Enchanted Evening Heralds In The Holiday Season

By Deborah B.G. Kelly
DeborahK@lhvc.com

Niwot will kick off the holiday season with Enchanted Evening on Friday, Nov. 27 from 5-8 p.m., and many businesses in Old Town and Cottonwood Square will be staying open late offering refreshments or in-store specials.

In years past, the season would officially begin when Santa arrived by train. Euvaldo Valdez said. “He would arrive in Niwot between 5:30 and 6 p.m., when a fire engine would bring him over to light the town tree.”

Valdez is a Niwot Business Association member and in charge of the annual tree lighting. “Eventually the railroad company decided they didn’t want to do that any more.” The idea of Enchanted Evening was created to give Santa a new welcome to the town.

While the evening still includes a tree lighting ceremony, Robin Abb said, “Unfortunately, the traditional tree, otherwise known as Euvaldo’s tree, had to be cut down last year,” The good news is that the town has a new tree. Valdez explained, “A resident of the Niwot area donated a tree that is about 20 feet,” but it doesn’t have a new home yet. “We are having a difficult time finding a place to put it, ”Valdez said. “We have the budget in the NBA to find a place.”

Besides the tree-lighting, Enchanted Evening will be filled with musical delights including Christmas carols played by the Ptarmigan String Quartet, made up of members from the Niwot Timberline Symphony.

Kids can visit with Santa in his big, comfy chair at Niwot Interiors, and as usual there will be plenty of laughs on Banjo Billy’s Bus. Abb said, “Banjo Billy’s Bus will be providing shuttle service along with historical and hysterical commentary between Old Town and Cottonwood.”

Abb said that Enchanted Evening is “very much a family event, and with relatives in town, gives the locals a great opportunity to show Grandma, as well as nieces and nephews, the quaintness of Niwot. It’s an opportunity to see what kinds of holiday displays businesses are putting up, and to visit friends on the street that you may not have seen since the summer concerts ended.”

NBA Plans For The Holidays

By Kim Glasscock
KimG@lhvc.com

As the holiday season approaches, members of the Niwot Business Association are putting final touches on the planning for several events in the town.

The Great Pumpkin party is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 31 in Old Town and Cottonwood Square. A parade featuring costumed kids and pooches will begin at 11 a.m. at the corner of Second Avenue and Murray Street, and trick-or-treating will be held at Cottonwood Square and Old Town businesses.

At the Left Hand Grange hall, Dragonfly Martial Arts Academy will host “The Terror at Niwot Swamp” haunted house. Proceeds from the $2 entrance fee for the haunted house will be donated to the Grange toward remaining restoration costs.

The Niwot Cultural Arts Association will continue its celebration of the arts in Niwot in conjunction with Osmosis Gallery’s First Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 6.

Mimi Bell of Allstate Insurance told NBA members at the group’s Oct. 13 meeting that local artisans and musicians, along with art activities for all ages and food vendors, will be highlighted in Niwot Jewelry & Gifts, the Left Hand Corner building, Nora’s Sew Fresh Fabrics, Everitt Interiors, Curves, Niwot Interiors, and The Niwot Inn.

“We want to attract our residents and visitors to a relaxing and interesting evening in Niwot,” Bell said. She added that the NCAA is looking for volunteers to help with the event, and suggested that high school students could be encouraged to volunteer and earn service hours for their school and community groups. The NCAA plans to repeat its arts celebration event in December.

The NCAA is continuing to collect funds for Whistle Stop Park improvements and purchase, according to NCAA board member Tim Wise of Wise Buys Antiques. Wise said dance floor bricks are available for purchase and range in price from $50 to $150.

Installing a new handrail on the caboose is complete, Wise said, and plans are being discussed to paint the caboose in the spring. He added that he has been contacted by two members of Boy Scouts who are searching for projects to complete to earn their Eagle Scout rank, and he asked NBA members to send him any ideas they may have.

Rocky Mountain Christian Church assistant pastor Darrell Hammond told the NBA that the church has several events coming up, including its own “Great Pumpkin Chase” carnival from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, along with two December holiday programs, “A Very Merry Rush Hour” and “Christmas in the Rockies.” Registration continues through Nov. 14 for the Upward Bound basketball and cheerleading programs that will begin in January.

NBA promotions chairperson Robin Abb of Rockin’ Robin’s Retro and Resale said her group is gearing up preparations for its Enchanted Evening event on Friday, Nov. 27. Plans are “pretty well set” for the annual tree lighting ceremony and Santa’s visit that evening.

Euvaldo Valdez explained the tree used in previous years near the Left Hand Corner building has died and been removed, but a 22-ft. tree has been donated for the season. However, a site for the tree has not been selected.

Valdez asked NBA members to suggest possible sites, but added that the open field next to the tree carvings has been nixed by Boulder County officials, who think placing the tree there could cause traffic problems. Valdez will work with NBA members Linda and Chuck Klueber of Niwot Interiors to find a location for the tree, and to draw up a holiday decorating plan for the town.

NBA members also briefly discussed how the various community and business groups could better coordinate their activities and disseminate information about Niwot.

“Perhaps this should be a budget item discussion for 2010,” suggested Tony Santelli of the Niwot Tavern. “Maybe we should look into hiring someone part-time who meets with all the Niwot organizations and gathers information about their activities, and then puts that information out through Facebook, Twitter, and the Niwot Community Association and Niwot.org websites.”

Bruce Warren of the law firm Warren, Carlson and Moore said, “There are a lot of non-profit organizations out there who need information disseminated, and the jobs are getting too big to rely on volunteers to accomplish. I think one central person or office could support those groups, and the NBA ought to explore the idea for 2010.”

Left Hand Laurel

A Woman’s Work: A timely fund for local women in need
By Liz Emmett-Mattox
LizEM@lhvc.com

Often, the Left Hand Laurel recognizes an individual for his or her commitment to community service. But part of what make this month’s recipient so special is that it shows that individuals can make a much bigger impact when they come together for a common purpose.

