All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Make it a five-peat. For the fifth time in as many seasons, the Niwot High School girls cross country team took first place at the Class 4A state championships on Oct. 29. Months of preparation, including two trips to the Norris Penrose Event Center course in Colorado Springs, helped Niwot score 20 points - miles ahead of second-place Battle Mountain (122) and third-place Durango (134). "It was just incredible," said senior Madison Shults, who was one of six Cougars to finish in the top 10....
Admittedly, LiChen Liao wasn't pleased with the results in the Class 4A boys individual state tennis tournament. He had won the No. 2 singles title last year and his goal was, of course, to defend that title his junior season. But with a 6-1, 6-2 loss to Kent Denver's Will Moldenhauer, Liao's repeat attempt fell short in the semifinals at City Park in Pueblo on Oct. 14. The Niwot High School No. 2 singles player remained proud, though, knowing his full effort was given. "Obviously, I was hoping...
Thanks in part to a position change, Eric Walker has been a valuable producer for the 12-3 Niwot High School boys soccer team, which begins Class 4A state playoff action on Oct. 27. Cougars head coach Stephen Dimit moved Walker from center back to striker and the senior responded by becoming one of Niwot's leading scorers. His six regular season goals were third-most on the team, behind juniors Javier Alvira (9) and Josh Ary (10). "After a few games, just getting the experience up there (at...
The final hurdle the Niwot High School cross country team had to clear before the state meet came in the form of the Class 4A Region 3 championships on Thursday, Oct. 20 at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada. In need of a top-four regionals team finish to qualify for State, both the Cougar girls and boys took first place with relative ease. Niwot was led by a first-place freshman on each side — Rocco Culpepper for the boys (16 minutes, 7 seconds) and Addison Ritzenhein for the girls (18 minutes, 41 seconds) — and 13 total Cougars pla...
A whopping seven Niwot cross country underclassmen — girls and boys combined — had a top-10 finish in the Longs Peak League Meet on Oct. 12. On the boys’ side, Cougar freshman Rocco Culpepper led all runners with a time of 15 minutes, 18.9 seconds which was about 23 seconds ahead of Severance’s Caden Schweer. Niwot seniors Carlos Kipkorir Cheruiyot and Jeremy Gillet finished third and fourth, respectively, while sophomore Keegan Geldean (fifth), senior Frederick Ambrose (sixth) and sophomores Christopher Wood (seventh) and Gavin Engtrak...
The face of Niwot High School boys tennis picked up his final piece of high school hardware on Oct. 15 in the state individuals tournament. Senior Luke Weber cruised through the Class 4A No. 1 singles bracket, defeating Cheyenne Mountain’s Andrew Ballenger in the first round (6-1, 6-0), Evergreen’s Sam Billups in the second round (6-0, 6-0) and D’Evelyn’s Aswaanth Karuppasamy (6-4, 6-2) to advance to the finals. Unfortunately for Weber, he was met by defending No. 1 singles state champion Nathan Gold of Kent Denver, who picked up the 6,0, 6-0 f...
Hannah Waldron has erupted during her senior season for the Niwot girls volleyball team. The four-year varsity player recorded her first-ever 10-kill game against Roosevelt on Oct. 5 and then proceeded to have back-to-back 14-kill performances against Frederick and Mountain View. She believes that much of her recent success can be credited to her teammates, including sophomore Anne Haley, who leads Niwot with 346 assists. "My connection with Anne has been just really on fire," Waldron said....
After suffering a second-round loss to Kent Denver in the state dual tournament, the Niwot boys tennis team still has an opportunity to secure some hardware in the Class 4A individual state championships. Niwot hosted regionals on Oct. 6 and six of its seven lines took first, meaning they will be the No. 1 seeds from Region 5 at the "individuals" state tournament. The Cougars' No. 2 doubles team of junior Kyle Davidson and senior Ryan Gray took third place and will enter as an alternate. Head...
The final chapter of Madison Shults' Niwot High School cross country career has been a good read. In the month of September alone, Shults had top-10 finishes in the RE-1J District Meet, the St. Vrain Invitational and the Desert Twilight XC Festival - which all also resulted in team wins. Shults gave special recognition to head coach Kelly Christensen and a slew of others for helping make her senior season memorable. "I definitely have to credit it to our coaches," Shults said. "Our coaches are...
