All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Niwot High School boys soccer team started their week with a Wednesday matchup against the Skyline High School Falcons to advance to the quarter finals. Niwot went into the game as the 11th seed against the sixth-seeded Falcons. Niwot was able to pull off a 4-2 upset victory over Skyline to advance to the Class 4A quarterfinals against third-ranked Battle Mountain High School, but the Cougars came up short in the Saturday, Nov. 4 game, which ended the Cougar's year in a 3-1 loss. The...
Bo Gardner's first career postseason goal came at an opportune time for the Niwot High School boys soccer team. Stuck in a 1-1 deadlock with Pueblo Centennial late in the second half, Gardner received an assist from fellow senior Josh Ary and netted the game-winner in Niwot's Class 4A first-round state playoff game on Oct. 26. "It was definitely one of the top goals in my career," Gardner said. Gardner, who scored five goals in the regular season, gave all the credit to Ary for setting him up...
The Niwot High School boy's soccer regular season has ended with Niwot winning their final game of the year, 9-0 against the Riverdale Ridge High School Ravens (2-13). Niwot is finishing the regular season with a 10-3-2 (7-2 league) record that ranks them as the third-best team in the Longs Peak League, securing a playoff spot for the upcoming state playoff tournament. Niwot dominated against Riverdale Ridge, putting up nine goals while getting a shutout. Noah Beltran led the team in points,...
The Niwot High School soccer season is ending dominantly as the Cougars have just one game left on their schedule. Niwot won both games last week, beating the Frederick Golden Eagles Tuesday, Oct. 10, 1-0, and the Fort Morgan Mustangs 3-0 on Thursday, Oct. 12. Niwot's goaltenders combined for a shutout week allowing zero goals while the offense put up numbers. Niwot's game against Frederick High School was close until Niwot closed the game out in the second half, with Miles Verbeck scoring the...
Four-year varsity player Jett Feiner is wrapping up his Niwot High School boys soccer career on an impressive scoring surge. Through Oct. 8, the senior owns a career-high six goals to go along with five assists. Half of Feiner's six scores came via his first high school hat trick in a 9-1 blowout of Severance on Sept. 26. Besides being more aggressive in shooting the ball, Feiner shared that nothing major has changed regarding his role on the field. "I try to do everything while I'm out there,"...
Niwot High School boys soccer is dominating opponents as the team closes in on the playoffs. The Cougars played two games this past week, facing off against Thompson Valley High School and Mountain View High School. Niwot won both games, beating Thompson Valley 3-0 on Tuesday and achieving a dominant 10-0 victory over Mountain View on Thursday. Niwot is now 7-3-1 on the season with just three games left. Niwot's win on Tuesday against the Thompson Valley Eagles was crucial as they were coming...
Niwot High School boys soccer split their games this week, crushing Severance in a 9-1 victory while falling just short of Skyline in a 2-1 loss. Niwot is now 5-3-1 on the year. The Cougars have a +11 goal differential this season, as they have dominated in their easier games and played close against top-ranked teams. Niwot’s victory against Severance was a dominant one. Niwot knocked down four goals in the first half, with most coming back-to-back in the earlier minutes. Severance was able to g...
Niwot High School boys soccer was able to bounce back from a tough week with a win at home against the Roosevelt High School Rough Riders this past Tuesday, Sept. 19. The Cougars dominated in their win as they easily got past Roosevelt with a 3-0 victory. Niwot had more trouble on Thursday, Sept. 21, as they fell to the Northridge High School Grizzlies, 2-1 at Northridge. Niwot is now 4-2-2 on the year, an impressive start given their strength of schedule. Niwot's Tuesday match with Roosevelt wa...
The Niwot High School boys soccer team finally lost its undefeated record, tying Centaurus High School 0-0 before losing 3-1 to rival Silver Creek High School. The Cougars are now 3-1-2 on the season with their Thursday loss against Silver Creek being their first loss of the season. Both Centaurus (#1) and Silver Creek (#4) were top teams in the league and ranked in the CHSAA top 10, so Niwot playing close with them is a good sign for the season. Niwot's first game last week was on Tuesday where...
