All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Left Hand Valley Courier is spotlighting various local neighborhoods, their history, issues and general nature. This week, the Courier is spotlighting Cottonwood Park West. In the mid-20th century, Niwot began to grow from its origins as a small railroad town and farming community into a fully suburban community that provided housing, schools and amenities for families working in Boulder and Longmont. This was particularly true once IBM purchased land for its operations in the late 1950s,...
Niwot High School wrestling coach Bobby Matthews decided it was time to do something different in the sport. In a social media post, Matthews said, "In November I made the decision that the 2023-24 season would be my last as a wrestling coach. Twenty-two years is a long time. I want to thank all the wrestlers who I have had the pleasure of coaching over the past 22 years. I will still be around the sport as I will move over to the officiating side. I will continue coaching softball and...
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...
Approximately 50 community members convened at The Wheel House on Jan. 22, to consider the future of baseball and softball in Niwot. The meeting was arranged by the Niwot High School baseball and softball programs in conjunction with Niwot Youth Sports (NYS). The group discussed a spectrum of ideas starting with needs at Niwot High School baseball and softball facilities for everyday items, such as tarps and lawn chemicals to enhance their ability to conduct ground maintenance. The group also ta...
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...
I am a 2019 graduate of Niwot High School and recently earned a Journalism and Media Communication degree from Colorado State University in 2023, with a minor in Spanish. I grew up in Lyons, Colorado, and moved to southwest Longmont when I was 15. I was on the varsity softball team at Niwot High for all four years and was elected as a co-captain with my best friend, Caitlyn Schreiner, my senior year. In high school, I was an outfielder but I played third base my junior year. I have a brother...
At the November team banquet for the Niwot High School girls softball team, head coach Bobby Matthews reiterated what he had said earlier in the year: softball can be a rough sport, and the best players don't always come out on top. He was clearly proud of this year's team that went as far as any Niwot team has gone since 2014, posting an overall record of 18 wins, 8 losses and one tie. The softball team placed third in the Longs Peak League and was ranked 32nd in the state. However, their play...
Wednesday, Nov. 8, was a busy day at Niwot High School as ten student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic careers at the next level. The athletes represent a cross-section of fall sports at Niwot, including soccer (2), volleyball (2), cross country & track (2), softball (1) and golf (1). In addition, two athletes signed to play lacrosse in college, a sport not offered at Niwot High. Ashton Karch, who played football at Niwot, will play lacrosse at Westminster...
Niwot High School girls softball team ended a spectacular season with a heartbreaking first-round playoff loss to the D'Evelyn Jr./Sr. High Jaguars, who were seeded No. 3 in the state. Niwot entered the weekend seeded No. 14. "I am so proud of the work that the players put in this season," said head coach Bobby Matthews. "They left it all on the field and they should not hang their heads at all. This game is tough, and sometimes the best team doesn't always win." The Cougars scored first on a ho...
The Niwot Cougars girls softball team is moving on to CHSAA state tournament play in Aurora as part of the Sweet 16. The Cougars prevailed in two of the three games at regionals this past weekend. Both winning games were against the Golden Demons, a team ranked second in the 4A Jeffco League and 23rd in Class 4A standings. That compares to Niwot's third-place Longs Peak League standings and 18th overall ranking statewide. It is the first time the team reached the CHSAA second week of play since...
When you invite nine bands from across the St. Vrain Valley School District and beyond to perform what are traditionally their football game halftime shows, the turnout of parents, students, fans and athletes can fill the stands at Everly-Montgomery Field at Longmont High School. Wednesday, Oct. 4, bands from Erie, Frederick, Longmont, Lyons, Mead, Niwot, Silver Creek, Skyline and even Roosevelt high schools put on quite a show for their fans. Though the event is not a contest, many of the...
Last Tuesday, in front of a crowd of parents, students and other onlookers, the Niwot High School girls softball team played the final game of the regular season, coming away with a dramatic win. The Cougars run-ruled the Roosevelt High School Rough Riders by a score of 11-1, a victory that was all the more satisfying because it was against a team that they endured a heartbreaking, 1-0 loss against earlier in the season. Head Coach Bobby Matthews said, "I am very impressed with how the team has...
The Niwot girls softball team faced some challenges after coming off of a strong homecoming week of play. Two days after an exciting win against the Severance High School Silver Knights, the Cougars traveled north on Sept. 25 to play the same team a second time in an away game that was a make up for a rainout earlier in the season. The emotional and challenging game saw the Cougars fall behind early before rallying back to tie the score in the top of the 7th inning. Neither team was able to...
Fall came to Niwot a day early on Friday, Sept. 22, with Niwot's annual homecoming parade. The parade followed the usual route, winding past Niwot Elementary School, where students greeted the parade, then down Niwot Road past Cottonwood Square and onto Second Avenue. Parents and other community members eagerly waited for the event. Brady Toothaker, the parent of a junior at the high school, was excited to cheer the teams on. "We come because we just love how they get all the sports teams out...
