All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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After moving from Texas to Colorado last year, then-junior Jiselle Sales was tasked with proving herself when she joined the Niwot High School varsity girls volleyball team. The Cougars already boasted a veteran top group and ample opportunities weren't guaranteed, leaving Sales without much playing time. Concurrently, she was faced with learning a new school and new people. "I was going to a whole new environment, and I had no idea who anyone was," Sales said. "I didn't know how to get around...
Reaching the state playoffs was an important goal for Niwot High School boys soccer senior Santiago Nahas as it was for his teammates. Nahas cracked Niwot's varsity roster for the first time this fall and was determined to capitalize on his lone season playing at the top. Unfortunately for Nahas and the Cougars, they hit a rough patch midway through the season, dropping three games in two weeks. "During that time, we were even contemplating if we were going to make it to the playoffs or not,"...
Evelyn Majka chose quite the time to deliver the first home run of her life. Playing in her final Niwot High School softball home game and navigating the emotions that come with it, Majka belted a Senior Day homer on Oct. 3. The first baseman entered the game against Silver Creek High School with only one extra-base hit on the season, making her blast particularly special. "It was really shocking," Majka said of her home run. "I did not expect it at all, and it was shocking to everybody else....
Competing in the state championships was a well-deserved ending to Eleanor Ottem's high school cross country career. After spending last year on junior varsity, the Niwot senior landed a varsity spot this fall and ultimately earned herself a trip to Colorado Springs for the Class 5A state meet on Saturday, Nov. 2. As the only senior on Niwot's girls team, she placed 60th (19 minutes, 37 seconds) at the challenging Norris Penrose Event Center course. Filled with emotion, Ottem expressed her...
Only a junior, Rocco Culpepper already owns one of the more impressive cross country-track and field resumes among prep runners in Colorado. The Niwot High School standout finished third in last year's Class 4A cross country state championships and is now poised to make a run at the 5A title in 2024. At the Region 3 meet on Oct. 24, Culpepper blew through the field on a windy afternoon in Broomfield, taking first at 15 minutes, 50.4 seconds. "The first mile felt pretty steady, it was a big...
Niwot High School sophomore Ero Tenz made history this fall as a defender on the first-ever varsity girls field hockey team in the Boulder Valley School District. Based out of Boulder High School, the BVSD varsity team supports two players from the St. Vrain Valley School District (Tenz and Erie High School junior Sunny Wolver), which doesn't support a girls field hockey program. The BVSD program had competed only at the sub-varsity level for the past two years. As the lone Niwot student on the...
A game-changing presence at the net, Brooke Caquelin is a large reason why the Niwot High School varsity girls volleyball team has cruised through most of its Granite Peaks League schedule. Through Oct. 13, the senior middle blocker owns the third-most kills (75) and the second-most total blocks (26) on a 12-3 Cougars squad that hasn't lost consecutive matches all year. Caquelin, displaying her growth mindset, believes Niwot still hasn't reached its ceiling. "I think we still have a long way to...
Passionate players are often found within the Niwot High School boys soccer program, but Jay Scharfe's dedication might be setting new standards. Described by Head Coach Stephen Dimit as one of the hardest-working players he has ever tutored, Scharfe aims to improve his game each day while helping others follow suit. "Every day at practice, I want to bring a certain level of effort and pride in what I'm doing," said Scharfe, a senior. "The reason we've (Niwot) been so good through so many years...
Playing in his first full season on the varsity squad, Andrew Fong has become a reliable force on Niwot High School boys tennis' No. 2 doubles line. Last year, Fong was a swing player, splitting time between the Cougars' junior varsity and varsity teams. Now, he's racking up victories alongside partner and fellow senior Gabe Bandera. According to MaxPreps, the two have picked up No. 2 doubles wins against duos from Monarch, Broomfield, and Legacy high schools. "I'm getting more consistent," Fong...
From the moment she joined the Niwot High School gymnastics program as a freshman, Head Coach Marisa Purcell knew there was something special about Maeve Flentie. "You'll find there's always that one freshman that kind of comes in," Purcell said. "She (Flentie) came in and just gets stronger and better every year, and she's a multi-sport athlete for her school." Flentie, a senior who attends Erie High School, dives and runs track for the Tigers, but gymnastics has been her primary passion since...
In her three-plus years at Niwot High School, senior Alena Kasanicky has learned that whether she's running or golfing, achieving success in athletics requires both physical and mental strength. While her primary sports don't share much in common from a physical standpoint, the mental side of each is fairly similar. Kasanicky knows that staying composed under pressure typically leads to strong results in golf, track and cross country. "They're definitely really different sports, but golf and run...
