NHS softball team has busy homecoming week

As if NHS homecoming week events weren’t exciting enough, Niwot’s softball team played in a tournament at Barnes Softball Complex in Loveland. The schedule stretched through four games from Friday to Saturday, with Friday’s play leaving the girls rushing to participate in the Homecoming Week parade and then get to Friday night’s first home football game.

Saturday’s games were canceled due to rain and poor field conditions, which was a mix of disappointment and relief for players who no longer had to rush after the games to change into formalwear for the Homecoming dance.

“We had a lot going on with little time to stop,” said junior Zoe Cameron. “We squeezed in a lot and didn’t have any downtime. It was busy.”

Friday’s pair of games found the girls matched against the Prairie View Thunderhawks and Berthoud Spartans. Niwot won the first game by a score of 18 to 5, providing a strong start to the tournament. With 13 runs in the second inning alone, the team had a strong showing at the plate thanks to catcher Rose Pacheco and pitcher Anne Booth who were each 2-for-2, and first baseman Zoe Cameron who went 3-for-4. Both Booth and Valeria Navarrette took the pitcher's circle during the game.

The second contest proved more challenging, and Berthoud prevailed by a score of 11 to 4 in five innings. Second baseman Zoey Chociej kept up her strong showing at the plate, with two hits in two at bats and two RBI, with outfielder Jenna Hobson driving in the other two runs. But the effort, even when combined with Booth delivering no walks and six strikeouts from the circle wasn’t enough to help the team come out ahead. The Spartans scored nine runs in the third and fourth innings alone, and a late rally in the 5th inning wasn’t enough to pull the Cougars ahead.

Niwot Cougars 0 13 2 3 18

Prairie View Raptors 4 1 0 0 5

Niwot: (AB, R, H, RBI) J. Philofsky (LF) 3 2 1 2; A. Rutherford (SS) 3 0 1 2; Z. Chociej (2B) 3 1 1 0 ; Z. Cameron (1B) 4 3 3 1; J. Hobson (P) 3 4 2 3; R. Pacheco (RF) 2 2 2 1; S. Amaya (C) 2 2 1 2; V. Navarrette (CR) 1 0 0 0; J. Gravelle (CF) 3 2 0 0 I. Podger 1 0 0 0 A. Booth (P) 4 1 2 2 M. Stimak (P) 0 1 0 0; S. Bitterman 1 0 1 0; L. Molina 1 0 0 0;

A.Booth (W/L) (IP, H, R, ER, BB, K) W (4 7 5 5 3 4)

Niwot Cougars 0 2 4 5 0 11

Berthoud Spartans 2 0 0 0 2 10

Niwot: (AB, R, H, RBI) J. Philofsky (LF) 1 1 0 0; A. Rutherford (SS) 3 1 2 0; Z. Chociej (2B) 2 0 2 2; Z. Cameron (1B) 3 0 0 0; J. Hobson (P) 3 0 0 2; R. Pacheco (RF) 3 0 0 0; S. Amaya (C) 2 0 0 0 J. Gravelle (CF) 1 0 0 0 I. A. Booth (P) 3 2 2 0

Booth (W/L) (IP, H, R, ER, BB, K) L (5 11 6 0 0 6)