All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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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 2023-2024 season for the Niwot Cougars wrestling team has faced many challenges. With a young roster, inexperience has proven to be hard to overcome. Nonetheless, the team has remained positive for the entire season. In the dual against Riverdale Ridge High School on Jan. 25, the Cougars fell 54–24. Riverdale Ridge accumulated seven pins, automatically giving the Ravens a 42-point advantage. However, the Niwot roster still found success at the 144, 150, 165, 175, and 190 weight classes. Capt...
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...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team had a long two-game week where they took on Fort Morgan High School and Northridge High School. Niwot snapped the seven-game losing streak that has plagued their season by beating Fort Morgan 56-34. Niwot wasn't able to make a streak of wins following the Fort Morgan game as they lost to Northridge 67-46. Niwot jumped out early against the Fort Morgan Mustangs with a dominant first half. The Cougars were able to coast afterwards, easing towards their...
The Niwot High School girls basketball squad picked up a much-needed 67-35 victory over Fort Morgan High School on the road Jan. 18, dominating the game from start to finish. The victory gave the Cougars a 3-8 record on the season, and Niwot's first league victory over the winless Mustangs. Senior Chloe Mitchell led the scoring, putting up 15 points on 6-11 shooting from the field. One of her field goals came from 3-point range, and she was 2-2 at the free throw line. Also scoring in double figu...
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...
The Niwot High School wrestling program showed significant improvement at the 49th Annual Alameda International Invite last weekend, according to trackwrestling.com. A total of 22 teams competed from several classes. Jonathan Lopez led the way with a fourth-place finish in the 285-pound division, scoring 16 points. Lopez began the meet with a win over Bobbie Hester of Clear Creek in a tense 1-0 decision. He followed with a quarterfinal win by fall at the 1:23 mark over Romeo Ramirez of Bear Creek. In the semi-finals, Lopez lost by fall to...
The Niwot High School boys basketball squad started slowly as they fell to Thompson Valley High School 72-36 Jan. 9, coming out of the break. Niwot fared better against Frederick High School on Jan. 11 as they lost by 11 in a 60-49 heartbreak after leading early in the contest. The Cougars were outscored by Thompson Valley 36-16 in the first half, keeping Niwot out of reach most of the game as Thompson Valley scored another 36 points in the second half to wrap up a dominating win. Taylor...
The Niwot High School girls basketball squad came out of winter break with a record of 2-6, hoping to get back in the win column, but the first two games of January came against tough opponents, Thompson Valley High School and Frederick High School. The Cougars took on Thompson Valley Jan. 9, on the road, and stayed with the Eagles through the first half. Although they found themselves down 12-7 at the end of the first period, the Cougars outscored the Eagles 11-9 in the second period, with...
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...
Referees play a critical role in youth sports from recreational leagues to club programs and through high school. Children experience the joy of winning and the lessons of loss, while parents get to be right there with them all because referees are willing to spend their days, evenings and weekends making sure the rules are followed, the score gets kept and the games get played. Unfortunately, youth referees' jobs are becoming increasingly difficult due to the behavior of parents, coaches and pl...
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...
The Niwot Cougars girls basketball team traveled to Longmont Dec. 19 to take on the Longmont Trojans, but came away with a 44-27 loss to the crosstown rival before taking a break for the holidays. The game was within reach for the first three quarters as Longmont scored 11 points in each of the first two quarters, while the Cougars put up six and five, respectively. Niwot held the Trojans to only six points in the third quarter, but managed to score only five points. Entering the fourth quarter...
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...
This is a Christmas story wrapped up in a baseball story - a story of faith, belief and redemption. I finally got around to reading a book given to me several years ago by my friends and former Boulder Daily Camera sportswriters Bill and Leo Hirsch. The book, "It's Not Who Won or Lost the Game-It's How You Sold the Beer," is an autobiography of Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Wolff, who happens to be the only broadcaster to call the World Series, the NFL championship game, the NBA championship game...
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...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team has reached the holiday break with a 3-5 record. The Cougars played their most recent game against the Longmont High School Trojans, falling short of victory with a 67-34 loss. Niwot has now lost five straight after starting hot with a 3-0 start. Niwot still has 12 games left to stop their skid, so there is still hope. Niwot started the game slowly, scoring just five points in the first quarter. While Niwot struggled to get going, Longmont jumped up...