In an ultimately difficult second showing for the Niwot High School varsity football team, do-it-all senior Moises Gonzalez Avina represented one of the Cougars' brightest spots on Friday, Sept. 6. Avina played every snap of the game, including special teams, while staying positive throughout Niwot's 49-7 loss to Centaurus High School. His shining moment came on defense when he recorded an interception early in the second quarter. "I was just watching the O-line (offensive line) - we were going...
While playing the most physically demanding position on the diamond, senior Saleen Amaya has grown tremendously throughout her four seasons as Niwot High School softball's starting catcher. Amaya would be the first to admit that she struggled with blocking balls in the dirt and framing pitches early in her career. But with hard work and perhaps some patience on behalf of Niwot's coaching staff, her glovework has become a strength. "I feel like I've definitely developed a lot," Amaya said. "I...
Behind the right arm of ace pitcher Kianna Butler, the Niwot High School varsity softball team is off to an encouraging start in the newly formed Granite Peaks League. The Class 4A Cougars kicked off their league slate on Tuesday, Aug. 27, by hosting Erie High School, which reached the Class 5A state championship game last season. Unfazed, Butler struck out 15 Tigers and didn't walk anyone en route to a 1-0 victory. "I was really focused and took my time," Butler said following her complete-game...
Senior Tyler Chivukula doesn't take his new role as a Niwot High School boys tennis team captain lightly. "I take a lot of pride in it," Chivukula said. "Team captains are always someone that's looked up to. In the past, I've always looked up to the team captains. Being the person that's looked up to now is a really big honor." Along with fellow captains Charlie Kirtland and Rex Wallington, Chivukula is looking to improve the Cougars' chemistry throughout the entire program, junior varsity inclu...
With a new-look lineup, the Niwot High School boys tennis team navigated a rather chaotic first week of the season. The Cougars were tested immediately in their opener, going up against two-time defending Class 4A team state title winner Kent Denver School. In a match that began on Monday, Aug. 19, and wrapped up the following day due to rain, junior Oskar Hansen's 6-1, 6-2 performance at No. 3 singles represented Niwot's only winning line. "It was tough starting with Kent because (they're) the...
While baseball remains his ultimate priority, senior Jagger Kilpatrick is currently working toward other important goals with the Niwot High School boys golf team. The two-sport athlete would like to qualify for the state golf tournament later this fall, something he has yet to accomplish in his three-year career. Reaching that goal will require consistent practice and continued improvement on the mental side of golf, he believes. "It definitely would mean a lot because I didn't start playing...
Head coach Bobby Matthews witnessed a mix of good and bad throughout Niwot High School softball’s season-opening loss at Golden High School on Saturday, Aug. 17. Looking at the positives, Niwot’s offense limited the strikeouts and freshman second baseman Payton Stokes shined during her varsity debut. However, the Cougars’ seven defensive errors were too much to overcome in the 12-8 defeat. “It definitely showed our lack of experience together,” Matthews said. “We only really have three girls playing the exact same position as they did the yea...
Ryder Keeton's passion for running goes far deeper than his pursuit of state championships. While he remains focused on bringing big-time hardware back to Niwot High School, the junior cross country standout procures motivation through his love for the sport. Even something as simple as discovering a new running trail can gratify Keeton. "In training, I mostly enjoy exploring the environments where I can run and the trails I can run," Keeton said. "It's a really fun thing for me to explore." Con...
In many respects, this upcoming season will mark a new era for the Niwot High School softball program. Longtime head coach Bobby Matthews is still at the helm, but the Cougars' schedule will look slightly different this fall as Niwot joined the newly-formed Granite Peaks League. Other high schools in the conference include Broomfield, Erie, Fairview, Frederick, Holy Family, Horizon, Legacy, Longmont, Mead, Monarch, Skyline, and Silver Creek. The Cougars had been in the Longs Peak League, which...
Anna Prok won't lack for summer tales to share with her classmates next week when Niwot High School opens its doors for the new academic year. Along with training for her upcoming cross country season, Prok competed at the Nike Outdoors Nationals in June before joining Niwot teammate and close friend Addison Ritzenhein at the 2024 ESPY Awards on July 11. Prok, a rising junior, said it was a special experience to attend the ESPYs with Ritzenhein, who was being honored for winning the 2023-24 Gato...