The capabilities of the Niwot Cougar girls softball team were on full display during homecoming week. The week's schedule kicked off with a win against the Northridge High School team that Niwot hadn't prevailed against since the 2021 season. Their matchup with Northridge earlier in the season resulted in a hard fought 5-4 loss but last Tuesday, the Cougars prevailed 8-4. Seniors Autumn Rutherford and Anne Booth continued to show their strength at the plate, going 4-4 and 3-4, respectively. The...
Niwot High School's annual homecoming festivities are a joy to both witness, and be a part of. This year's theme is "A Night in New Orleans," more commonly known as Mardi Gras. Niwot's student council team, sponsored by counselor Leah Messinger, has been working hard planning events, choosing spirit week activities, and more. Wednesday's spirit day theme is "Western Wednesday." Western-style hats are welcome and encouraged. Wednesday's activities are "Senior Night" and two sports events held at...
The Niwot High School girls softball team bounced back with two blowout wins, not letting a single defeat in last weekend's tournament throw them off course. Cougar pitching continued to get stronger through both games, the team's bats were also out in force, and both games ended in mercy-rule victories. "It was a good week for the team," said Coach Bobby Matthews. "Getting two run-rule victories was great. The way the team played Monday against cross-town rival Silver Creek in an 11-0 win was...
Last week's Niwot High softball squad started with a hard-fought loss that served as a warmup for a successful tournament the following Friday and Saturday in Loveland. Ultimately, the team ended the week with a 5-3 record, a 20th-place ranking in Colorado Class 4A and a fifth-place spot solidly in the middle of rankings of the Longs Peak League. Tuesday's game against the Roosevelt High School Roughriders presented a challenge that the Cougars battled through from the first inning, when Cougar...
Niwot High School's softball team entered into the Labor Day weekend at fifth place in the 4A Longs Peak league. They finished out the last week of August with a 5-3 record, a persevering attitude and excitement for how the rest of the season will proceed. With a few weeks of experience, the team is getting to know how they'll work together on the field, maintaining focus and appearing to build on-field connections. On Aug. 24, the Cougars started the day with a 15-0 win over Thompson Valley,...
Switching high schools often comes with its challenges but for Jenna Hobson, her transition from Boulder to Niwot High School was made easier thanks to a "welcoming" softball program. Now in the midst of her third and final varsity softball season at Niwot, the senior looks back fondly on her time with the Cougars. "We've been talking about senior night the whole season," Hobson said. "I'm so sad to leave everyone. They're my best friends. You don't know them and then they're the people that...
Niwot High School's softball field was mowed in stripes and the seats on the hill above the Cougars' dugout were packed for the first varsity game of the season last Tuesday, Aug. 15. Although NHS classes hadn't started yet, Principal Eric Rauschkolb and Athletic Director Joe Brown were on hand to talk with students and wish the girls well. "We're looking forward to a fun season and to learn expectations of the players as we go through," said Brown during the earlier part of the team's first...
The stage is set for both Zoe Cameron and her Niwot High School softball team to make some noise on the diamond this fall. Now entering her fourth varsity season, Cameron is one of multiple seniors eyeing a big final year, including power-hitting pitcher Anne Booth and shortstop-centerfielder Autumn Rutherford. Niwot certainly boasts a few accomplished bats and Cameron hopes to provide another steady thump in an already dangerous Cougars' lineup. "This season, I really want to look at my...
Take a solid core of outstanding returning starters, sprinkle in some transfer talent and add a dash of fresh new faces, and Niwot High School softball Coach Bobby Matthews thinks he has the recipe to challenge the top teams in a very strong Longs Peak Conference this season. After finishing 9-14 and missing the regional tournament a year ago, Matthews believes this year’s team has just the right ingredients to compete with conference foes like Riverdale Ridge High School, Frederick High School, and Roosevelt High School. Riverdale, the c...
Niwot Youth Sports held its bimonthly board meeting at the Niwot Inn and Spa on July 19 and board members were given some exciting news about the Monarch Improvement Project (MVP). NYS president Pat Longseth told the board that the building was weeks away from opening, would be ready to greet the NYS Fall Ball Softball Season, and was inching closer toward its $500,000 fundraising goal. The board is now planning a grand opening celebration and hoping to get additional community support to raise...
Now entering her senior season, Sarah Bitterman is working once again to prove both to herself and to her Niwot High School softball coaches that she can contribute at the varsity level. Bitterman was used sparingly as a pinch hitter last season but made the most of her limited opportunities, going 4-for-11 at the plate with three RBIs. She is now using her final high school summer to sharpen her swing while also becoming a more solid defender. "I like to hit a lot, so I've been trying to streng...
