Niwot boys volleyball advances to state

The Niwot High School boys volleyball team is headed to the state tournament after a strong showing at regionals, winning both of their matches on May 3 and extending their dominant streak in the postseason.

The Cougars kicked off the past week with a sweep over Riverdale Ridge High School on April 29, winning by a commanding 3-0 match. Niwot claimed each set with scores of 25-16, 25-17, and 25-22, setting the tone with aggressive serving and solid net play.

Senior Jenu Ngialah led the charge with 18 kills on 33 attacks, hitting .455 and averaging 6.0 kills per set. His performance set the tone for the rest of the team, who collectively racked up 45 kills and hit at a solid .309.

Senior Ethan Husk added nine kills with an impressive .533 hitting percentage, while junior Tristan Whittaker contributed six kills and two total blocks. Sophomore Owen Raabe and junior Diego Kheng each added multiple kills, showing the team's depth across grade levels. Junior setter Jasper Helgans controlled the offense with 39 assists, averaging 13.0 assists per set while serving two aces with a perfect 100% serving percentage.

As a team, the Cougars tallied 35 total points off serve and maintained an 86.5% serve efficiency, limiting Riverdale's ability to recover. Defensively, Niwot was just as dialed in. Junior Charlie Kirtland contributed with 10 digs and 16 serve receives. Ngialah added eight more digs to the team, making 40 total digs, and holding Riverdale Ridge to low attacking numbers across all three sets.

On May 3, Niwot officially started their regional competitions starting against Rampart High School. The Cougars started and ended the match with perseverance and determination, winning 3-0. Niwot finished with scores of 25-18, 25-20, and 25-14.

Later that same day, Niwot faced Castle View High School. This match was longer and more of a challenge for the Cougars as they went to the fourth set, but ultimately ended strong with scores of 23-25, 25-14, 25-21, and 25-21. These matches were crucial as it determined Niwot's spot for the state championships.

Niwot now advances to the 2025 CHSAA Boys 5A Volleyball State Championships set for May 8-10. The Cougars will face Littleton Public Schools at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 in the opening round.