Niwot softball's power-hitting pitcher Anne Booth reached a difficult milestone during the Cougars' loss to Riverdale Ridge on Sept. 29. In only her junior season, Booth recorded her 100th career hit on a double, and although it's more of an individual accolade, she was sure to mention her fellow teammates, a few of whom have also racked up some large numbers. "It's really cool to finally see with the stats how much work I've been putting in, and the team as well," Booth said. "A lot of our othe...
While Niwot boys tennis head coach Aimee Hites believed her No. 8 seed Cougars were capable, drawing No. 1 Kent Denver in the second round of the Class 4A state dual tournament was a challenge. Niwot (10-5, 8-0 4A Region 5) traveled to Kent Denver, a private co-ed school in Cherry Hills known for its tennis programs, on Oct. 1 for the second round of the state team tournament. After a hard-fought match ended with Niwot on the short end of a 4-3 final score, the Sun Devils moved on in the...
As is typical this season, Niwot cross country’s depth on the girls’ side delivered another meet win. All eight Cougars girls who traveled down to Mesa, Ariz., for the Desert Twilight XC Festival on Sept. 30 finished within the top 20 to secure the team victory. The strong showing marked the third consecutive first-place finish for the Niwot girls — the St. Vrain Cross Country Invitational and the RE-IJ District Meet being the others. In the 5,000-meter Desert Twilight race that included 21 total teams and 174 girls, not only did the Couga...
The stage is set for Luke Weber's grand finale. Two years after winning the No. 3 singles state title and leading the Niwot boys tennis team to an overall state championship in 2020, Weber is focused on creating some similar magic during his senior season. The now-No. 1 singles star's first test will come on Sept. 28 when No. 9-seeded Grand Junction comes to No. 8 Niwot for the first round of the Class 4A state tournament. "It's been a long journey, just playing all four yours going to state,"...
Only one season removed from winning it all in 2020, the Niwot High School boys tennis team is back in the Class 4A state tournament with high aspirations. Niwot, which finished third in State last year, finished the regular season 9-4 (8-0 4A Region 5). The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) announced on Sept. 23 that Niwot will enter this season's new-look championship as the No. 8 seed. Head coach Aimee Hites' Cougars just barely earned themselves a first round home meet...
Homecoming week took a hit on the Niwot cross country team. According to head coach Kelly Christensen, his Cougars were far from 100% when they lined up for the St. Vrain Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 17. But even without four top runners, the Niwot girls team squeaked out a first-place finish at Lyons High School. An encouraging takeaway for Christensen was that a few underclassmen, on both the girls and boys’ sides, were able to keep a shorthanded Cougars team competitive. Sophomore Bella Nelson led the Niwot girls with a third-place f...
Being a freshman on varsity comes with its challenges. Instead of typically facing opponents of a similar age in middle school, there's a chance that someone four years older stands on the opposite side of the court. Charlie Kirtland is currently experiencing the ups and downs of being a freshman on the Niwot High School boys tennis team. He entered the season looking to claim Niwot's No. 3 singles spot and after impressing in his varsity debut against Dawson School in mid-August, he hasn't...
Outside linebacker Gavin Burrage wasn't going to allow Niwot football to lose its first-ever game played on campus. Going up against Skyview, Burrage's barrage held the Wolverines to only one touchdown in a historic 15-6 win on Sept. 9. "I thought it was our team's best game," Burrage said. "The energy was really high, we were all performing our best and it was just a great game for me." Including Burrage, two other juniors on Niwot's defense have stood out, not only in the Skyview game, but...
Multi-talented is perhaps the best way to describe Gabe Martinez. In addition to becoming an Eagle Scout in February, the Longmont Christian School senior has taken on both baseball and tennis during his prep career. Because LCS doesn't support a boys tennis team, Martinez joined the Niwot High program during his freshman year. Cougar head coach Aimee Hites has utilized Martinez, a doubles player, in a swing role this season, which has him practicing with varsity but playing most of his matches...
In about one month's time, the Niwot boys tennis team will be squaring off against Colorado's top talent in the state championships. Head coach Aimee Hites' Cougars got a taste of that level of play on Sept. 8 when defending Class 4A co-champions Cheyenne Mountain visited campus. Disappointment soon arose, though, as Niwot, which placed third in state last year, mustered little success in a 5-2 loss to the Red-Tailed Hawks. Senior Luke Weber won the No. 1 singles match (6-1, 6-2) and junior LiCh...