Two local acts, and first timers at Rock & Rails, got the crowd going at the weekly concert Thursday, July 6. Although rain threatened the event earlier in the day, the clouds parted just before the opening act, providing a perfect night for music, dancing and food. Dechen Hawk started the night with his indie soul ballads. Having moved to Boulder when he was five, the "adopted Colorado native" says he has always loved music. But when his father was diagnosed with brain cancer when Hawk was 14,...
Not many student-athletes nowadays are willing - or able - to take the path that Julian Lettow traveled throughout his time at Niwot High School. Besides opting out of his sophomore basketball season due to COVID-19 concerns, Lettow balanced academics with hoops, tennis and baseball for all four years, earning the increasingly rare distinction of being a three-sport athlete. The effort he put forth made receiving his diploma all the more satisfying. "I put a lot of work into these four years,"...
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...
Autumn Rutherford has been taking ceramics courses since her freshman year at Niwot High School. Now enrolled in Advanced Ceramics, she first started learning ceramics in middle school and thoroughly enjoyed it, so when she got to high school she continued the classes. "Autumn is a very dedicated ceramics student," said her teacher, Beth Collier, who selected Rutherford as Arts Student of the Week. Rutherford has also taken multiple drawing and painting classes and she particularly enjoys...
Blue skies and temperatures in the mid 60's brought out many Niwot Youth Sports families to the NYS Recreational Baseball/Softball Opening Day Celebration on Sunday, April 30, at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park. Over 300 young athletes lined up early in the morning for team pictures in their new jerseys and hats. A bouncy castle and the ever popular concession trailer were on hand to entertain and feed kids, parents, grandparents, siblings, and fans alike. The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free...
Niwot Youth Sports will host Opening Day ceremonies on Sunday, April 30 at 10 a.m. at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park, with speakers, live "baseball" music by the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band, youth baseball and softball games, and a chance to see the progress on the new Monarch Improvement Project building. The NYS website states, "Our initial goal is to build a permanent structure to house the concession stand, a storage facility, and real bathrooms. No more using...
Progress continues on the Monarch Improvement Project as construction of the new concession-bathroom-storage building is well underway. The building at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park will serve the six Niwot Youth Sports ballfields located there once it is complete. Larry Longseth, one of the project coordinators, said the trenching for the sewer line is slated to start in late April. Tony Dageenakis and Glenn Wager, who are also part of the building committee, were at the fields April 8 for the...
Early on, things are already clicking for the Niwot High School baseball team. The Cougars, under second-year head coach Ken Rosales, are off to a 2-1 start with a whopping 39 total runs scored in those three games. While it's still only mid-March, Rosales has been impressed by what he's seen from his players so far. "(I've seen) a lot of fight from them," Rosales said. "They're very skilled players even though we're a young team. But with that, they give it their all." Niwot began its season...
The winter 2023 Rocky Mountain Youth Basketball League hosted 120 teams for its end of season tournament on Saturday, March 11, at the Rocky Churches in Niwot and Frederick. By day's end, nine of the Niwot Youth Sports recreational basketball teams came away with first or second-place finishes. NYS sent 20 teams to the tournament in three age groups. Rocky created a dizzying and impressive tournament bracket with up to five division tournaments per age group. The winning teams and coaches are:...
Niwot Youth Sports, which has provided youth sports programs in the Niwot and Gunbarrel area for over 50 years, has started construction on a multi-purpose building at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park, home to six ballfields for the baseball and softball program. The Monarch Improvement Project started last fall with the design of the building, with architectural services donated by Osmosis Architecture. Porchfront Homes is the general contractor on the project and has provided discounted...
Dr. Richard A. Cross is celebrating thirty years of his optometry practice in Gunbarrel this year. Dr. Cross has helped many people throughout his career, both here in the Boulder area and through the eye care institute he launched in Jamaica twenty-seven years ago. That is enough time to treat generations of people. "I'm seeing the children's children of patients," he observed. Dr. Cross grew up in Mason, Michigan, which is about twenty minutes from Michigan State University in East Lansing. Hi...
The Monarch Improvement Project at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park is starting to take shape. The Niwot Youth Sports construction project, which includes building a permanent building for concessions, storage, meetings, and permanent bathrooms, is moving forward in spite of the snow and cold weather. Niwot contractor Porchfront Homes is handling construction of the building, with Ben Beveridge serving as project manager. Larry Longseth, who served as Equipment Manager for Niwot Youth Sports for...
Niwot Youth Sports (NYS) basketball is in full swing, with 200 youth participants this winter competing in the Rocky Mountain Youth Basketball league. NYS is fielding 15 teams this winter and teams have played four weekends of action thus far. There are two more weekends of regular season play followed by an end of season tournament Feb. 27 through March 4. NYS teams play against local talent from Rocky Mountain Youth Sports Upward League and Carbon Valley Recreation Center. In addition to...