Niwot High School wrestlers competed at the 9th Annual Keith Kilker Invitational Tournament at Weld Central High School Dec. 16, but attrition left the Cougars with a small roster. The format of the tournament has each wrestler compete against wrestlers in the same weight class from each of the four other schools in a round-robin format. Thus, there are no elimination rounds, and each wrestler comes away with a personal won-loss record. “We have been dealing with some sickness and a few injuries as well as some kids leaving for break,” Cou...
The Niwot High School girls basketball team had to reevaluate expectations. A few injuries and departures from last year's starting lineup forced the Cougars to rebuild the team from the ground up. With seven games under their belt and new lineups being tested, hiccups are to be expected and struggling is an opportunity to learn. In the first conference competition on Dec. 9, the Cougars fought hard to stay in the game but ultimately lost to Silver Creek High School, 46-35. Rose Pacheco stole...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team has strung together two tough weeks as their season continues to slide. Niwot fell roughly to both Severance High School and Riverdale Ridge High School. The Cougars started the week with a loss to the Riverdale Ridge Ravens, 66-48, to fall to 3-3 on the year before losing to the Severance Silver Knights, 59-36, dropping to 3-4 on the year. Niwot started slow against Riverdale Ridge, only scoring 12 points in the first half. The Ravens ran up the...
Even when not at full strength, the Niwot High School girls swim team is a formidable opponent. On Dec. 13, the NHS girls swimming team hosted the Roosevelt High School Roughriders at the St. Vrain Aquatic Center next to Silver Creek High School, and came away with a 197-88 victory. Coach Ella Thramann said, “This meet, we had very few of our girls there, but the ones that stood out the most were Charlotte Heuer, who made state [qualifying times] in 50 free (26.44) [and] 500 free (5:46.29), our A relay for 200 free relay, [which] was 2 s...
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... Full story
The Niwot girls basketball team had a tough week, but if the team's last three quarters are any indication, things are looking up for the 2-3 Cougars. On Dec. 5, Niwot traveled to Roosevelt High School to take on the Roughriders, but came out on the short end of a 71-17 score. The Cougars had trouble generating any offense as sophomore Ella Zechman led the team in scoring with five points. Junior Evelyn Melis added four points and no other player had more than two points. Rose Pacheco, the...
In the world of high school sports, triumphs and setbacks are an inevitable part of the journey. The Niwot High School wrestling team faced challenges in the first three duals of the season, resulting in a 0-2 record to start the year. Breaking into the regular season, the Cougars dropped their dual against Timnath High School on Dec. 6 in a 48-30 loss. Despite the team's defeat, several athletes performed well. Sergio Rodriguez at 132 pounds pinned his opponent at 4:57, adding 6 points to...
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...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team started hot with a 3-0 start to the season before a tough second week. The Cougars took on Roosevelt High School and Silver Creek High School, falling in both games. Niwot started the week on Tuesday against the Roosevelt Roughriders, playing their first away game of the year. The Roughriders gave Niwot its first loss of the year, outscoring the Cougars 48-40. Walker Bounds, NHS boys basketball coach said, “I was encouraged by the team sticking together after a tough loss. They are a tight-knit g...
As expected, Colorado's girls dominated the 2023 Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) Saturday, Dec. 2, in Portland, Oregon, but no one was more dominant than Niwot's Addison Ritzenhein who now adds the title of National Champion to her growing list of credentials. Ritzenhein, just a sophomore, came into the 18th Nike national race expected to be one of the top five or six finishers in the race, but splashed through the mud and deep standing water on Portland's Glendoveer Golf Course to outpace in-state...
The 2023-24 winter sports seasons are officially underway, and the Niwot girls basketball team came out of the gate with a winning record. In their opening matchup, the Niwot girls demonstrated exceptional teamwork and skill, securing a victory over Regis Groff High School, 37-35, that set a positive tone for the opening weekend round-robin tournament, hosted by Niwot Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. A strong junior class showcased their talents, but it was the cohesive unit of the Niwot squad that shined throughout the showing. Junior Rose Pacheco led...
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...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team under first-year head coach Walker Bounds is off to a fast start, posting wins in the season-opening round robin tournament hosted by the Cougars Nov. 30-Dec. 2. Niwot lost seven varsity players to graduation last year, when the team finished with a 5-17 record under Coach Clay Wittrock, who stepped down after four years as head coach. Niwot is also without Jack Jarvis and Drew Stapp, both among the statistical leaders for the Cougars last season as...