The idea for A Woman’s Work came out of a conversation that Cindy Noble and Julie Stapp had about six years ago. They saw that there were women in the area who had hit a rough patch in their lives and who needed just a little bit of help to get through it.

Their idea was to gather a group of women who would each commit $100 that would then be given to women in need. The idea was to keep it as simple as possible, and to eliminate the red tape that women had to cut through to get assistance. The only thing they would ask in return is that each recipient do some act of kindness for someone else.

Within weeks, the two shared their idea with women at the Longmont Rotary and had seven women on board. Soon, seven had become 40 and before the month was over, they had reached their initial goal of having 100 women donating $100 each.

This year, A Woman’s Work expects to make over $50,000 in grants.

A Woman’s Work is unusual in several respects. It is intended to be a fund of last resort, which means that recipients must have exhausted other avenues before they can apply for a grant.

Noble explained that one of the group’s primary roles is to serve as a connector in the community, directing women to places where they can find support from established service providers. When these resources have been tapped, or if a woman has needs that an agency is prohibited from funding, one of AWW’s partners can make a referral and a grant request is submitted.

Requests are considered by a committee of 16 board members, and approximately 95 percent of the requests are approved. Grant requests can be in any amount, but the average grant is around $800. Many of the grants are much smaller, but as Noble said, “It’s amazing what a small amount of money can do for someone who really needs it. We are often the difference between a woman who stumbles and one who falls.”

Noble said that part of what motivates donors is that they know every dollar they contribute goes right back out into the community. Operating expenses, including the salary for one part-time employee, come from corporate donations. “Women really get it. They know that if you help a woman this one time, she is going to turn around and help someone else.”

A Woman’s Work has been the inspiration for two similar organizations, one in Greeley and one in Wyoming. Noble said she feels that the Longmont organization is on the threshold of a new and bigger presence.

“We have more committees, we’re doing more in terms of publicity and education, speaking to different groups letting them know who we are and what we’re doing.”

For more information about the group or to make a donation, see www.awomanswork.org or email friends@awomanswork.org.

Subdivision Paving Group Considers Options

By Mandy Walker
MandyW@lhvc.com

Members of the subdivision-paving group met again on Oct. 8 to consider the available options for raising the funds needed to repair and maintain the subdivision roads within unincorporated Boulder County. The current estimate to bring all subdivision roads up to an acceptable standard is $21.7 million. This equates to a cost per homeowner of $350 annually for the next five years.

George Gerstle, county transportation director, gave a broad overview of the county’s current budget and reiterated that the county interprets its Comprehensive Plan to mean that residents of subdivisions are responsible for funding the reconstruction of subdivision roads.

Gerstle acknowledged that the lack of funding had not been well communicated in the past and that it had only recently become an issue because of the poor condition of many roads.

When the county accepted subdivision roads from developers for maintenance, that maintenance included only snow removal and life safety such as pothole repair, but not road resurfacing. He reminded attendees that the county commissioners were holding budget hearings and that those hearings were the appropriate place to raise concerns over budget allocations and the interpretation of the Comprehensive Plan.

The group then discussed the pros and cons of various funding options. One option would be to create a patchwork of local improvement districts. LIDs offer a highly localized solution with potentially a LID for each subdivision, subject to approval by property owners within the geographic boundaries for the LID.

This seems to be the least desirable option, since LID funds can be used only for one-time reconstruction costs and not ongoing maintenance. Creating numerous LIDs would also be the most expensive option to administer and potentially some subdivisions would not approve a LID, leading to further road deterioration.

Another alternative could be one or several public improvement districts, which would also require voter approval and would impose a deductible property tax based on the value of the property. The major advantage that a PID offers over a LID is it could fund both initial reconstruction costs and future replacement.

Gunbarrel resident Rich Keck would like the problem addressed at a county level. “I think what’ll happen if we try to do this on too much of a local basis is while the streets deteriorate so do the neighborhood relationships,” said Keck in a later interview. “I would argue as a homeowner with substandard streets, I’m going to pay for those substandard streets with a lower selling price on my home. Boulder County is now competing with counties that have newer resources. Weld County and Broomfield County have many subdivisions with newer homes and newer streets and we’re losing homeowners to those other areas.”

Keck would rather see a countywide solution such as an increase in the current road and bridge mill levy. Gerstle cautioned that this be might be more expensive for property owners since it would include a 40 percent share back to incorporated cities and would need to fund all county roads, not just subdivision roads. Another alternative would be to consider an increase in the current 0.01 percent transportation sales tax although this may not get voter support because city residents would see little direct benefit.

The two most viable options are one or more PIDs and the road and bridge mill levy. County staff agreed to compile cost data on both options for further consideration by the group at its next meeting.

Information on the Subdivision Paving Work Group and copies of all the materials presented at its meetings can be found at http://www.bouldercounty.org/transportation/SubdivisionPaving.htm.

Arrasmith Subdivision Approved

Liz Emmett-Mattox
LizEM@lhvc.com

It took Boulder County Commissioners less than half an hour to approve the subdivision exemption that Steve Arrasmith had pursued for nearly eight years.

The saga began in 2001, when Arrasmith purchased the property between Fourth and Fifth Streets on Franklin Avenue from Don Spangler. Arrasmith’s original intention was to divide the property into two parcels. The first parcel would include a home built in 1907 where Doyle Hornbaker, editor of the Niwot Tribune, lived for many years. Arrasmith hoped to build a small house (less than 1600 square feet) on the second parcel.

His initial application for subdivision was granted, but with the requirement that any house built on the second parcel qualify as affordable housing. Arrasmith considered this condition too restrictive and decided to withdraw his application.

Later, Arrasmith found that since this was a corner lot, it had two front yards. The front-yard setback requirements would render the lot essentially unbuildable.

In 2009, the Niwot Rural Community District II was created to allow more flexible setback requirements in the original Niwot Townsite. With the new setbacks, building a house was once again a viable option and Arrasmith applied again for the subdivision exemption.

Hanna Hippley, Boulder County planner, and her staff looked at the size of the neighboring lots, the size of the proposed house and all the county codes governing the property and area. They concluded that the subdivision would not violate any existing codes, and that the proposed lot sizes and house sizes were consistent with the character of the neighborhood.

The only significant condition they recommended was Arrasmith be required to pursue landmark designation for the house at 471 Franklin, something that he had agreed to do in the first application.

On Oct. 22, the Boulder County Commissioners heard the case. After Hippley’s presentation, Arrasmith stood and told the commissioners the long journey this application had taken, and that being able to build this house would contribute significantly to his financial security.

With a few questions and very little discussion, the commissioners unanimously approved the application.

Arrasmith was pleased with the outcome and was very grateful for the role that Hippley had played. “She was very helpful throughout the process,” he said.

Arrasmith said he has some thinking and planning to do. He knows it will take a while for all the paperwork to be finalized, but said it will give him some time to decide exactly what to do on the property.

Niwot LID Focuses On Economy

By Kim Glasscock
KimG@lhvc.com

Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee members are focusing on the economic health of downtown Niwot – with some help from the state of Colorado.

Committee members agreed at their Oct. 6 meeting to push ahead with plans to use a free economic assessment offered by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). The assessment is designed to help Colorado communities create a stronger economic base and brand identity by formulating an economic development plan.

Megan Davis, Niwot LID liaison from the Boulder County Commissioners Office, told committee members that while the assessment program primarily focuses on ways to attract businesses and corporations, not retailers or restaurants, to a community, it would still be valuable to Niwot.

“I think the assessment can give us some tools to focus on key areas and formulate a plan for downtown Niwot,” she told committee members.

According to information from the OEDIT, the economic development assessment program provides programs designed and tailored specially for an individual community; objectively identifies issues and opportunities and ensures a community voice in the process; offers outside perspectives to objectively identify challenges and opportunities; and uses the expertise of OEDIT staff.

The assessment will most likely be a one-day event, Davis said. It is expected to include listening sessions with community stakeholders, Boulder County staff from the transportation and land use departments, and possibly Boulder County Commissioners. OEDIT staff and community participants will tour the Niwot LID area so they can determine the town’s assets and issues. At the end of the day, a facilitated discussion about prioritizing and a feedback session will be conducted.

After the event, the OEDIT will provide written recommendations for promoting economic development in downtown Niwot.

Niwot LID advisory committee members are planning to draw up a list of community groups and leaders they would like to participate in the event.

“We ought to ask a wide variety of groups to participate in order to have as many perspectives as possible,” LID chairperson Bruce Warren said. Possible participants mentioned at the meeting included the Niwot Community Association, the Niwot Business Association, the Rotary Club, the Niwot Historical Society, the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, business property and restaurant owners, local schools, Mountain View Fire Protection District, Boulder County Sheriff’s department, Left Hand Water District, and the Niwot Sanitation District. Committee members also agreed to identify issues they would like to see discussed during the assessment.

The assessment should take place before the Thanksgiving holiday, committee members agreed.

Niwot Timberline Symphony Request

Niwot LID Advisory Committee members discussed a $1,500 project funding request from the Niwot Timberline Symphony. Symphony spokesperson Dana Schmidt told Niwot LID members that the symphony would use the funding for marketing costs for the symphony.

“Not many towns the size of Niwot have a symphony, and we need more recognition,” Schmidt said.

In response to questions, Schmidt said the 2009-10 budget for the symphony totals $39,000, down $11,000 from last year. Out of those funds, the symphony pays about $1,500 per use in auditorium rental fees to Niwot High School, marketing and printing costs, a small salary to the conductor and a stipend to the concertmaster, and Schmidt’s part-time salary.

The Scientific and Cultural Facilities District contributes $6,000, and donations, ad sales in the program and ticket sales make up the rest, Schmidt said. The symphony performs about six concerts each year and also performs at the Niwot Nostalgia Day.

While Niwot LID Advisory Committee members favored supporting the Timberline Symphony, members questioned whether providing funding would fall under the purview of the Niwot LID sales tax resolution which states that “projects must be either public improvements benefiting the District” or “production and distribution of informational products and materials for the District.”

Because the symphony performs at Niwot High School which is not within LID boundaries, committee members expressed reservations about providing outright funding for the request.

“What about placing an ad instead of approving the funding request?” suggested Carrie Wise, LID advisory committee member. “I think this would meet our statutory requirements.”

The committee unanimously approved a resolution from committee member Ann May calling for the Niwot LID to support the symphony in principle and work with the symphony to negotiate a promotion and advertising package. The proposed package will be brought back to the advisory committee at the group’s Nov. 3 meeting.

It’s A Laughing Matter

The Calorie Hole

By Mary Wolbach Lopert
MaryL@lhvc.com

I knew it. We’ve been hoodwinked, flimflammed and just plain ripped off. Really. After years of aerobics, anaerobics, Pilates and fitness centers foisted on us, which created a gazillion dollar industry based on guilt, bogus studies and ibuprofen, we’ve finally been told that exercise alone won’t help you lose weight. Well, duh.

Thank you Time Magazine (Aug. 17, 2009); you’ve confirmed what I’ve always known – exercise alone will not cause you to look like Nicole Kidman, even 10 minutes after she gave birth. What does exercise really do? It makes you really hungry.

I’ve always called this phenomenon a calorie hole. I developed this theory after years of skiing. The very industry that Colorado is known for, that brings in big bucks to our cash-strapped state, is causing all to lug home more weight than we came with.

Think I’m wrong? Here is a list of activities associated with skiing over a four-day stay. Activities which burn calories have a –; activities which add calories have a +.

3 days of packing, planning and grocery shopping - 175

Sampling food at organic food store + 200

Coffee with sugar, substitute/cream for 4 a.m. departure + 75

Super-sized non-diet cola at potty break + 250

Schlepping equipment, food and clothing up 3 flights at
ski condo - 205

Bear claw because you missed a healthy breakfast + 327

Waddling to shuttle bus in ski boots with skies, poles - 95
(Subtract 35 calories for each set of equipment per child)

Total calories burned in first 2 hours of skiing - 475

(Subtract additional 7 calories in 5-degree increments from a base temperature of 30°)

Ski lunch: pizza/burger, fries, soda and brownie +1023

Total calories burned after lunch - 367
(You never ski as hard after lunch)

Return to condo including standing in crowded shuttle bus, carrying all equipment up 3 flights of stairs
- 295

Après Ski: alcohol, chips, dip, beer nuts + 1266

Nap 0

Dinner: beer/wine, nachos, steak, baked potato, salad with light dressing and shared dessert
+ 3476

Hot tub with more wine/beer + 150

Being too tired for sex 0

A night’s sleep before repeating whole process - 99

By my calculations, that’s a positive caloric input of 5008 calories. Even if you decreased the amount of food you buy because eating lunch at a ski cafeteria borders on usury, you’ll still end up in a hole, because no one skis as hard after the first day.

And after the third day everyone is home eating hot-buttered popcorn, drinking more beer/wine and watching “the game” so that the calorie hole just gets deeper and wider.

In fairness, we all know that exercise is good for the heart and soul and as a card-carrying gym member, I routinely pound the treadmill and abuse the free weights. But as I sit here eating my light lunch, after a hard workout, guess what – I’m still hungry.

But we’ll just keep this amongst ourselves, because if the airlines find out about the extra pounds accumulated on a swanky ski vacation, they’ll start weighing passengers on the outbound flights and again on the inbound flights and then charging them for the real excess baggage fees.

But being flimflammed by the airlines is a whole other kind of hole. Really.

Niwot High School Feeder System Meeting

By Mandy Walker
MandyW@lhvc.com

About 80 people attended the St. Vrain Valley School District’s Niwot High School feeder system meeting held at NHS, where Superintendent Don Haddad opened the meeting.

The following are just some of the questions asked and answered:

Q: Given the current enrollment at NHS, has the district given any thought to changing the boundary lines?

A: The district has not had any conversations about this. “One of the reasons Niwot High School is what it is, is because of the number of students,” Haddad said. He explained that while a drop in the number of students from the current level of just over 1300 to about 1000 may make the school feel more comfortable, funding would also decrease.

Less funding means decreases to staff and programs. “Then kids start making choices to go to other places,” Haddad said. The benefit of the high enrollment is that the school is able to offer a “full-blown” International Baccalaureate Program and Advanced Placement program and fund all the band, music and art programs.

“It’s a tough balancing act,” said Haddad. “I think there’s that delicate line where it’s not overcrowded but we don’t fall back to where it affects the quality of instructional programs.”

Q: What are the plans for the facility to accommodate the increased student body?

A: Construction on eight new classrooms is expected to begin in November and be completed by August, 2010. Once constructed, the two existing portables will be removed. The new classrooms will be for science, special education, social studies and English.

Q: In the past couple of years, there have been problems with students getting into AP classes. Part of that is because some classes are IB/AP and the IB students are given preference. Also, there is no wait list for the AP classes and no priority given to academic achievement.

A: The number of sections offered for a particular class is a building-based decision and it depends on staffing and funding. “What is happening right now is that we are overlapping in both of those programs,” said NHS Principal Dennis Daly. “But if there is a problem where a student or five students don’t get into a class, that problem rests on my shoulders.” Currently the high school does have combined AP/IB classes in physics and chemistry.

There is the post-secondary enrollment option, which allows students to enroll in college classes. For juniors and seniors, the district will pay for two college classes per semester when there are not equivalent classes available at the student’s high school. Students need to notify the building 60 days before the class begins. Online course offerings are also increasing in popularity.

Q: What is the percentage of open-enrolled students at NHS?

A: There are currently 1311 students at NHS and approximately 470 of these students are in the IB program. Open enrollment at NHS is only available to students registering for the IB program. About half of the IB students are from Sunset Middle School, which is the feeder school for NHS.

Q: We voted for the mill levy override to fund reduced class sizes. That has not happened at Niwot Elementary. Why?

A: Before the mill levy, the teacher to pupil ratio at NES was 26.75 students for every teacher. When the mill levy passed that dropped to 23.5. However, that is an average across the board, and that would mean there are classes with higher ratios and classes with lower ratios. “If the mill levy had not passed, the ration would have gone up to 28 to 1,” said Haddad “and we would have seen class sizes of 30 and 31.”

Q: Why are students who participate in high schools sports not granted PE credit for those sports?

A: Haddad stated that the district does currently allow a 0.5 credit to be waived for PE.

Rob Berry, district director for athletics, clarified the policy in a subsequent interview: students are required to have two full credits for P.E for graduation. The district will waive 0.5 credit in the senior year if the student is unable to fit a P.E. class into his or her schedule and can demonstrate that he or she is involved in some type of physical activity that would meet the P.E. standards.

Berry stressed that this is a waiver of the P.E element and that the student must still earn .5 credits in another area.

Q: Is there any consideration to flipping the elementary and middle/high school schedules to support the research that kids naturally stay up late and it’s hard for them to get up early?

A: At the high school level, many activities take place after school that would be impacted by such a schedule change. There would also be elementary school children waiting at bus stops in the dark, which creates a safety concern.

“We did a pilot at Longmont High and what we found was that when kids have later start times they stay up later and they don’t get any more sleep and their achievement levels don’t change,” said Haddad. Transportation logistics are also a significant consideration.

Q: Why has the district website not been updated for the H1N1 virus and at what point would schools be closed to sanitize the buildings?

A: The district does not know how many cases of H1N1 there are, because doctors are no longer testing for the virus. The district is taking direction from Boulder and Weld County, which are now telling schools not to close. The buildings are sanitized nightly.

The district is advising students and adults to stay home if they are sick and to return only when they have been free from fever for 48 hours without using medication.

The district will be sponsoring H1N1 vaccinations out of the high schools for all district students and is currently waiting for confirmation of vaccine availability.

You can follow District Superintendent Don Haddad on Twitter @SVVSDsupt and you can check his followers to find other district personnel on Twitter. Haddad’s email is Haddad_Don@stvrain.k12.co.us and his direct line is 303-682-7205.

Silv er Creek High School

By Karey Robinson
KareyR@lhvc.com

Homecoming Freeze

The annual homecoming celebration started out like spring and ended in near blizzard conditions. A week filled with warm school spirit, bright costumes and sunny parades culminated with an impressive but snowy victory over the Sterling Tigers at the homecoming football game.

After school on that Friday afternoon came the annual parade which began at the high school and passed by Altona Middle School and Eagle Crest Elementary.

Middle and elementary school students lined the streets to collect candy. Students from each class and many school clubs and organizations waved from floats. Royalty nominees rode in open convertibles on loan from King Auto Group.

Temperatures began to drop during the tailgate party provided by the booster club and parent volunteers in the parking lot at Everly-Montgomery field. Students, parents and community members were treated to burgers, hot dogs and bratwursts.

Shortly before kick-off the snow flurries began. Students and parents who had purchased matching “black-out” t-shirts to wear to the game began to cover up with coats, scarves, hats and gloves.

Cheerleaders, the dance team and the marching band tried to ignore the cold to perform during the half-time show, and homecoming royalty nominees and attendants shivered as they crossed the field against the frigid wind. Seniors Kirk Oliver and Jordana Grolnick were crowned Homecoming King and Queen.

The Raptor football team fought for an impressive 41-8 win over the Sterling Tigers. The few hardy fans who remained to the end rushed the field. At least one student took off his shirt and dropped onto the field to make a snow angel in celebration.

Homecoming at Silver Creek High School 2009: welcome back, alumni; welcome back, winter.

Coaches Corner

By Bruce Warren
BruceW@lhvc.com

Niwot Boys Tennis

NHS parent and tennis booster Scott Jones described the efforts of the Niwot boys at regionals as “a monumental feat.”  On the first day of regionals, five of the seven NHS lineups qualified for state, including all three singles players, with four of them winning the championship match at their positions.  After playbacks on the second day, the remaining two NHS positions, number one and number four doubles, who had not yet played the duos who lost in the finals, both won, sending the entire squad to state.  Niwot also won the good sportsmanship award at regionals, and the entire team was voted all conference by the area coaches. 

At state, Niwot finished in third place overall behind perennial powers Cheyenne Mountain and Kent Denver.  Both Harrison Lang at No. 2 singles and Chris Gang at number three singles finished third, while Michael Ogez finished fourth at No. 1 singles.

Ogez, a sophomore, knocked off number one seed Jack Reynolds of Kent Denver before losing to Aiden Reed of Lewis-Palmer. Ogez then beat Cheyenne Mountain’s Jon Moore in playbacks before losing on the final day. Ogez was named Player of the Year by the Longmont Daily Times-Call for his performance. Early in the season a back injury made Ogez question whether he should sit out the fall season and be ready for basketball season, but he recovered nicely after missing some early season matches.

Lang lost to Matt Carroll of Kent Denver in two sets in the semi-finals, while Gang took Matt Bowser of Cheyenne Mountain to three sets before losing in the semi-finals. Lang is only a freshman, while Gang is a junior, so Niwot will return all three singles players next fall.

Nick Jones and Alex Jones were the Class 4A Region 5 champions at No. 2 doubles, advancing to the state tournament. Matt Londa and Connor Mulshine won the Region 5 title at No. 3 doubles, and also advancing to state. Adam Gang and T.J. Ross qualified for state at No. 1 doubles, while Kevin Josey and Scott Rutherford qualified for state at No. 4 doubles. Ross and Josey were the only seniors on the varsity squad.

Coach Miikka Keronen said, “Everybody played really well at regionals and at state. We hope to get a little better next year.” Keronen noted that Cheyenne Mountain doesn’t lose anyone next year, so moving up won’t be easy.

Doubles players Matt Londa and Connor Mulshine were named team MVP’s for going undefeated in the regular season. Freshman singles player Harrison Lang was voted Player to Watch, and top singles player Michael Ogez was voted Most Improved Player.

Niwot Softball

Niwot made it to the state tournament, but narrowly missed advancing to the final day after losing to Mullen in the bottom of the seventh, 4-3. “We were four outs away,” coach April Martinez said. Niwot held the lead with two outs in the sixth, when Mullen tied the game. Then in the bottom of the seventh, a walk, a stolen base and a sacrifice put the winning run on third with one out. A slow roller to second on a good pitch by Kali Haas was enough to allow the runner to beat the throw home.

“We had a phenomenal season,” Martinez said. “This was the best group of seniors I’ve had,” she noted, admitting that she has said that every season of her coaching career. But it wasn’t easy for the Cougars this year. Several starters had little or no experience in summer competitive softball. All of the Cougar losses, including the state tournament, were by one run.

“We really should have won the first two games of the season,” Martinez said. “We were leading Berthoud 6-2 and gave up five unearned runs. But we came back to beat Mountain View in the next game, 1-0, and that was the turning point of the season.”

Her peers recognized Martinez for her success, voting her Northern Conference Coach of the Year. Martinez was also named to coach the north squad in the Class 4A All-State game Nov.1, sponsored by the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports. She will be joined by two of her seniors, pitcher Kali Haas, and outfielder Emily Fahring. Fahring, who plays shortstop for Niwot normally, has also played outfield, third base and catcher in her career.

Martinez will also be an assistant coach at the Colorado High School Coaches Association game June 9, which features players from all classes on two squads. Haas was named one of four pitchers on the squads. “It’s a real honor,” Martinez said. “She’s a great pitcher, but her ability to hit the ball put her over the top.” Fahring was named as a middle infielder on the CHSCA squad.

Haas and Fahring were also named to the Northern Conference first team. Junior catcher Liz Paterra received Honorable Mention. “She did a great job behind the plate,” Martinez said. “We’ll look to her next year for leadership.”

