Niwot girls tennis stands out at state tournament

Niwot High School junior Saha Kolli delivered an outstanding performance at the 2025 Class 4A Girls Tennis Individual State Tournament on Saturday, May 10, reaching the championship match at No. 1 Singles before falling to her Kent Denver High School opponent in a hard-fought final.

Kolli, the Cougars' top singles player, dominated her early-round opponents through bracket play. She opened the tournament with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 victory over a Palmer Ridge High School opponent, followed by an equally impressive 6-2, 6-1 win against Mullen High School's No. 1 Singles player. In the semifinals, Kolli overwhelmed her George Washington High School opponent, 6-0, 6-0, to secure her spot in the championship match.

The finals saw Kolli face a formidable opponent from Kent Denver High School. Despite a valiant effort in both sets, she ultimately fell short in a tightly contested match, 7-5, 7-5, earning state runner-up honors.

Niwot's doubles teams' competitive spirit could not overcome the tough competition at the state level.

The No. 1 Doubles team of Sam Zacky and Anne Haley started strong, defeating Green Mountain High School's duo, 6-0, 6-1, in the first round and Mullen High School's pair, 6-1, 6-2, in the second round. Their tournament run ended in the third round against their opponents from Kent Denver in a thrilling three-set match. After winning the first set 6-4, they dropped the second set 4-6 before falling in the decisive third set 6-4.

At No. 2 Doubles, Jordan Rutkowski and Hannah Nelson showed resilience in their opening match, overcoming the Pueblo County High School entry 7-5, 5-7, 6-3, in a three-set battle. Their tournament journey concluded in the second round with a 6-3, 6-4, loss to the duo from Cheyenne Mountain High School.

The No. 3 Doubles pair of Emory Rich and Eliana Spiridellis began with a convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory over opponents from Grand Junction Central High School in the first round before falling to the strong Kent Denver team's pair, 6-2, 6-1, in the second round.

The No. 4 Doubles team of Amy Calderon and Nina Richards was unable to advance past their first-round match.

While Kolli excelled in the No. 1 Singles position, Niwot's No. 3 Singles player Hazel Awsumb faced a difficult draw, losing in the first round to a Mullen High School opponent, 6-0, 6-0.

Despite the mixed results, Niwot's appearance at the state tournament caps a successful season that included a strong showing at the regional championships. With Kolli and several other key players expected to return next year, the Cougars have established themselves as a program to watch in Class 4A girls tennis.