Underclassmen producing results for Niwot High girls swim team

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 Phoebe Donovan won the 100 breaststroke (1:22.06).

Second-year Niwot head coach Ella Thramann, a 2019 NHS graduate, praised the sophomore Donovan's quick development. "Phoebe was new to the team last year and was on C-Team, and this year she jumped up to varsity," Thramann said. "It's been super cool to watch her. I'm hoping she'll get that state qualification in the 100 breaststroke. I think she's about only five seconds off. I'm just hopeful that she can make it. She's also one of the girls who loves putting in the work to do better, so it's great to have her around."

Although Rephser is often away competing with her club swim team, Thramann has also been impressed by her work ethic. "She's really good, honestly, at everything," Thramann said. "She can do distance, she can do sprints and she also puts in the work to become better every practice."

Wier-Bigelow's strong start may just be the most impressive, however. While still getting her feet wet at the high school level, literally and figuratively, she led the 500 freestyle and also finished second in the 200 medley.

"Camilla absolutely knocked it out of the park," Thramann said. "She really impressed me this week."

Niwot's older swimmers also shined during the mid-week match at the Aquatic Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools in Longmont. Junior Shefali Joshi won the 200 freestyle (2:18.37), senior Reese Lavigne took second in the 100 freestyle (1:05.04), and fellow fourth-year standout Charlotte Heuer was first in both the 200 individual medley (2:20.03) and 100 butterfly (1:03.22).

Thramann shared that both Heuer and Lavigne have embraced leadership roles within a young team.

"They've been super helpful with helping the newer girls coming into this season and leading them, whether it's stations, whether they're teaching them how to flip turn, starts, whatever," Thramann said. "That's been super nice. They've also been really helpful at communicating with the girls if we have anything that's team-related."

Up next, the Cougars will be back at the Aquatic Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools on Wednesday, Dec. 13 for a dual meet against Roosevelt High School.