Several other players impressed Martinez. “Anna Jones moved up to the lead-off spot from the 9-hole,” Martinez said. “She’s a great kid, and works her tail off. She didn’t play a lot of competitive ball in the summer, and the pace of the game was different. She really stepped up when we put her in the lead-off spot. She’s very fast, she took a lot of pitches to help the other players see what to expect, and she’s a tremendous bunter. She really blossomed.”

Kaitlyn Kirkpatrick was the other senior on the squad. “She’s been in the program four years, and started for us last year,” Martinez said. She was a pitcher, and had a great summer, but she hurt her arm in late July. She couldn’t lift her arm past her shoulder. She really wanted to play. Once they decided she wouldn’t hurt it further by playing, if she could stand the pain, she decided to play. She played in pain all fall because she wanted to be part of the team. There were times in practice when she would roll the ball in just because it hurt so much to throw. She played first base for us, and really came on in the end in hitting. She has deceiving power. She’s definitely a kid who can play at the next level, but the question is whether she’ll be able to pitch.”

Juniors Amy Keschl and Emma Goodenow also gained valuable playoff experience. Keschl played rightfield, while Goodenow played third base. Junior Faye Piper played leftfield in most of the games, but hit in only one game. “She accepted her role, and worked on her hitting all season,” Martinez said. “She’s super fast.”

Sophomore Rachel Johnson played centerfield for the Cougars. “She has tremendous speed,” Martinez said. “She’s still working on the offensive side.” Freshman Nickie Blue served as designated hitter most of the season. “She and Haley Artzer, who pitched for the JV, will handle the pitching next year,” Martinez said. Sophomore Jordan Eutsler started the first five games of the season at shortstop when Fahring was out. “She was the first hitter off the bench after that,” Martinez said. “She got a lot of experience.”

“We had a great team,” Martinez said. “All of the players got along with each other.” Haas and Fahring expect to play at the next level. Haas has verbally committed to Holy Cross, while Fahring is looking at several junior colleges.

Niwot Cross Country

Both Cougar Cross Country teams qualified for state. David Perry, who won the regional meet for the boys with a time of 15:59, set a new regional record by three seconds, and Kaiti Shepherd, who finished fifth, set a new school record with a time of 19:12, five seconds better than the old school record of 19:17 set by Val Stull ten years ago. Perry was named the Northern Conference Cross Country Athlete of the Year for his efforts.

The boys team finished second at regionals in spite of missing its third and fourth best runners, Quinn Harris and David Schahrer, who are out with injuries. “We still have seven great kids,” Coach Doug Duffy said, noting that the loss provided opportunities for other runners. The girls team finished fourth overall “The kids are working hard and representing us well.”

Duffy believes his top runners can run 20 to 30 seconds faster at state. Perry broke the boys’ school record earlier in the season. “He’ll run faster next week,” Duffy said.

Runners who qualified for state at regionals for the boys included Perry, Zach Britt, Nick Harris, William Zimmerman, Scott Everett, Ethan Orbock and Ryan Faulkner. On the girls side, Haley Dennerline, Miranda Lahman, Sara Malang, Maddy Jalbert, Annie Horsch and Lyndsay Degroot qualified.

Niwot Football

Coach Ron Tesone had mixed emotions after Niwot’s second win of the season, 23-20 over Skyline. “I’m really happy for our kids,” Tesone said, “but I feel bad for Skyline. They’re doing everything right, but they haven’t won yet.” Niwot took a 23-0 lead before three late touchdowns by Skyline brought the game down to an onsides kick, which Kelton Manzanares recovered.

Manzanares did a little bit of everything for the Cougars, seeing action at quarterback for the first time this season. He ended the game with over 100 yards passing and over 100 yards rushing, some of which came from a wildcat formation.

Niwot entered the game with one win on the season against the winless Skyline team. “We’ve got to stay the course,” Tesone said. “You have to give them credit. They never gave up.” Skyline’s second touchdown came on a 91-yard pass play. The pass was a short toss into the flat, and after a short gain, a swarm of Cougars appeared to tackle the receiver, but the whistle never blew. The officials ruled that the receiver was laying on several Cougar bodies, but never touched the ground, so when he got up and ran, none of the Niwot players pursued him.

Earlier in the game, Niwot lost Matt Perry, who was ejected after offsetting penalties. According to Tesone, Perry retaliated against a Skyline player. The ejection means Perry must sit out the next game as well. Perry has played receiver, linebacker and long snapper for the Cougars.

The Skyline game was senior night, and every senior started for Niwot, including Vince Tran at wide receiver, Seth Moore at linebacker, and Kyle Jones at linebacker. Other senior starters included Miguel Medoza (cornerback), Jordan Trane (safety), Brady Oleszczuk (quarterback), Manzanares (running back), Zach Visger (wide receiver), Alex Black (cornerback), Perry (linebacker), Chris Johnson (safety), Tyler Strong (linebacker), Rob Lopez (offensive line), Paco Retana (defensive line), Luke Nelson (tight end), Tanner Wilkins (defensive line), Brady Wright (offensive line), Matt LaBorde (offensive line), Joeal Vuki (offensive line), Kevin Howes (offensive line), and Veric Nichols (defensive end).

Tesone noted that several players have stepped up their play this season. “Chris Johnson has really been a stud for us, not only in kicking, but also at safety,” Tesone said. “He was the highest scorer in our sack camp last summer. He’s just an athlete. We had a penalty on a kickoff that moved the ball back to the 35 yard line last night and he still kicked it out of the end zone.” Tyler Strong, who will play at Wyoming next fall, has also played well. “He has a couple of picks and has been really good on defense.”

“You have to mention the guys up front,” Tesone said, most of whom play both ways. “Paco Retana, Matt Laborde, Joeal Vuki, Kevin Howes, Rob Lopez and Brady Wright have been warriors on each side of the ball.”

“Kyle Jones and Miguel Mendoza have played very well on defense. And I can’t say enough about Kelton (Manzanares). Brady (Oleszczuk) has shown a lot of heart and savvy in the last few weeks. We’ll look at him on defense this week. Alex Black has played really well at cornerback after missing a year and a half.”