Niwot High School Boys Soccer wrapped up the fourth game of the year, tying against Denver North High School 1-1 as the Cougars remain undefeated at 3-0-1. Niwot struggled early on against the Denver North Vikings, as they went scoreless during the first half, but junior goalkeeper Malachi Gilmore was also able to shut out Denver North during that half. Niwot switched goalies at the half, putting in junior Lucas Willard. Willard let one goal get by him, but he played a good half. Niwot struggled...
Six years after his older brother Jason scored 13 goals for Niwot High School in 2017, Josh Rodriguez is currently enjoying his own stellar senior season for the Cougars boys soccer team. The younger Rodriguez owns six of Niwot's eight goals scored, plus a pair of assists through three games. He credited his early success to his teammates, who together have the Cougars off to an undefeated start. "I've known a lot of them for a while, so the chemistry is there," Rodriguez said. "It's obviously...
Niwot High School boys soccer started strong as the Cougars continue to pile up wins on the season, with their most recent coming against the George Washington High School Patriots this past Wednesday with a 2-1 victory. Niwot is now 3-0 on the season, with all three games varying with ease. This was Niwot's closest game to date this season, with Niwot holding on at the end of the game to squeak by. Senior Josh Rodriguez was able to get an early goal that was assisted by senior Bo Gardner. The...
The Niwot High School boys soccer season has started off hot, as the Cougars are 2-0 now after the second week of the season. Niwot beat the Wheat Ridge Farmers 1-0 last Thursday. Niwot was much stronger than the score would indicate as they maintained possession throughout most of the game, getting solid shots on net all during the game. Josh Rodriguez was able to kick Niwot off to an early lead with a goal assisted by Bo Gardner halfway through the first period. Niwot got good shots off all...
The Niwot High School boys' soccer season officially started with a blowout 5-1 win at their home opener against the Pueblo West High School Cyclones last Thursday, Aug. 17. Niwot soccer has set itself a high bar as they are coming off a 14-4 season with some playoff success. This first win seems to have set the pace with hopefully a lot more success to follow. Senior Bo Gardner led the team in goals with two against Pueblo West. Senior Josh Rodriguez, senior Jett Fiener, and junior Naveen...
Niwot High School boys soccer coach Stephen Dimit is optimistic about the 2023 squad that begins play at home against Pueblo West High School at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, the first day of school. "We're pretty senior heavy," Dimit said. "Josh Ary came up big time for us last year," Dimit said of the senior defender. Ary is out for the first game with a minor injury suffered in the first week of practice, but is expected back soon. Senior midfielder Bo Gardner has moved up the field this year and...
Joining the Niwot High boys team last fall was one of the best decisions Josh Ary has made regarding his thriving soccer career. Then a junior, Ary was playing academy soccer before committing to play for his high school. Not only did Ary lead the Cougars in total points (32) en route to winning the Longs Peak League, but he also revived his love for the game along the way. "I think it just challenged me more on a technical level," defender Ary said. "It was also just the environment. It was a...
Niwot High School's graduation ceremony last Saturday was equal parts bright and sentimental. The football field was awash with rows of white chairs and green capped and gowned members of the class of 2023. Proud families, teachers and staff assembled under a photo-ready crisp blue sky to honor the students. Nearly 300 students accepted their diplomas from Principal Eric Rauschkolb, after experiencing one of the most normal school-year experiences since classes were disrupted by the COVID-19...
The Niwot High School girl's soccer season is now upon us, with the first game coming this Thursday, March 9, against Centaurus High School. The team is coached by Niwot High School boy's soccer coach Stephen Dimit, who is serving as interim coach for the season after the resignation of former coach Jenna Machado due to growing family demands. Dimit's assistant coach will be veteran coach Brett Butrick. In describing the team, Dimit said "The team has set goals of really intensifying our style...
Niwot High School Athletic Director Joe Brown announced that girls soccer coach Jenna Machado has resigned due to the time demands of a growing family. With informal workouts beginning, Brown did not have to look far to find an interim coach to take over the program. Niwot High boys soccer coach Stephen Dimit agreed to step in and serve as head coach for the 2023 season. Dimit is no stranger to NHS girls soccer, having served as head coach for the girls program in 2017, 2018 and 2019. When...
