All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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On the soccer pitch, in the classroom, and around the community, Margaux Boyer has accomplished plenty throughout her four years at Niwot High School. A senior captain on the NHS girls soccer team, Boyer is enjoying arguably her best season yet for the 7-3-2 Cougars. The fourth-year varsity defender has contributed a career-high 12 points, including three goals, this spring, with three regular season games still remaining. "It's been great," Boyer said. "The girls are so nice and we're all...
Niwot High School track and field sisters Anna and Mia Prok both impressed at the Centaurus Twilight meet on Friday, April 19 in Lafayette. Anna, a sophomore, took first in the mile with a time of 5 minutes, 6.77 seconds, about seven seconds faster than her teammate and second-place finisher Elise Hagen. Mia, a senior, also topped the two-mile podium after crossing the finish line in under 11 minutes at 10:59.15. Additionally, the elder Prok had seventh-place results in the 200 and 400-meter races. With the help of those two and several...
Despite its recent dominance on the mound, Niwot High School baseball has been held back by some nagging offensive struggles. On Wednesday, April 17, the Cougars dropped their fourth straight low-scoring game, a 4-2 loss to Thompson Valley High School. Niwot, which fell to 6-6 (3-5 Class 4A Longs Peak League) on the season, managed only 10 total runs throughout the four-game losing streak. “We just have to get back to hitting like we're used to,” said third-year Niwot head coach Ken Rosales. “Ou...
No matter how dominant Niwot High School boys volleyball has been overall this season, falling to Poudre School District on Thursday, April 11, qualified as an absolute gut-punch. The visiting Cougars had their opportunities to put Poudre away for good in the fourth set but ultimately lost in a five-set thriller. Turning the page quickly while learning from what went wrong now becomes the challenge for Niwot, which dropped to 11-3 on the season. While head coach John Miller will offer his own...
At the Boulder County Track and Field Championships on Saturday, April 13, Niwot High School athletes topped the podium in 10 of the day’s 38 events. The NHS girls took first in the team standings while the Cougar boys placed second behind Erie High School. With about one month remaining until the state championships, several Niwot athletes once again proved themselves as legitimate Class 4A title contenders. Reese Kasper and Jade West continued their impressive junior seasons, standout sophomore Addison Ritzenhein recorded another two-mile w...
The mood inside Niwot's dugout could not have been more somber. Knowing how many accomplished bats the Cougars own, players and coaches alike were left discouraged following a 2-1 defeat at Severance High School on Saturday, April 13. Niwot mustered only five hits, one more than the Cougars produced two days prior in another loss to those same Silver Knights. Head coach Ken Rosales noted that Niwot's recent struggles at the plate appear more mental than physical. "We're a hitting team, but the...
While sweeping a regular season series in the Longs Peak League rarely comes easy, Niwot High School baseball head coach Ken Rosales couldn’t help feeling like his Cougars squandered an opportunity in their second meeting with Roosevelt High School. Two days after beating the Roughriders on Tuesday, April 2, Niwot was beset by defensive errors in the two teams’ rematch. Rosales said the Cougars committed seven miscues on their home diamond, leading to a “rough” 4-3 loss. “We definitely did not play our ball,” Rosales said. “I felt we were...
Running for the Niwot High School track and field program means everything to Kingston Staton. Only a sophomore, he first got to know Niwot's coaches through Real Training, a club team led by longtime Cougar head coach Maurice Henriques. Staton has maintained an appreciation for Niwot's accomplished coaching staff and the wisdom passed down upon him. "It's been incredible," Staton said. "I actually don't even live in Niwot... I've been running here and coming to school here because of the great...
The Niwot High School track and field program sent athletes to three different cities, including one in California, during the first weekend of April. Cougar colors were present in Longmont at the Birds of Prey Invitational, in Parker at the Legend Titan Track Clash, and in The Golden State for the renowned Arcadia Invitational and at all venues, Niwot runners enjoyed plenty of success against high-level competition. At the Birds of Prey Invitational, hosted by Skyline High School on Friday, Apr...
She may not be known by all of her classmates just yet, but Reese Kasper has proven herself quite valuable to the Niwot High School track and field program. Kasper moved from Minnesota to Colorado only two months ago, and while the adjustment has been challenging in some regards, joining track has made things "10 times better." Consequently, the Cougars are also better, particularly in the hurdles. At the second annual Niwot Invitational on Saturday, March 30, Kasper won the 300-meter hurdles...