The Cougars have battled injuries and illness all season long. Senior Garrett Burd has been out all season. “We started getting sick after the Broomfield game,” Tesone said. “We’ve hung in there as long as we could. Vuki had the dry heaves and back spasms at Greeley Central. We only took 32 kids to Fossil Ridge. Strong and Perry couldn’t even travel due to sickness.”

Several underclassmen have had to step up. “Marcus Lively has played a lot of fullback and outside linebacker,” Tesone said. “Mitch Eutsler has been a starting cornerback all season. Xandon Sigafoos was injured last night, but he’s been playing well at linebacker. Sophomore Nick Stager is starting to see the field at outside linebacker. Ryan Schuler has shown a lot of athleticism and is contributing at wide receiver. Tanner Smith played a lot of tight end at Greeley Central.”

Injuries have hurt the JV squad too. Tesone had to combine the JV team and the C team early in the season due to lack of numbers. Junior Erik Bengston, who was seeing varsity action on special teams, suffered a season-ending finger tendon injury in a JV game. Josh Lombardi and Landon Nolting have suffered concussions in JV action, and Dillon Manzanares broke his collarbone in a JV game. The JV squad has a 3-5 record. “We really need to get the numbers (of players) up, especially on the line,” Tesone said.

Niwot Boys Soccer

Niwot ended the season with a record of 13-2, gaining a fourth seed at state. Niwot is seeded behind number one seed Broomfield, which handed Niwot one of its losses, Wheat Ridge, and Cheyenne Mountain, which Niwot beat earlier in the year.

“We play Summit High School in the first round,” coach Steve Lepper said. Although Summit is seeded 29th, Lepper noted that they are traditionally a strong program. The Cougars could host the first three rounds of the playoffs if they are able to advance. “We’re trying not to look past the first round,” Lepper said.

Niwot placed three players on the first team Northern League All-Conference team, including junior midfielder Santiago Velez, senior midfielder Curtis Stecyk, and senior goalkeeper Connor Wood. Senior defender Michele Corbet was named to the second team, while sophomore midfielder Chris Gurule and junior forward Dan Summers received Honorable Mention.

Volleyball

Niwot had high hopes at the start of the season, but came up short of making the playoffs in the tough Northern Conference, finishing with a 6-13 record. Coach Keri Graham credited two of her ten varsity players as providing the most consistency during the season, junior middle hitter Kathrine Yunker and senior outside hitter Nina Wingert.

“Kathrine Yunker is the one that has been totally consistent all season,” Graham said. “She’s had some great games, too, but she’s the most consistent one for us in the front row. She led the team in blocks hands down.” At close to six feet tall, Yunker is a force in the middle.

“Nina Wingert is one of our captains, and she’s also been very consistent,” Graham said. “She’s a very good leader on and off the court. She’s started for three years. I’m not sure what we’re going to do without her,” Graham said of the senior.

Out In Leftfield

By Bruce Warren
BruceW@lhvc.com

If you have news of local athletes, please contact sports@lhvc.com or call 303-652-2433.

RUGBY

Lauren Daly (Niwot) is playing rugby for the University of Colorado club team, as well as the Glendale Raptors. Daly earned All-American honors in the sport, and has aspirations of trying out for the Olympic team, as rugby was just voted in as an Olympic sport in 2016 and 2020. Her younger brother, David Daly (Niwot), and Greg McCudden (Niwot) play the “lock” position while Luke Lahman (Niwot) plays “wing” for CU’s men’s rugby team.

CROSS COUNTRY

Niwot area residents Matt Keown, Kyle Becker, Lauren Nygren and Alexa Sander are running for Alexander Dawson first year coach Steve Brittenham this fall. Keown, a senior, is a returning state qualifier from 2008, as is Becker, a sophomore. Keown finished 19th at the St. Vrain Invitational, while Becker finished 71st. Keown finished 6th at the Class 2A Regional, qualifying for state again along with the Dawson team. Nygren, a junior, and Sander, a senior, were the top two Dawson boys at the St. Vrain Invitational. Sander finished fifth overall at Regionals while Nygren finished 12th. The Dawson girls team finished third at Regionals.

BASEBALL

Niwot High Athletic Director Jim Butterfield announced that long-time NHS assistant coach Craig McBride has been hired as the new head coach, replacing Jason Lathrop who resigned after three successful seasons due to teaching and family commitments. McBride began his high school coaching career as an assistant coach with the C team, then moved to the JV squad, and later to the varsity team, where he served as hitting coach. McBride also led the team at times the past two years when Lathrop was absent due to surgery and a death in the family. In a letter to parents of the program, McBride said, “My goal is to be a positive role model and mentor for your sons and to keep the expectations of excellence that the program has earned and deserves.  The other goal is to get as many players into college through baseball as possible.”

McBride also announced several staff positions had been filled. Clark Burton will return to coach the JV squad. George Sypher will again serve as assistant pitching coach, and Biff Warren will return to assist with the C team. Gregg Hangge will again serve as field maintenance coordinator in addition to helping with the off-season program. Will Kauanui will join the high school staff after helping coach the Niwot Legion A team last summer.

Former Niwot High All-State pitcher Mike Moat will serve as pitching coach. Moat was drafted by the Texas Rangers out of high school after pitching and winning three state championship games for the Cougars. Moat opted to play for San Diego State under Tony Gwynn before he was drafted again by the Chicago White Sox. Moat retired in 2007 after four seasons in the White Sox organization due to a sore arm. He posted a 17-11 record with a 3.69 ERA in his pro career.

Mike Olsen, another former NHS star who played on Niwot state championship teams before playing collegiately for Puget Sound, will be a varsity assistant for McBride. Olsen, an outfielder-first baseman, also played professionally for two years in the Continental League.

Patrick Perry (Niwot) is serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Northern Colorado. Former NHS players Ben Packard and Forrest Carpenter are on the UNC squad. Perry is working with the hitters in the off-season.