Jordyn Ballard has come a long way since interning with the Left Hand Valley Courier during her senior year at Silver Creek High School eight years ago. Following a memorable three-plus year run working in the athletics communications department at West Texas A&M University, Ballard accepted the position of Associate Director of Athletic Communications at Kansas State University in December. She moved to Manhattan, Kansas, in January and is currently preparing for the Wildcats' upcoming spring...
Niwot High School's wrestling coach, Bobby Matthews, opened the Gary Daum Classic wrestling tournament with a brief tribute to the late NHS wrestling coach, then asked the crowd to join him in a moment of silence in honor of the memory of Daum's daughter Lindsay and his granddaughter Meadow who died tragically last summer. Following the national anthem, the tournament began with 15 schools competing at Niwot High School, including schools as small as Lyons High School and as large as Boulder...
Over the course of a season, not many other events mean more to the Niwot High School wrestling program than the Gary Daum Classic. The annual wrestling tournament, previously known as the Boulder Valley Invitational, returns to Niwot High on Saturday, Jan. 7 for the 10th time running under its current title, a name given in honor of longtime Cougar head coach Gary Daum, who passed away in 2012 following a battle with cancer. Daum arrived at Niwot High in 1977 as a special education teacher. He...
Monte Comer was a kid with a lot of friends. He was a fixture on his baseball team in the Gunbarrel Lefthand Valley Recreation Association, or GLVRA as it was known (now Niwot Youth Sports). He had buddies on his basketball team, his Boy Scout troop, his class at Niwot Elementary School and everywhere else. “Back then I don’t think they had the Pee Wee Football they have now,” said Monte’s sister, Jamie Comer Smith. “I believe he would have played football.” That was the mid-1970’s,...
Construction has begun on the Monarch Improvement Project, which will bring a permanent building to Hangge Fields at Monarch Park for the first time in the 35 years the ballfields have been in use. The project was launched by Niwot Youth Sports (NYS) to build a permanent structure to house the concession stand, provide a storage facility, and replace the port-a-potties with real bathrooms. NYS officials believe these improvements will be a great addition to the community, as the non-profit provi...
Zoie Chociej's dominant senior season has her feeling optimistic that she can continue her softball career in college. The Niwot High School second baseman had highs in batting average (.645), RBIs (33) and home runs (six) while striking out only six times in 73 plate appearances for the fall 2022 season. She was also named the MaxPreps/NFCA National Player of the Week in August thanks to her 10-for-10 start to the season, including three home runs. Chociej said that her success helped put her...
The Niwot Cougars continued their winning ways with victories over Frederick High School and Mountain View High School Oct 11 and 13, respectively. Niwot is now 10-4 overall, 7-1 in the Longs Peak League, and was ranked eighth in Class 4A coming into the week. "We came into this match a little beat up," Head Coach Tony Engel said after the Frederick victory. "Grace Demmel, our senior middle, was hurt and we need her to be fresh for us in a couple weeks." With Demmel injured, other Cougars had...
The Cougars final softball games last Saturday took place on a textbook-perfect October day. Complete with off-field tailgating and a ceremony honoring the seniors, it was by equal turns bright, exciting and sentimental. The first game of the day took place against the Poudre Valley Impalas. Poudre Valley scored once in the top of the first, and then, when it was the Cougars' turn at bat, shortstop Autumn Rutherford led off with a single and the Cougars went on to score four times. Poudre Valley...
The Cougars girls softball team played three games last week, enjoying two wins by a large margin over the Thompson Valley Eagles and Mountain View Mountain Lions, before suffering a tough loss to the Riverdale Ridge Raptors. "We definitely had a change of mindset throughout the week. We've been competing and having more fun, no matter what happens," said second baseman Zoie Chociej, summing up their play after the end of the third game. She spoke in between bites, enjoying an impromptu...
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...
Sometimes a battle is in the batter's box between a hitter and a pitcher. Sometimes it's the entire game or series. After a mixed week of play, where the Cougars lost against Northridge by a score of 13-3, and won against Thompson Valley, 10-0, a battle is what the team had on Saturday in their matchup against Severance. During the game, the women proved that their defense and ability to show fortitude is one of their biggest strengths even if it doesn't bring the outcome they desire. The...
This week, NHS softball showed that they are willing to make a sustained and focused effort no matter what, even if positive results aren't always assured. On Tuesday, the team came out ahead against the Skyline Falcons by a score of 20 to 4, and prevailed again on Thursday against the Severance Silver Knights, 3-2 in 7 innings. The Severance victory included an RBI from pitcher Anne Booth, two RBI from catcher Selene Amaya, and a sixth-inning rally by Severance that closed Niwot's lead to a...