For Kingston Staton, competing on his home track at the second annual Niwot Invitational generated an interesting mix of emotions. While he certainly felt some pressure wanting to represent the Cougars well, the junior hurdler also gained confidence from the meet being held on familiar grounds. Staton had rounded each of those four bends countless times at practice, but was now tasked with proving his talents in front of a larger audience. Particularly in the 300-meter hurdles, the home star shi...
Minus one game, Niwot High School baseball hasn’t had any trouble putting up runs early this season. The Cougars closed their non-league slate by hosting Greeley Central High School on Friday, March 29, and sent the Wildcats home with a 20-5 defeat. Although the muddy conditions made things difficult for those on the mound, Niwot’s offense scored multiple runs in all four innings of the mercy-rule shortened affair. “I thought they played well, especially in the weather,” said Niwot head coach Ken Rosales. “It was wet and cold. They did a gre...
The Niwot High School track and field talent factory is churning out another impressive long-distance runner. Only a few meets into his junior season, Evan Kear has compiled several strong results, including one in the 1,600-meter event at the ultra-competitive Broomfield Shootout on Saturday, March 23. He wasn't among his heat's top runners, but Kear left pleased with an 11th-place overall finish at 4 minutes, 32.21 seconds. The four laps essentially played out as Kear expected. After an...
Competing with a shorthanded squad due to spring break, Niwot High School track and field still managed to find success at the Broomfield Shootout on Saturday, March 23. The Cougars girls took first in the team standings while the boys tied for 12th among 35 participating programs. NHS assistant coach Kelly Christensen admitted that it was a low-stress meet for his squad, but he remained impressed by his relay teams, in particular. On the girls' side, Niwot took first in the 4x800 and...
While Niwot High School baseball’s 2-1 start to the season yielded several positives, the Cougars still aim to improve in certain areas. Fortunately for them, they have ample time for some in-season introspection. After beating Timnath and Weld County high schools to open the season, Niwot fell to Silver Creek High School, 4-1, on Tuesday, March 12 — two weeks before its next scheduled game on March 26. Niwot head coach Ken Rosales believes his players have already flushed that home loss and remain motivated to get back on track. “The inten...
Three games into her senior season, Paige Russell has emerged as one of Niwot High School girls soccer's top scoring threats. The fourth-year varsity midfielder has already scored two goals, equaling her total from last season. Yes, it's a small sample size, but Russell's early offensive success shouldn't be overlooked. "It was kind of a big deal for me because I haven't really scored a lot of goals in my high school career," Russell said of her impressive start. Her first score came in Niwot's...
Bringing Niwot High School baseball back to its once-dominant form means a good deal to Haden Shaw. Although Niwot has bigger goals this spring, the junior catcher believes that playing in the postseason last year helped the Cougars' reascending program gain some outside respect. And in today's age of high school athletics, respect goes a long way. "It was nice to know that Niwot's back on the map," Shaw said. "When I tell everybody on my club teams that I go to Niwot, a lot of people say,...
At the plate, on the mound, and in the field, almost everything was clicking for Niwot High School baseball in the first two games of the new season. The Cougars, loaded with a slew of returning starters, hosted Timnath High School in their season opener on Thursday, March 7. In what was a darkness-shortened five-inning affair, Niwot beat the visiting Cubs, 5-0. Senior Brock Rothstein got the start and struck out six in three innings pitched. Despite some early control issues, which resulted in...
A handful of Niwot High School track and field athletes traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, over the weekend for the New Balance Indoor Nationals. Racing as members of REAL Training, a club team led by Niwot track and field head coach Maurice Henriques, NHS students who competed include Addison Ritzenhein, sisters Mia and Anna Prok, Kye Toothaker, and reigning shot put state champion Jade West, among others. The event was held from Thursday, March 7 through Sunday, March 10, with races being held at either the TRACK at new balance or the Reggie...
Armed with more confidence, Cassie Chen is transitioning from the No. 2 doubles line to No. 3 singles entering her junior season on the Niwot High School girls tennis team. While Chen played in a handful of No. 3 singles matches last season, she believes the move won't be too difficult. Her primary concern is contributing her best wherever Niwot head coach Aimee Hites needs her most. "I'm really excited to play singles this year and just be able to work with the team," Chen said. She still must...