Michael Warren (Niwot) continues to play baseball in the San Diego Adult Baseball League. Warren, a catcher, homered for the first time this season in the wood-bat 18AAA Men’s Division. Warren has been voted to the All-Star team in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and was named his team’s MVP in 2007 and 2008. The league features many former college and pro players.

SOCCER

Erin Gunther (Silver Creek) has one goal and two assists on the season for Creighton University. Gunther, who has started 11 of the 15 games she has played, has taken 12 shots on goal which is third-highest on the team. Creighton has a 10-5-1 record. Gunther picked up an assist in a 7-0 win over Southern Utah. Her best game of the season came Oct. 3 in a 3-0 win over Missouri State, when she picked up a goal and an assist for the Bluejays.

Danielle Figliola (Silver Creek) has played in all 17 games for Drake, starting nine. Figliola has one goal on the season. Drake is 7-7-3 for the year, including a 1-0 win over Creighton, which pitted Figliola against her former high school teammate, Erin Gunther.

Kate Russell (Silver Creek) and Lauren Shaner (Niwot) continue to play a big part in CU’s soccer season. The Buffs are 8-8 on the year, with Russell starting each of the 12 games she has played in. Shaner has played in all 16 Buff games, starting one. Russell has 23 shots on the season, including five shots on goal, scoring one goal with one assist. Shaner has taken five shots, including three shots on goal, but has yet to score.

Janelle Kramer (Silver Creek) has started 12 of the 13 games she has played for the University of Northern Colorado. Kramer, a sophomore defender, has four shots on the season but has yet to score.

Jenna Hayes (Niwot) gave Texas Christian University a chance to score off a header but her teammate’s shot just missed in a 1-0 loss to New Mexico Oct. 3. A photo of Hayes in action is featured on the team’s website report for the game. Hayes also had a shot on goal against Wyoming, but it was saved by the goalkeeper in the 2-1 overtime loss to the Cowboys.

Defender Lauren Braman (Niwot) played all 90 minutes for the University of Nevada in a 2-1 win over the University of Hawaii. Braman has started all 17 games this year. Nevada is 6-11 on the season.

Angelica Schira (Niwot) has played in 16 games for Colorado School of Mines this fall, which boasts a 16-3 record. Schira, a freshman midfielder/forward, has one goal and two assists on the season. She posted her first goal and an assist in a 9-0 win over the University of Nebraska-Kearney Oct. 16.

Ryan Meske (Niwot) leads the University of Dallas in scoring this season with four goals and two assists. Meske has started all 10 games he has played. Dallas is 3-6-2 on the season. He had a goal against Southwestern University Oct. 4 and an assist against LeTourneau University Oct. 10.

HOCKEY

Michael Sdao of Niwot contributed to the scoring for Princeton University in its 7-0 exhibition win over Morrisville State. Sdao, a freshman who was drafted by Ottawa of the NHL last spring, drove to the net on a power play and teammate Marc Hagel scored on a rebound.

SOFTBALL

Shannon Traxinger (Niwot) has returned to Otero Junior College for her sophomore year and is preparing for another successful softball season with the Rattlers.  She led her team to the Region IX championship in the spring of 2009 and was named to the first team All Tournament team. She also received the Region IX All Tournament Pitcher award. The Rattlers opened their fall season with a friendly tournament in Colorado Springs at UCCS, Sept. 11- 13.  Traxinger was the winning pitcher in the first game 4-3 win against UCCS, and also hit a two-run over-the-fence home run. 

In the first game against Metro State Traxinger entered the game as a relief pitcher in the fourth inning with her team behind by a score of 12-0.  She held the Roadrunners to only two more runs over the next three innings but the Rattlers had trouble hitting and found themselves scoreless. 

In the second game against Metro, Traxinger wasn’t as fortunate. She pitched a complete game and held Metro to one run until the fourth inning, but at that point, several Rattler errors and some nice hits from the Roadrunners let Metro to an 11-0 win. The Rattlers were able to hold the powerful Roadrunners to the least amount of runs scored out of all the Metro opponents in the tournament. Traxinger missed the next tournament due to illness, and the final exhibition weekend was cancelled due to the weather.

FOOTBALL

Michael Beck (Alexander Dawson) of Niwot has played in all eight games for Kenyon College this fall. Beck, a wide receiver, has six catches for a total of 54 yards. He has also registered three tackles on special teams. Nick Saraceni (Niwot) had two kickoff returns for a total of 38 yards for Occidental College in a 42-21 win over Claremont MuddScripps. A week later he had four kickoff returns for 76 yards in a 27-24 win over the University of Redlands.

Saraceni got on the scoreboard in a 20-14 win over Chapman University, returning a blocked extra point attempt for a two-point defensive conversion. He picked up the ball and avoided a tackle 15 yards from the end zone to score. Saraceni also had two kickoff returns for 42 yards and registered one tackle.

Charles Sander (Alexander Dawson) of Niwot had two tackles and an interception for Pomona-Pitzer in a 48-14 loss to Cal Lutheran Oct. 10. Sander, a linebacker, injured his pelvis in the game and has not played since. A week earlier he had eight tackles in a 23-20 loss to Chapman University.

VOLLEYBALL

Jenny Sherwood (Niwot) has started every match for Rollins College this fall. Sherwood, who plays in the middle, has 161 kills, fourth best on the team. She also has 90 blocks on the season, second on the squad.

GOLF

Alexander Dawson sophomore Peter Hassan won the state 3A golf title shooting a 79 on the final day to win by one stroke. Hassan had a 76 after the first day, and saved the last hole with a shot from a fairway bunker to within five feet of the hole. Dawson senior Blaine Bassett, a three-time state qualifier, finished 35th with a 179.

SWIMMING

Niwot High Athletic Director Jim Butterfield reported that NHS grad Sarah Heller has accepted the position of head coach for Girls Swimming. Heller will take over for long-time coach and NHS grad Stephen Beam, who had to step down due to the demands of his job. Heller swam for Simmons College and is the daughter of NHS assistant football coach John Heller.