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...
The Niwot High School wrestling lineup enjoyed early-season success on Nov. 29 during matches with Wheat Ridge High School. The Cougars ended up walking away with a 60-18 victory. With seven forfeits on the board in Niwot’s favor, the six remaining matches left room for the Cougars to show strategy and control. The team collected pins at the 132, 165, and 190 weight classes, contributing 18 points to the overall sum. Wheat Ridge found their own success with pins in the 120, 126, and 138-pound weight classes. Over the weekend, the Cougars p...
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...
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...
The top two high school cross country teams from each of the nine Nike regional qualifying meets in November secured automatic berths into this weekend's Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). That left just four at-large invitations available for high school boys teams from across the United States to compete in the national championships on Saturday, Dec. 2, in Portland, Oregon. When the Niwot boys cross country team finished fourth in its Southwest Regional meet on Nov. 18 in Arizona, it looked like a...
NIWOT GIRLS WIN REGIONALS, GOING TO NATIONALS When the top teams in the country gather in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, Dec. 2, for the Nike Cross Country National Championships, all eyes will be on the two girls teams representing the Southwest Region – Niwot High School and Air Academy High School. Colorado's 4A State Champion Cougars and 5A champion Kadets squared off Saturday, Nov. 18, for the first time this season at the four-state Nike regional qualifying meet at the Coyote Run Golf C...
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...
As the whistle blows and the 2023 season comes to a close, the Niwot High School volleyball team reflected on a successful and memorable season. The Cougars finished their season with an impressive 8-1 record in the Longs Peak League, and an overall record of 17-10, with 11 of those victories coming as sweeps. With a remarkable record, hardships the team faced were well hidden and attested to the quick adjustment the team was able to make to ensure a successful performance from the beginning of...
The Niwot High School cheerleading squad is headed to the state competition, tentatively set to begin Friday, Dec. 8, at the Denver Coliseum. Coach Christina Ayers's squad just finished the high school football season, and has already begun appearing in local and regional competitions. Squad members include Ashley Lavato, Audrey Perez, Ayushi Bhandari, Azariah Lucero, Cassidy Skole, Clara Rhea, Elizabeth Sullivan, Fernanda Laguna-Perez, Isaac Lopez, Juliette Cook, Juliette Sales, Kyla Helme, Lib...
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...
The Niwot High School volleyball team season finally came to an end, but not until the Cougars were eliminated at the state Class 4A tournament Nov. 10. The Cougars got to state by knocking off cross-town rival Longmont High School, a higher seed, on the Trojans’ home floor Nov. 4. At state, Niwot was seeded 11th out of the 12 teams that qualified, and found themselves paired up with No. 6 seed Palisade High School in the first round on Thursday, Nov. 9. Niwot started strong, winning a hard-fought first set 25-23. Palisade regrouped to win t...
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...
BASEBALL Niwot was represented at the World Series by Patrick Perry, a 2001 NHS grad, who is an area scout for the Texas Rangers. Perry was able to meet up with Matt Mercurio, a former teammate from Perry's days in the Boston Red Sox organization at the World Series. Mercurio, who played first and third base for the Lowell Spinners in 2005, is now a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Perry, was a catcher for Lowell in 2005 after being drafted out of the University of Northern Colorado. Skyler...
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In the gymnastics world, just a fraction of a point can make the difference between ultimate success and shattered dreams. After the 4A state championships last weekend, the Niwot Cougars felt the disappointment of their sport's reality. As Niwot Coach Marisa Purcell predicted prior to Friday night's team competition at Thornton High School, the girls from Palmer Ridge High School would spring to their first state championship while just tenths of a point would separate the runners-up. After...
With its season on the line, the Niwot High School girls volleyball team won twice in a rival's gym to earn a spot in the upcoming Class 4A state tournament. The Cougars first cruised past Denver North High School (25-17, 25-13, 25-17) before beating host Longmont High School in four sets (25-21, 21-25, 25-20, 25-18) at the 4A Region 11 championships on Saturday, Nov. 4. Obviously, the stakes were higher than a typical match, but because Longmont was seeded three spots higher than 14th-ranked...
