 24-team field.  Portland was ranked No. 10 nationally in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Preseason Poll.

FOOTBALL

Tyler Strong (Niwot) saw action at left guard for Wyoming in a 45-10 win over Texas State.  Strong came off the bench for the Cowboys, but was in the starting lineup the following week in a 28-27 win over Bowling Green. Strong started again at left guard against Nebraska and alternated as part of a three-guard rotation. Strong, who played fullback and linebacker for Niwot, also lines up in the backfield as a blocker on punts. Linebacker Jeff Roueche (Niwot) saw his first action of the season for Wyoming against Bowling Green. Roueche is a junior.

Kelton Manzanares (Niwot) saw action for Colorado School of Mines in a 40-34 loss to New Mexico Highlands.  He earned his first playing time in a 55-7 win over South Dakota School of Mining & Technology.  Manzanares is a redshirt freshman defensive back.

BASEBALL

Former Gunbarrel resident John Stearns completed his second season scouting for the Seattle Mariners.  Stearns serves as a major league scout, focusing primarily on scouting opposing teams.

SWIMMING

Christine Jennings (Niwot) won the Great Scottish Swim Sept. 24 in a one-mile race. Jennings posted a time of 18:06.11.  Less than two seconds separated the top three swimmers.  The race, near Glasgow, Scotland, was originally scheduled to be two kilometers, but the distance was reduced due to the cold water temperature.  Jennings and second-place finisher Jana Pechanova of the Czech Republic took turns holding the lead during the race. Jennings was quoted by greatswim.org after the race, saying, “Despite the very cold water, I really enjoyed the race and obviously the result.”

SOCCER

Janelle Kramer (Silver Creek) started and played 65 minutes for the University of Northern Colorado in a 2-1 loss to Utah State, but has not played since late August. Kramer started the first four games of the season.

Lauren Braman (Niwot) has started nine of ten games for the University of Nevada, which is 2-8 on the season. Braman is a junior defender.

Erin Gunther (Silver Creek) had one of six shots on goal for Creighton University in a 1-0 win over the University of Northern Iowa.  Gunther played all 90 minutes for the Bluejays. Gunther had two shots on goal against Oklahoma State, but was unable to convert in the 1-0 loss. She also had two shots on goal in a 2-1 loss to the University of Northern Colorado. Gunther posted an assist on the second goal in a 2-0 win over Boise State. Gunther led teammate Brittney Neumann with a long pass that led to the goal.

Danielle Figliola (Silver Creek) had two shots on goal for Drake in a 2-0 loss to Illinois State.  Figliola had an assist on the first goal of the game in a 2-2 tie against the University of Northern Colorado.  She came off the bench to pick up an assist in a 2-1 win over Northern Arizona, and added another assist coming off the bench in a 1-1 tie against Southern Utah. She has started every game since.

Kate Russell (Silver Creek) had one shot on goal for the University of Colorado but could not convert in a 2-2 tie with Auburn. Russell had a free kick in the first overtime which bounced off the crossbar.  In the second overtime she appeared to have a scoring opportunity but slipped on the turf in front of the goal. Russell earned an assist in a 2-1 victory over Cal State Bakersfield. Lauren Shaner (Niwot) started for CU at forward, taking one shot, but did not score. Shaner and Russell both started in a 2-0 loss to Oregon State University.

Angelica “Jelli” Schira (Niwot) started for Colorado School of Mines Sept. 16 in a 2-1 win over Regis University, but has not played since coming out at the 33-minute mark of the first half. Prior to that she started every game as a midfielder. She scored a goal in a 5-0 win over Bemidji State on a shot from 20 yards out that went just under the crossbar.

Peter Freeman (Niwot) found Adams State teammate Hawken Hanna with a pass across the box which Hanna promptly put in the goal at the 5:13 mark of the first period as Adams State gained its first win of the season, 4-0 over the University of Texas-Permian Basin. The goal proved to be the fastest goal in Adams State history. Adams State also posted its second win in the short history of the program.

Freeman and Hanna connected again in a 1-1 tie against Colorado Mesa University (formerly Mesa State) with Hanna scoring a late goal off an assist from Freeman to gain the tie. Adams State was ranked sixth in the region by the NSCAA after the first three games, the first time the squad has gained a regional ranking.

Santiago Velez (Niwot) has played in three games for Ohio State University, covering a total of 33 minutes.  Velez, a freshman midfielder,  has yet to take a shot for the Buckeyes.