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Out in Leftfield

HOCKEY

One of the country’s top collegiate hockey players, Andrew Sturtz of Penn State, is the nephew of Niwot residents Brad and Jane Langdon. Sturtz is from Buffalo, NY, and is currently a sophomore forward for the Nittany Lions. As a freshman, he led the team in goals with 18, which was the fifth-most in the country by a freshman. The performance earned him the freshman of the year award. His first goal for Penn State was named the NCAA’s No. 1 Play of the Week on Oct. 23, 2015, coming against American International College.

Before enrolling at Penn State, Sturtz played for the Carleton Place Canadians of the CCHL, scoring 217 points in 142 games over two seasons, and earning CCHL MVP and CJHL Player of the Year honors in 2013-2014.

This season, Sturtz has scored 13 goals in 13 games. Despite missing two games against Alaska-Anchorage Nov. 11-12 due to injury, Sturtz leads the third-ranked Nittany Lions in goals and is also tied for fourth in all of Division I hockey.

Sturtz is tied for second on the team in scoring, with 15 points. He is also tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with three, and leads the team in shot percentage by a wide margin at .213.

In the last two games before winter break, Sturtz scored two goals in a 6-1 win over Michigan Dec. 1 and one goal in a 5-1 win over Michigan a day later. Penn State is 13-1-1 on the season.

FOOTBALL

Sunset Middle School student Jacklyn Stephenson won the local and regional Punt, Pass and Kick competition for 12-year-old girls and competed in the final round at halftime of the Denver Broncos game against the New England Patriots Dec. 18. Entering the competition, Stephenson was ranked No. 1 in the state in her division.

She finished fourth overall and is eligible to represent the Broncos at the national PPK competition at the NFL Pro Bowl in Orland, FL, Jan. 29. The Punt, Pass and Kick competition is sponsored by the NFL. Her mother, Raquel Stephenson, is a staff member at Niwot High School.

SOCCER

Kailee Stobbe, a senior at Niwot High, has been named a National Wendy’s High School Heisman Winner for her efforts in the classroom, and as an athlete. The program requires that students maintain a GPA of 3.0 or greater, and according to program guidelines, winners are “proven leaders and role models within their school and community.”

The program began in 1994 when Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, who left high school at age 15 to go to work, earned his GED at age 61, and wanted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of youth in America. Thomas partnered with the Heisman Trophy Trust to create the program. Only one female and one male athlete from each high school can be selected as a school winner from among all applicants. Stobbe, who was chosen as the Niwot High School winner for girls, has excelled at soccer, both for Niwot High School and the Colorado Storm.

She began her varsity career at Niwot as a freshman, but missed her sophomore season due to injury. As a junior last spring, she scored 13 goals to lead the team, and added five assists for a team-leading total of 31 points. Stobbe, a midfileder, was named CHSAA/Maxpreps All-State Honorable Mention last season, and was named to the BOCO Preps All-Region team. She has also competed in cross-country for the Cougars.

GOLF

Jake Butler, a senior at Niwot High, competed in a tournament in Scottsdale, AZ, December 27, but was struck down with food poisoning, and was only able to complete one day. Butler finished his first day at 13 strokes over par. He currently competes in the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado - Tour Level. He is ranked 45th in point standings in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Ed Weaver, Niwot Boys Golf Coach, confirmed that he has accepted the head coaching position for the Niwot High School Girls Golf program this spring. Dylan Hollingsworth coached the squad last season, but has been suspended indefinitely from teaching and coaching as a result of an incident involving a student in a weight training class.

BASKETBALL

Justin Lee (Niwot) and Forrest Lee (Niwot) have been contributing to a strong start to the season for Johnson & Wales, which is riding an 8-game winning streak as part of a 12-7 overall record. Justin Lee, a starting guard, posted five points and six points, respectively, in successive wins over Dine Dec. 16-17. Forrest Lee has come off the bench in recent games, notching six and seven points, respectively, in the victories over Dine.

 

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