It was a successful Homecoming week for Niwot High School. Football won on its home turf, volleyball swept Silver Creek, boys tennis went 1-1, softball got a win and for cross country, both the girls and boys teams cruised to first place in the RE-1J District Meet. The cross country boys were led by four seniors who finished from third place to sixth in the order of Jeremy Gillett, Frederick Ambrose, Stefan Haug and Carlos Kipkorir. And even though the first and second place individual finishers...
NHS cross country head coach Kelly Christensen opted to roll with mostly freshmen and sophomore runners during Niwot’s first two meets of the season, giving them some valuable experience before the veterans take control. Not only have the Cougars’ underclassmen gotten their feet wet, but they also littered the leaderboard during their first meet of the year on Aug. 27, at the Vista Nation XC 2-Mile Invitational in Highlands Ranch. On both the girls and boys sides of the freshmen/sophomores-only race, the Cougars took first place overall and...
Coming off a third-place finish in the Boulder High Panther Invitational on Aug. 26, the Niwot boys tennis team returned to Class 4A Region 5 play on Aug. 30 at Mountain View. The Cougars arrived in Loveland with a perfect 4-0 league record and it was preserved upon leaving as all seven matches ended in a sweep. Senior Luke Weber didn’t lose a point in his No. 1 singles match and in the four doubles matches, only one total point went in favor of Mountain View. Senior Ryan Gray and junior Kyle Davidson led the No. 1 doubles, sophomore Rex W...
Chad Volf's versatile skill set at quarterback proved perfect for Niwot football's offense in their 22-16 season opener win over Greeley Central on Aug. 26. Volf rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another to get his junior campaign off to a strong start. Still, though, Volf hopes the Cougars can do even more damage moving forward. "I think Friday went really well," Volf said. "I feel like on offense we could have had a couple more touchdowns, but I think the three we had were pretty...
The past, future and present are all looking pretty good right now for the Niwot cross country program. One year after the girls' squad won state and the boys finished runner-up, the Cougars' juggernaut remains dangerous. On the boys' side, coming so close to winning Class 4A last season has Niwot motivated to finish the job in 2022. "I know the boys were pretty disappointed being runner-up and not doing as well as a team as they wanted to," said head coach Kelly Christensen. "They're on a reall...
While Niwot boys tennis head coach Aimee Hites expects senior and No. 1 singles player Luke Weber to finish top three in Class 4A, it’s her No. 1 doubles team of freshman Oskar Hansen and sophomore Sebastian Moy that has amazed her the most. The Cougars’ young duo is already among the strongest in recent program history, Hites believes. “Our one-doubles is probably the best one-doubles team I've ever coached, so that's exciting,” Hites said. “They're winning the majority of their matches.” Per MaxPreps, Hansen and Moy are 2-1 through Aug...
The lengthy bus drive south to Pueblo West High School on Aug. 18 was well worth it for the Niwot boys soccer team after senior goalkeeper Matt Hansen pulled off a miraculous 50-yard game-winning goal on a penalty kick. That's right, the goalkeeper. With just seconds left and the score tied 2-2, Cougar head coach Stephen Dimit called upon Hansen to take the penalty kick. Dimit's decision took into account that Hansen doubles as Niwot football's placekicker, making him no stranger to long distanc...
In what could have been considered a transitional season following the graduation of eight seniors, the Niwot boys soccer team continued its winning ways last fall and reached the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs. Last season was fun, said seventh-year head coach Stephen Dimit, but the Cougars are now setting the bar a little higher. "This is a hungry year," Dimit said. "They had a lot of fun last year, but I think they also really want to build on what they started. That's a great...
Niwot softball's 2022 season commences Aug. 16, and for the third straight year, Autumn Rutherford will be one of the Cougars' biggest bats. Rutherford's ability to impact the game offensively with both power and speed earned her first-team all-conference honors in the 4A Longs Peak League as just a sophomore. Now entering her junior campaign, she hopes to be recognized on a grander scale with an all-state nod. During the past few months, her skills have been displayed throughout the country...
The University of Colorado’s 17th class to be inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame was announced in June and it features former Gunbarrel resident Dick Tharp, who was the school’s athletic director from 1996-2004. Interestingly, Tharp and his staff created the Athletic Hall of Fame early in his tenure as AD. Among his many accomplishments at CU, he hired former head football coach Gary Barnett in 1996, oversaw a $42.6 million expansion to Folsom Field and developed a long-term plan for the athletic department. “I'm honored by it, humbl...