Under second-year head coach Ken Rosales, the Niwot High School baseball program took a major step forward last spring. The Cougars finished 14-9 - the team's most wins since 2014 - and never lost more than two straight games en route to reaching the postseason for the first time in seven years. While the 2023 campaign ultimately ended in disappointment with a loss to Riverdale Ridge High School in the Class 4A Region 7 championship game, Niwot has plenty of momentum entering its 2024 campaign....
After receiving support from countless individuals throughout her softball and baseball playing careers, Niwot High School graduate Tara Harbert is now lending her knowledge to the next generation. Harbert, a 2002 NHS graduate who later played on the USA Baseball Women's National Team, spent this past fall coaching junior varsity softball at Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch. Additionally, she and her fiancé, Bryan, have committed themselves to supporting their three children's...
Niwot High School senior Tracy Yu will be pulling double duty this spring for the first time in two years. Yu is currently preparing for her fourth season on the Cougars' girls tennis team and is rejoining Niwot's girls soccer squad after taking last season off. Her weekday afternoons may be chaotic at times, but her passion for both sports should prevail. Regarding her return to the pitch, Yu was convinced by teammate Margaux Boyer to attend a low-stress summer kickaround. "I definitely really...
With both experience and talent, this year’s Silver Creek High School boys swim team may be one of the more confident groups longtime head coach Debbie Stewart has ever led. The Raptors are coming off three straight top-two team finishes at the Class 4A state championships, including a state title in 2021, and bring back several of their star swimmers. “They're hungry for a really good winning season,” Stewart said. “It's exciting to see the camaraderie and the hard work that they're all putting in and what they did put in (during) their offsea...
Rohit Das wasn't exactly left satisfied with how his junior season played out on the Niwot High School boys basketball team. Yes, he enjoyed several strong moments, but the Cougars' final record of 7-16 weighs heavy. "It was up and down, and it was a little bit disappointing," the junior point guard said. "I thought we could have won a lot more games. But our team was young, so it'll be fun next year." Das did, however, play a key role in Niwot winning three of its final four games. At Mountain...
Under the bright lights of Ball Arena in Denver, Gavin Burrage closed an impressive four-year Niwot High School wrestling career at the Class 4A state championships. The senior qualified for state in the 175-pound division and after dropping his first-round match, advanced in the consolation bracket by pinning Thomas Jefferson High School's Miles Anderson in only 32 seconds on Friday, Feb. 16. Niwot wrestling head coach Bobby Matthews was thrilled to see Burrage's hard work pay off on the...
Nobody impressed Niwot High School girls swim head coach Ella Thramann more this past season than sophomore Phoebe Donovan. After finding little success during her freshman season - her first on a competitive team - Donovan took it upon herself to improve, and the results followed. Donovan became a key member of Niwot's state-qualifying 200-yard medley relay team and was one of the Cougars' best in the breaststroke. "She was a C Team freshman last year, joined Flatiron's (swimming club) and...
Navigating the Class 4A state championships was a new experience for many on the Niwot High School girls swim and dive team. Despite their youth, the Cougars held their own with 94 team points, finishing 15th out of 31 schools. Niwot's best individual result came courtesy of junior diver Izzy Fay, who scored a personal record 538.30 points in the state finals to claim her first title. Although second-year head coach Ella Thramann doesn't work closely with Niwot's divers, she was proud of Fay's...
Only midway through her prep career, Addison Ritzenhein has already cemented herself as one of the greatest runners to ever come through Niwot High School. In the past few months alone, the sophomore standout secured her first Class 4A cross country individual state title and surprised many by finishing first at the Nike Cross Country Nationals on Dec. 2. Her efforts were then honored on Jan. 23 when she became the first Niwot runner to win the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country P...
While Niwot's ultimate focus is on making some noise at state this week, the Cougars took great pride in winning the Longs Peak League (LPL) girls swim and dive championships team title on Friday, Feb. 2. Niwot High School's young team took first in seven of the 12 events, including diving, at the Mountain View Aquatic Center in Loveland. Led by Charlotte Heuer and Ava Altenborg, each of whom won a pair of individual races, the Cougars' 356 total points surpassed runner-up Mountain View High Sch...
