Niwot girls extend dynasty with fourth straight track and field state title

Three days of exceptional performances at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood gave the Niwot High School girls track and field team its fourth consecutive Class 4A state title on May 20.

The Cougars took first in eight of the 19 events and finished with 154 total points, significantly more than any other team - boys or girls - throughout all five classifications. Mesa Ridge High was runner-up on the 4A girls side with 67 points.

Madison Shults wrapped up her high school career by winning her second 400-meter state title and her third title in the 800. She also joined juniors Cayden Justice and Kendall Madine and freshman Anna Prok to win the 4x400 relay. Looking back on the season, Shults said it was Niwot's togetherness that made this team special.

"We're all just like a family," said Shults, a Stanford track and field commit. "Every workout is really fun, it's never super competitive or cutthroat, so it's fun to be at practice. I look forward to it. Every goal at our race is to be the team that's having the most fun. I think that's what makes racing more fun than stressful."

The Niwot boys, meanwhile, settled for third in a crowded 4A field. Senior Eric Walker was tops in the 300-meter hurdles, and Niwot also won a pair of relays, but the Cougars' 65 total points left them just behind Northfield High's 66 and Lutheran High's 67.

Walker, senior Ben Classen, junior Abraham Menjivar and freshman Rocco Culpepper were crowned champions in the 4x400 relay while senior Carlos Kipkorir, sophomore Kye Toothaker, freshman Ryder Keeton and Culpepper comprised Niwot's winning 4x800 relay team.

"I'm happy for Ben and Eric and Jeremy Gillett, and I'm excited about the future with Rocco and Kingston (Staton)," head coach Maurice Henriques said.

Although the Niwot girls are no strangers to having a target on their backs, Henriques was proud of how they ignored the noise to maintain their footing as Colorado's best in 4A.

"It's hard to keep kids motivated when you go into the state meet and you've had a lot of success because everybody's trying to knock you off," Henriques said. "I was happy with how the girls performed knowing that, I wouldn't even call it pressure, but everybody's going to root for the underdog."

Including a previous three-peat from 2013-15, the Niwot girls now own seven team titles. Mullen High and The Classical Academy both share the state record of 11.

Kimora Northrup, like Shults, won a pair of individual events to close her career. The senior finally achieved her goal of winning both the 100 and 300-meter hurdles in the same year after earning a title in each over the past two seasons. Her times of 14.43 seconds (100 hurdles) and 43.05 (300 hurdles) were both personal bests.

As the accomplished Shults and Northrup were navigating their final state meet, freshman Addison Ritzenhein impressed in her first by leading the 3,200-meter and taking third in the 1,600.

Jade West, another underclassman, became Niwot's first ever girls state champion shot-putter following her heave of 40-feet, 8.25 inches. West had a later throw of over 42 feet, but it landed just outside the boundary line. Henriques is optimistic that West's success can persuade more athletes to compete in throwing events moving forward.

"Great personality, she's all about team," Henriques said of the sophomore West. "To see her at the state meet and how she was interacting with the crowd, she was having fun."

In the 4x800 relay, Niwot's team of Justice, Madine, Prok and senior Lex Bullen took first with a time of 9:22.60.

"Anna Prok definitely stepped up," Shults said. "She's had a really rough season, struggling with different sorts of injuries and everything, but she really popped off at state."

Over the summer, Henriques said that some of his runners will compete at nationals - either in Eugene (Ore.) or in Philadelphia - while others will be in Albuquerque (N. Mex.) for the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic.