Niwot girls still undefeated in 2021

Behind a high-scoring offense, the Niwot girls soccer team improved to 5-0 on the year with lopsided wins against three league opponents during the week of May 20. Twelve Cougars found the net at least once, led by seniors and co-captains Maddie Borncamp (4) and Kiera Flanagan (6), who combined for 10 of Niwot's 24 goals during the stretch. But along the way, Niwot's newly configured defense faced its first rough patch, and the team's youthful skew was evident at times. For second-year coach Jenna Machado, these growing pains are normal for young players, but still frustrating even when everything else is going well.

"They haven't had a season yet, so they don't know what it's like to battle," she said of the 2021 varsity squad, which has just three returning players from the 2019 roster. "They don't know what the mental challenges are like. A lot of these girls can play very well, because they've been playing their whole lives, so it's really just grit and mentality that gets us through those final steps."

In the meantime, the bountiful offense is keeping a lid on most of her concerns. In addition to Borncamp and Flanagan, the Cougars are getting production from a host of newcomers, including freshman Margoux Boyer and sophomore Tiffany Yie, who have combined for seven goals and five assists on the year. So far, Niwot has outscored its opponents 36-4 in 2021, and has 17 players with at least two points.

"I have very good finishers," Machado said. "And they make the right decision when they're in the 18, and they can be creative."

It's also difficult to overstate the impact of standout forwards Borncamp and Flanagan, who are central to Niwot's attack in 2021. The pair of four-year varsity forwards were in top form in Niwot's 9-0 win over Fort Morgan on May 22, with a hat-trick each, and a pair of assists from Borncamp. Flanagan is currently third overall in Class 4A scoring with 10 goals and two assists, while Borncamp is fourth overall in assists with seven.

"The start of the season was a little rough, and getting a hat-trick today was a breakthrough for me, because usually I like to assist Kira," Borncamp said after the Fort Morgan win. "But today, I think that I broke through as a shooter because I love shooting at practice, so I'm super happy about that."

The pair's chemistry and the team's overall depth on offense prompted Machado to implement a three-back defensive system in 2021, and move five players to midfield, keeping Borncamp and Flanagan "up top" as the primary wingers.

"They're really hard to stop when they're together," Machado said.

The new scheme also gives keeper Carly Toothaker a more active role in game play, allowing Machado to take advantage of the junior's strengths.

"Her foot skills are so strong that I can give her the ball back, and she gives us that depth," the coach said. "You bring it back, so we can get it out wide and play through. So I like her to have a very central role because of her feet."

So far, the 3-5-2 formation has paid off in scoring production, but it has sometimes been a struggle for Niwot defenders to adjust to the new expectations. That was on display against Riverdale Ridge on May 20, after the Cougars surrendered three soft goals.

"I would say our possession was lacking significantly as is our off-ball movement," a clearly frustrated Machado said after Niwot's otherwise solid 6-3 win. "And winning balls in the air. That's a choice, not a skill."

Machado was "significantly happier" with Niwot's defensive effort against Fort Morgan two days later, calling it a "much prettier" game. "We played the ball back, swung it through the backline, gave it to our goalkeeper, and we just seemed a lot less frantic," she said.

The second-year coach expects to see more of the same as her young team enters the last half of the 2021 season, and the race to the Class 4A postseason heats up. As of press time, Niwot is ranked 7th overall in the state, and is tied for first in the Longs Peak League standings with Northridge (4-0), their upcoming opponent on May 27.

"Our biggest thing to work on is tenacity and mental training," she said. "We need to transition and learn how to be strong on the ball and play against a team that is very physical and wants to win."