Coach Stephen Dimit's Niwot High School boys varsity soccer team took its 2022 regular season record of 12-3 into the playoffs again where they bested D'Evelyn High School by a score of 3-0 in the first round, and Steamboat Springs High School by a 3-2 margin in the second before falling to a very strong Northfield High School team 2-0 in the quarterfinals. Despite that disappointing loss it was a great season for the Cougars as they won their conference (4A/3A Longs Peak) decisively with a...
This year, The Courier asked local residents and visitors to share what they are thankful for. Below are their responses; each of them notable in their own way. Equally wonderful was the process of gathering responses. Most of the research occurred in the town's coffee shops and at first, getting responses was slow and awkward. But the tipping point was when some customers overheard others answering and asked to join the conversation. Ultimately, responses and ensuing conversation were full of...
Stephen Dimit, head coach of Niwot High School boys soccer, was sad to see the season end, but proud of his players after they suffered a loss in the quarterfinals of the state 4A playoffs. "We knew it would be a really tough game," Dimit said. "They just have so many ways to beat you," referring to Northfield High School, which won the 4A championship last season with a perfect 20-0 record. The Cougars battled Northfield throughout the game, but came out on the short end of a 2-0 score. The...
Niwot High School boys soccer coach Stephen Dimit didn't rest easy until Javier Alvira scored what turned out to be the third and final goal of a 3-0 shutout against D'Evelyn High School in the first round of the state 4A soccer playoffs. Niwot hosted the game under the lights on the new turf at NHS, and fans were not quite sure where to sit as both teams feature green as the school colors. Niwot entered the playoffs as the No. 7 seed, while D'Evelyn was No. 26. "They came out pretty fired up,"...
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 good times keep on rolling for Niwot High School boys soccer. Continuing a streak of dominance spanning the last five weeks, Niwot boys soccer came up with its ninth and tenth straight victories to secure their second Longs Peak League 3A/4A title in three years. Niwot's final week of regular season play started with a Tuesday night road trip to Roosevelt High School in Johnstown (3-11-1 / 1-7-1), where the Cougars comfortably dispatched the Roughriders, 5-0. Niwot Head Coach Stephen Dimit...
With a record of 8-3, including a 5-0 record in league play, the Niwot boys soccer team is looking to move up in the CHSAA state 4A rankings. The Cougars entered last week ranked eighth in Class 4A, with a 6-3 record. On Oct. 4, Niwot traveled to Thompson Valley, to take on the Eagles, who entered the contest with a record of 2-7. Niwot scored one goal in the first half before adding three more goals in the second half to take firm control of the game, which ended with a 4-0 victory. Moses Ramir...
After taking down two top-10-ranked teams in two weeks, the Niwot Cougars took on cross-town rival Skyline, and came away with a hard-fought 1-0 victory. Niwot entered the game against 6th-ranked Skyline as the No. 10 team in Class 4A, finally breaking into the top 10 rankings after beating then Top-10-ranked Silver Creek (6th) and Northridge (5th) in successive weeks. The Cougars went on to beat Severance, 7-0, on Sept. 27, before taking on Skyline Sept. 29. The Falcons entered the game with a...
Knocking off sixth-ranked Silver Creek, 2-1 in double overtime last week didn't seem to impress CHSAA Now voters as Silver Creek maintained its 6th-place ranking as of Sept. 19, while Niwot picked up only one point in the voting, going from nine to ten points, well out of the Top 10 rankings. This week, the Cougars took on 5th-ranked Northridge on Thursday, Sept. 22, and came away with a solid 3-0 win on the new home turf. The Cougars are now 4-3 on the season, with the last loss coming to...
Niwot boys soccer coach Stephen Dimit described the setting for Niwot's first cross-town rivalry soccer game under the home lights on Friday, Sept. 17. "It was a cool environment, a cool atmosphere." The Cougars took on the Raptors around 7 p.m. "We kind of knew we needed to be at our best," Dimmit said. "There are so many connections, they play together in the spring." The game featured an aggressive push by Niwot to keep the ball in the Silver Creek side of the field. The strategy seemed to...