With a quick draw and release, Archer Buckbee has been hitting his mark often this season for the Niwot High School boys basketball team. Through Jan. 24, the fearless shooter leads the Cougars with 16 made 3-pointers, including four in one game, as a valuable threat off the bench. Buckbee shared that his confidence stems from the support he has around him. "All my teammates trust me that I can make the shots and my coaches have been encouraging me to shoot a lot, so that's been really...
Admittedly, Niwot High School girls swim head coach Ella Thramann has been pushing her team harder in recent practices. With two major meets on deck, Thramann wants the Cougars to be both prepared and swimming at their best. So far, the tougher practices have yielded some encouraging results. Multiple swimmers have set new personal-record times, including senior co-captain Daisey Bui in two different events, and others simply appear smoother in the pool. "I've seen tons of PRs," Thramann said....
The vast majority of banners inside Niwot High School's main gym celebrate team championships. A select few, however, are hung in honor of individual achievements. Coming off a stellar sophomore season on the NHS cross country team, Addison Ritzenhein will soon have her name immortalized twice. After receiving the Gatorade Colorado Girls Cross Country Player of the Year award on Monday, the state championship-winning runner earned the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Player of...
Competitive swimming has long been a valued part of Daisey Bui's life, and with her days on the Niwot High School girls swim team limited, the senior chose to dedicate her complete attention to the pool this winter. As someone with an immense range of interests, it likely wasn't easy for Bui to commit everything she has to swimming. In order to make that happen, she stepped away from her involvement with Up-A-Creek Robotics, a club robotics team based in Longmont, but has since taken great...
Shorthanded and stricken by winter illnesses, the Niwot High School boys wrestling team gutted out a respectable showing at the Northglenn Norse Varsity Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Cougars finished 20th out of 21 teams but received wins from three different wrestlers: junior Ryder Evans placed fourth in the 144-pound class, 190-pound senior Pavi Soni won his first consolation match, and 285-pound sophomore Jonathan Lopez reached the consolation bracket championship match. For those...
With the girls swimming and diving state championships set for early February, Niwot High School’s list of qualifiers is growing. At the St. Vrain All City Meet on Saturday, Jan. 20, three different Niwot “A” relay teams qualified for state, according to head coach Ella Thramann. The Cougar quartet of Devi Burnett, Emmy Hostelley, Thalia Milam, and Charlotte Heuer punched their state ticket in both the 200 and 400-yard freestyle, while Phoebe Donovan, Reese Lavigne, Hannah Hooven, and Hostelley qualified in the 200 medley relay. Hoste...
In an era where far too many players shoot first and think second, Sebastian Stenz's approach to basketball is a welcome throwback. The Niwot High School guard drives the court intending to find an open teammate, a selfless style that's yielding plenty of assists. Through Niwot's first 10 games, Stenz recorded at least one dime in each and currently leads the Cougars with an average of 2.6 assists per contest. Stenz, a junior, said his pass-first mindset began to develop during his season-plus...
As the young Niwot High School girls swim and dive team continues to gain experience, the results are beginning to follow. Head coach Ella Thramann’s Cougars participated in the BoCo Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 13, and finished seventh among 13 local schools of various classes. NHS scored 637 team points at the Broomfield Community Center pool, just ahead of Silver Creek High School’s 588. Fairview High School took first with 1,131 points. With less than one month remaining in their high school careers, Niwot seniors Reese Lavigne and Cha...
Parker Sullivan will be learning by trial and error this winter as he navigates his first competitive wrestling season. After moving from Austin, Texas to Colorado before this school year, he joined the Niwot High School boys wrestling team and hasn't exactly been eased into his new sport. The 150-pound junior wrestled at Niwot's annual Gary Daum Classic on Saturday, Jan. 6 and was immediately matched up with Air Academy's Lucas Plunkett, who later took first in the weight class. Although he...
Organized chaos would be the best way to describe this year's Gary Daum Classic at Niwot High School. With 21 total teams and five mats running at all times, including one in the auxiliary gym, NHS wrestling head coach Bobby Matthews said the annual boys wrestling tournament was the "biggest it's ever been." All in all, though, the crowded day went according to plan. Champions were crowned in 14 different weight classes. Pueblo County High School secured the team title on Saturday, Jan. 6....