Anne Booth and Autumn Rutherford were both major producers in nearly every facet of the game last year for Niwot High School softball. Now entering their junior seasons, expectations have only risen as the Cougars begin their quest for a second consecutive playoff appearance. Niwot's pair of junior stars combined for 13 home runs last season and were the only Cougars to hit over .500, plus Rutherford led the team in stolen bases and Booth won 12 games in the circle. CeCe Smith, Zoe Cameron,...
Reaching the 4A state championships for the first time since 2017 wasn't a fluke for last year's Niwot boys golf team - it was simply a product of a consistently competitive program. The Cougars brought one golfer from each grade level to the state tournament and finished seventh in class 4A. Although they'll now be without 2022 graduate Christopher Gunlikson, who placed sixth individually at state, the foundation remains sturdy for a successful fall season. "We've got a pretty good program," sa...
Although she's just entering her junior year, Julia Rudolph has been a valuable leader for Niwot High School track and field. Rudolph was named a team captain last season and then helped the Cougars win the 4x400-meter relay state title, as well as the state Class 4A team championship. Rudolph continued to beat the competition in early June at the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Competing for Niwot track head coach Maurice Henriques' REAL Training, she ran a...
This fall will look a little different for Niwot senior Ben Classen. After spending the past two years playing football, the Niwot High incoming senior has decided to shift his complete focus to track and field. Classen believes his best chance of securing an athletic scholarship will come through track, a sport that he excelled in last spring. His decision also factored in the elimination of any potential for injury he could have suffered playing football. Last season, Classen was named...
A rarity in most sports, Rachel Noble was a four-year varsity player on the Niwot girls basketball team. The 2022 grad accumulated an impressive 80 career games played while scoring a total of 254 points in a Cougar uniform. She was also part of a tight-knit senior class that included Carly Toothaker, Jordyn Stewart, Maddi Tajchman and Grace Crall, who together helped Niwot (7-15) win its most games since the 2018-19 season. "I loved my senior season," Noble said. "It wasn't anything on the reco...
Staying active is a must for recent Niwot grad Grace Crall, and she accomplished this need well by playing both basketball and soccer during her successful high school career. In Crall's final basketball campaign with the Cougars, she led the team in three categories: rebounds (110), blocks (12) and assists (30). The senior took particular pride in her rebounding, which as a taller player, was a facet of the game that was drilled into her from an early age. "I think a lot of people don't want...
Gracing the podium's peak is nothing new for 2014 Niwot alum Elise Cranny. Nearly one year removed from her first Olympics, she made national headlines once again on June 26 by taking first place in the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships' 5000-meter with a time of 15 minutes, 49.15 seconds Cranny's win came courtesy of an impressive surge in the final 2000 meters. After crossing the 3000-meter mark well behind the leaders, and in ninth place - albeit still within one second of first - she made a m...
One of the first gifts Carly Toothaker could remember receiving as a young child was a soccer ball, and after some time to reflect on her recently-completed high school career, that present can be considered an ember to a life encapsulated by sport. Toothaker's father became her first soccer coach, with her mother doing the same in basketball. The immense early guidance helped her become a multi-year varsity starter in both sports at Niwot High. In soccer, which she considers her primary sport,...
Becoming a state championship-caliber track and field athlete is a calculated process. Even as the so-called "offseason" commences during the summer, Niwot's top talent remains focused on maximizing their abilities. Cougar head coach Maurice Henriques, fresh off leading Niwot's girls team to another state title, stays working with his athletes through his club program, REAL Training. The club includes athletes from across the state and in June alone, REAL has competed in two prominent meets:...
Niwot High graduated senior Easten Leatherwood has just a few more weeks before he leaves for Durango to begin his college football career at Fort Lewis College. A 3A North Central 3 League All-Conference honorable mention last fall for Niwot football, he committed to the Division II Skyhawks in February and created a homecoming of sorts. Both of his parents attended Fort Lewis and Leatherwood grew up in Durango before moving to Longmont shortly after completing fourth grade. He said Fort Lewis...
Not many high school baseball pitchers have suffered the setbacks Nick Yard has experienced during his prep career. The recent Niwot High graduate has undergone not one, but two Tommy John surgeries over the past three years. Following his freshman season in which he was second on the Cougars' varsity staff with 35 innings pitched, Yard braved his first Tommy John surgery in January of his sophomore year to repair his ulnar collateral ligament. He then fought back and pitched just one game his...
Niwot track and field athletes don't get much of an offseason. Only a few weeks removed from the state championships, the Cougars, competing for head coach Maurice Henriques' REAL Training club team, are staying sharp in June. Henriques' group of tracksters began the month by visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico, from June 2-4 to participate in the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic. Niwot juniors Kimora Northrup (girls) and Eric Walker (boys) each won their respective 400m hurdles events, and...
Having never touched a pole in his life, Niwot senior Nicholas Stade needed just three weeks to learn the pole vault and place ninth in the Class 4A state track and field championships on May 22. Stade said that after he was unable to qualify for state in the 110-meter hurdles, it was his head coach Maurice Henriques who challenged the team player to help Niwot gain an extra point or two. His vault of 12 feet, 9 inches was a pleasant result. "I really surprised myself with being able to do...
It took a little longer than expected, but Niwot will officially welcome boys volleyball as a varsity sport in the 2022-23 school year. The anticipated offering will mark the lone boys volleyball program in the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). Following a successful eight-week pilot club season in the spring of 2019 and the subsequent sanctioning of boys volleyball into the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA), Niwot was intending to launch a varsity program in 2020....
In his nearly two decades coaching high school track and field - the past 11 of which having come at Niwot - Maurice Henriques, or as he's affectionately known as Coach Mo, has accrued a good deal of wisdom. Some of that insight, and perhaps more importantly to Henriques, life insight, will now be shared with the world as he was featured in a recently published book, "30 Days with America's High School Coaches." Author Martin A. Davis Jr. interviewed many of the country's top high school...
With star swimmer Mary Codevilla out for the weekend, it was Jamieson Legh’s turn to take charge for the Niwot girls swim team. The junior dominated in a pair of individual races to help the Cougars finish second in 4A at the Mustang Invitational, which concluded on Jan. 8 at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton. Niwot also finished fourth overall behind Broomfield, Legacy and meet-winner Regis Jesuit. The Cougars would have been well outside the top-five if it weren’t for Legh. In the 100-yard butterfly, Legh took first place and...
A trio of Niwot girls volleyball players and one boys soccer star received CHSAA All-State honors following the conclusion of the fall 2021 season. On the soccer pitch, Niwot senior attacker Azael Marrufo was by far the Cougars' most frequent scorer in 2021. A first team All-State selection, Marrufo scored 18 goals and eight assists in the Cougars' 17 games. Head Coach Stephen Dimit said Marrufo's season was particularly impressive due to his knack for scoring in big situations. Marrufo netted a...
With a 4-6 record, Niwot football had one its most successful season since 2008 and in turn, its top players received some impressive individual hardware. On the CHSAA All-State lists, offensive/defensive lineman Bryce Nemec's stellar senior campaign earned him a spot on the second team while junior quarterback/defensive back Ben Classen was an honorable mention. Playing in all 10 games, Nemec recorded 59 total tackles, including nine tackles for a loss. It didn't take long for Head Coach Nik...
Not much went right for the Niwot girls basketball team in the Trojan Classic Invitational, hosted by Longmont High from Dec. 16-18. The Cougars' scorching start to the season was simmered with losses to Thomas Jefferson, Evergreen and Longmont. In the span of about 48 hours, Niwot watched its 4-1 record slip to 4-4. Up first in the tournament for Niwot was Thomas Jefferson on Dec. 18. Niwot trailed by just three points following the first quarter but progressively watched the deficit increase...
It hasn't been easy for Niwot boys basketball to put together a formidable team in recent weeks. Head coach Clay Wittrock estimated that since early December, nine Cougars have missed games and/or practices due to impacts of COVID-19. Niwot canceled its recent Steamboat Springs trip (which has been rescheduled for Jan. 4) and is waiting to reschedule games against Colorado Academy and Eagle Valley that were missed during a five-day program shutdown. Low numbers and moving pieces have been a...
Senior swimmer Mary Codevilla’s Niwot legacy grew a little larger following a pair of historic races at the REX Coaches Invite on Dec. 18. Codevilla, a Notre Dame commit, has been swimming for the USA National Junior Team and the REX Invite was her first meet of the season with Niwot. Her senior debut was a good one as she broke a pair of school records at the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton. Her time of 2:02.56 in the 200 IM and 50.71 in the 100 freestyle were both Niwot bests. Unsurprisingly, both of Codevilla’s record times had...