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 Youth Sports (NYS) is hosting a series of events to raise money for the Monarch Improvement Project. NYS, which was originally formed in 1972 as Gunbarrel Lefthand Valley Boys Baseball, Inc, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional recreational and competitive sports experiences for kids ages 4 to 18 in the Niwot-Gunbarrel area. These programs, which include baseball, softball, basketball, flag football & soccer, provide children with the opportunity to participate i...
Last week we wrote about Niwot native Royce Johnson and how in 1974 he made land available to the Gunbarrel Lefthand Valley Boys Baseball, Inc., a non-profit organization now known as Niwot Youth Sports, as a site for "temporary" ballfields. The "temporary" Johnson Fields were used continuously for over 20 years until homes were built on Christopher Court in the Johnson Valley Subdivision in 1994. Ultimately, land that Johnson had donated to Boulder County for a park known as Left Hand Valley...
For the first time in its 50-year history, Niwot High School will be able to host a varsity football game at the school this fall. "We should have it ready by the end of August," Athletic Director Joe Brown said. The grass turf on what has until now been used solely as a practice field by the NHS varsity has been removed, and work has begun on installation of new artificial turf. Last summer, lights were installed at the field, and the artificial turf will allow the school to host football and s...
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...
If you weren't in your seat when the horn sounded to start Niwot's game against Regis-Groff (9-7) in the first round of the Class 4A soccer playoffs, then you probably missed all of the scoring. Just seconds into the Oct. 28th game, senior forward Azael Marrufo took a kick-off pass from Mason Wright and sent it past the Fusion's keeper, giving the 19th-seeded Cougars a 1-0 lead before many spectators realized what was happening. "It was amazing," Maruffo said of the game-winning goal, his...
When Niwot and Skyline get together in boys soccer, a close game typically follows. That proved true once again on Oct. 22 when the two teams settled on a 1-1 draw. Niwot will now enter the 4A state playoffs as the No. 19 seed and will face No. 14 Regis Groff in Denver on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. It will mark the third consecutive season these schools have met in the playoffs-the Cougars beat the Fusion 2-1 in last season's quarterfinals matchup in April. Regis Groff finished 9-6 this year an...
Senior Jacob Elston scored twice, while three of his teammates also found the back of the net as the Niwot boys soccer team posted a 5-0 victory over Mountain View at home on Sept. 23. It was the fourth straight win for the Cougars, who improved to 6-2 on the year, and remain undefeated in Longs Peak League play. "It's really good to start to see a variety of guys show up," sixth-year head coach Stephen Dimit said. "We're still a team working on things, and we're working the patterns...
Games are often won or lost in the red zone and that proved true in Niwot football's season opener at Greeley Central on Aug. 27. The Cougar defense didn't budge much all night to secure the team's first win, 21-14. With less than two minutes remaining in the game and Greeley Central down a touchdown, senior Craig Wright intercepted a Wildcat pass to put the game on ice. Wright's statement play was a fitting end to a defensive masterpiece. "Defense comes down to guts -- no guts no glory on the...
Just about four months separate the Niwot Cougars from the heartbreak they endured in the Class 4A boys state soccer semifinals, bumped from fall to spring in the 2020-2021 school year. That is all in the past, though, with a new core of Cougars greeted with the chance to mold their own history. Head coach Stephen Dimit will be tasked with replacing the production of eight graduated seniors that accounted for nearly two-thirds of the goals scored last season. Fortunately for Dimit, the players...
With both the Niwot girls and boys track and field teams taking first place in the 4A state meet, it was no surprise that the All-State teams were drenched in Niwot green. Eleven girls and four boys received the recognition, which was based upon state meet results. Leading the list for the girls was senior Lucca Fulkerson, and for the boys junior Zane Bergen, who each won Athlete of the Year honors. Head Coach Maurice Henriques led the historic season and was named Coach of the Year. In girls...