Knowing that she likely won't swim competitively in college, Reese Lavigne is simply trying to enjoy her senior season. The fourth-year Niwot High School swimmer has accomplished plenty in her prep career and wants to cherish these final days with her teammates. "It's been great," Lavigne said. "We do have a close-knit team, and I'll be hanging out with my swim friends outside of swimming a lot. A lot of the seniors that I'm friends with, I've swam with them all of high school, so I know them...
Niwot High School’s annual Gary Daum Classic has quickly grown into one of Colorado’s premiere boys wrestling tournaments. Named in honor of former NHS boys wrestling head coach Gary Daum, who passed away in 2012 following a battle with cancer, the mid-season tournament returns to Niwot on Saturday, Jan. 6, with a bevy of big-name programs attending. Twenty-one teams, including Niwot, will be competing at this year’s event, the 11th under its current title. “This year, we've added Air Academy, Berthoud, as well as Pueblo County, which is a pe...
Because his days on the Niwot High School boys basketball team are limited, Brighton Langenegger has dedicated his senior season toward "inspiring the younger guys." Langenegger's motive stems from an acronym he learned while attending a PGC (Point Guard College) Basketball camp: E.T.D.M.T.Y.S., which stands for "Expect To Do More Than Your Share." Essentially, the instruction promotes going above and beyond in all aspects of life. "Every moment, no matter what you're doing, do it more-that...
As one of only two seniors on this year's Niwot High School boys basketball team, Jackson Carano prides himself on being a leader. The third-year varsity forward has his own personal goals, but nothing compares to the value he puts on overall unity. "The biggest thing I've taken away is the importance of team building," Carano said. "As a team captain this year, that's one of the biggest things that I've wanted to focus on. I think we're doing it pretty well. It's building each other up as a...
Several young talents on the Niwot High School girls swim team are finding success early this season despite their inexperience. In the Cougars' 207-106 dual meet victory over Erie High School on Wednesday, Dec. 6, four underclassmen managed a first-place finish. Sophomore Emmy Hostelley won the 100-yard freestyle (1 minute, 4.65 seconds), freshman Camilla Wier-Bigelow's endurance proved best in the 500 freestyle (6:10.24), sophomore Lila Repsher led the 100 backstroke (1:11.11), and sophomore...
With a largely inexperienced roster, Niwot girls swim head coach Ella Thramann is taking things slowly early this season. Originally set to compete in an invite on Dec. 2, Thramann instead scheduled a dual meet against Skyline for Dec. 2, hoping to give her Cougars a lower-stress learning opportunity. "A lot of our girls don't understand a meet, and we have a lot of girls this year who don't know really anything about swimming," Thramann said. "We decided to do a low-key dual where the girls cou...
After losing several of last year's standouts to graduation, the Niwot High School girls swim team is leaning on a new, younger core early this season. At the heart of Niwot's youth movement is Emmy Hostelley, a sophomore who quickly caught the attention of head coach Ella Thramann last winter. Thramann shared that the versatile Hostelley swims year-round and continues to make strides. "She definitely came back this season and has impressed me the most so far," Niwot's second-year head coach...
With the help of her teammates, Sami Sessa quickly developed confidence in her first season as a starting libero for the Niwot High School girls volleyball team. "I definitely was nervous coming into the season because I was like, 'Now I'm a starter for the first time. I don't want to let the team down and let the program down since we've had such an amazing program the last couple of years,'" the senior said. "But I started to believe in myself. I really think that pushed me forward and I...
Every day was "leg day" this fall for Niwot High School senior Paris Lee. After balancing both soccer and kicking/punting duties on the varsity football team over the past few months, Lee said he could barely walk when it was all over. "I was very sore," Lee said. "After my first three days of not having both (sports), I wasn't able to walk up the stairs." Although NHS certainly doesn't lack multi-sport athletes, very few manage to play two sports during the same season. Lee's weekday afternoons...
Mia Prok has enjoyed quite an impressive past few weeks. First, the senior helped Niwot High School win its sixth straight Class 4A girls cross country state title on Oct. 28. Then, only 11 days later, she signed her national letter of intent to continue her running career at Wake Forest University. After committing to the Division I Demon Deacons in March of last year, Prok was thrilled to finally make things official. "It was cool to actually sign the papers and see it in writing," she said. R...