The past year has been challenging for prospective college athletes, particularly those who missed their junior seasons of competition in the spring of 2020. But for 15 Niwot High athletes, the arduous journey through the virtual recruiting process came to a satisfying end at the school's Letter of Intent signing ceremony on May 3. "This is probably the hardest year in the history of college athletics to have an opportunity to play at the collegiate level," Niwot High athletics and activities...
Niwot's quest for a 4A boys soccer state title came to an abrupt end on April 28, at the hands of the eventual champions, the Windsor Wizards. The Cougars' defense didn't have an answer for Windsor senior John Burnett who scored both Wizards' goals in their 2-1 victory. Niwot senior Keegan Stobbe netted the Cougars' lone goal in their lowest offensive output since a March 20 loss to Skyview. Despite the outcome, there was a lot to be proud of this season for head coach Stephen Dimit. In...
For the second time in four seasons, the 11-1 Niwot boys soccer team is back in the 4A state semifinals. The three-seeded Cougars clawed past Coronado and Regis Groff to arrange a date with No. 2 seed Windsor on April 28. In Niwot's state quarterfinals matchup against the 11-seeded Regis Groff Fusion on April 24, senior Ismael Dominguez scored the game winning goal with 58 seconds left in regulation, giving Niwot a hard-fought 2-1 victory. "I kept telling the guys I want a ring this year,"...
Cruising to a 7-0 victory at Severance High School on April 8, the Niwot boys soccer team secured a perfect 9-0 record to win the 3A/4A Longs Peak League. “They worked so hard for this,” said head coach Stephen Dimit. “They prepared all year long however they could to get ready to do this. To win the league and to win it as dominantly as we did, that's big.” The win over Severance came on the heels of a 6-0 win over Roosevelt on April 5 and a 10-0 win over Mountain View on April 6. In Niwot’s final six games of the season, the Cougars o...
The wins keep coming for the 6-1 Niwot boys soccer team which has now won five in a row and holds a one game lead in the 3A/4A Longs Peak League through April 4. Led by head coach Stephen Dimit, Niwot is in the midst of playing six games in 10 days against league opponents. The Cougars' third game of the stretch came at home against Frederick on April 3. Timely goals paired with strong defense helped Niwot shut out the Warriors (4-1), 4-0. Senior Aidan Martin opened the scoring at the 35:56 mark...
Flaunting a 3-1 record through March 29, the Niwot boys soccer team has shown dominance on both sides of the ball. Through four games, the Cougars have outscored opponents 27-4 including back-to-back 10-goal outputs in wins over Berthoud on March 23 and Riverdale Ridge on March 25. Prior to Niwot's 10-1 win over Riverdale Ridge, the Cougs' nine seniors were honored on the Niwot pitch. Both Ashton Campie and Aidan Martin relished their senior day as they each scored three goals. "He (Martin) can...
Led by senior Keegan Stobbe and junior Azael Marrufo, the Niwot boys soccer team went 1-1 in its first week of games. The Cougars opened with a convincing 6-1 win over Fort Morgan on March 18 before dropping a narrow 2-1 contest against Skyview on March 20. Stobbe scored a pair of goals and four other Cougars found the back of the net once against Fort Morgan, including Marrufo, Tavan Karbassi, Ismael Dominguez and Jett Feiner. Junior Jacob Elston assisted on two of the goals, while Stobbe,...
Just months before the pandemic hit, the Niwot boys soccer team completed its fall 2019 season with a shining 11-6 record and second place finish in the 4A Northern League. Pending a possible snow cancellation, the Cougars will return to the pitch on March 18, 499 days after losing to Golden in the second round of the 2019 4A playoffs. Several impact players from that 2019 team will give it another shot in 2021. Fifth-year head coach Stephen Dimit will enjoy nine seniors on his 23-man roster including Aidan Martin, Keegan Stobbe, Ismael Domingu...
Niwot boys basketball has had its share of drama over the past four seasons, but one moment in an unremarkable C-team game two years ago has always stayed with senior Hayden Morford, starting forward for the 2021 Cougars. "We were playing, I believe it was Centaurus, and I got called for a pushing foul after blocking a kid out on defense towards the end of the game," Morford recalled. "And Sam [Dutkin], after I got called for the foul, said 'I'm sorry, this is not soccer,' and proceeds to get a...