After transferring out of Boulder High School's softball program following her freshman season, Madison Dodge remains grateful to have found a welcoming home at Niwot High School. Dodge, an outfielder, attends the Dawson School but because the private Lafayette prep institution doesn't have a softball program, she initially opted to play at Boulder. Unfortunately, things didn't work out with the Panthers, so she decided to join Niwot's program ahead of her sophomore year. Looking back, the...
Rising senior Gabe Bandera has dedicated his final high school summer to improving all aspects of his tennis game, both mental and physical. During his first varsity season last year, the Niwot standout reached the state tournament at No. 4 doubles but was admittedly overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed. Instead of shying away, he turned that experience into motivation and has been impressing head coach Aimee Hites throughout summer workouts. "I've been getting better," Bandera said. "I've...
Mohi Bauer accomplished quite a bit during his junior year at Niwot High School, both in the classroom and on the pitch. Along with taking college-level math classes through Front Range Community College, he received a mid-season promotion to the varsity boys soccer team and ultimately played big minutes for the Cougars. His contributions as an offensive facilitator helped Niwot win seven of its final eight games, including two in the Class 4A state tournament. "That was a cool experience, joini...
Soon after the conclusion of Niwot High School girls basketball's 2023-24 season, the Denver office of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) received a claim accusing the program of violating Title IX regulations. Enacted in 1972, Title IX prohibits any educational institution that receives federal funding from discriminating on the basis of sex. The law covers all programs and activities, but it has commonly been associated with ensuring equal treatment of male and...
Kaleb Noterman likes to keep things simple when playing football: see the ball, catch the ball, and score. Unconcerned by that which he can't control, the wide receiver/defensive back is turning heads this summer ahead of his second year at Niwot High School. The single-minded rising sophomore played junior varsity football last season but amid a summer of rapid growth, varsity head coach Nik Blume is anticipating substantial production from Noterman moving forward. "Kaleb's route running has...
It didn't take long for newcomer Kianna Butler to find her groove with the Niwot High School varsity softball team last season. After transferring from a Class 2A school in Flagstaff, Arizona, Butler became the Class 4A Cougars' top pitcher during her junior season. Niwot head coach Bobby Matthews trusted Butler with 130.2 innings in the circle and was rewarded with a stellar 2.68 earned run average. Butler, not one to shy away from pressure, said she enjoyed the competitive leap from 2A to 4A....
Not initially expecting the starting role he was given, it took some time for Niwot High School boys soccer midfielder Ben Gabrielson to get comfortable at the varsity level last fall. Gabrielson, then a junior, had received spot varsity minutes the year prior and was competing with other talented upperclassmen who were also searching for playing time. But as the season wore on and his confidence grew, Gabrielson quickly became a reliable presence in the Cougars' midfield. Niwot finished the...
Very few high school athletes earn the right to hoist multiple team state championship trophies throughout their careers. Last month, the now-graduated Justin Gawrych joined that rare company when he helped the Silver Creek High School boys swim and dive team to its second Class 4A title in four years. Gawrych, who swam for the Raptors while attending Niwot High School, was grateful to have helped Silver Creek secure the ultimate prize twice. "It was super exciting because we went second the...
This year's Class 4A state tournament served as another reminder of how much potential lies within the Niwot High School girls golf program. With three competing golfers, including lone senior Mina O'Dell, the Cougars placed seventh in the team standings with a two-round combined score of 555. Head coach Ed Weaver's trio shot a 280 in the first round on Monday, May 20, before cutting off five strokes the next day at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Last year, O'Dell,...
Only a few weeks removed from her third and final season within the Niwot High School girls soccer program, Menbere Sullivan is already experiencing some nostalgia looking back on her senior campaign. "It was definitely the best high school season I've had," Sullivan said. "Our team was super close all year. Even if it was a super young team, I think the upperclassmen really stepped up. Our team had the same goal and purpose for the whole year, which I think really helped throughout our season....
Although disappointed by the season-ending first-round playoff loss, the Niwot High School varsity baseball team left Colorado’s Western Slope with heads held high. The Cougars, who fought their way into regionals by winning seven straight games to close the regular season, pushed host Palisade High School to its limits in the Class 4A Region 4 tournament opener on Saturday, May 18. Niwot tallied 13 hits and scored runs in five different frames but was ultimately undone by walks, errors, and a difficult sixth inning in the 17-10 loss. Palisade,...
Hitting a baseball, already one of the most difficult tasks in all of sports, became significantly more challenging for Sergio Pimentel when he suffered an orbital fracture last summer. Pimentel's injury occurred when a baseball struck him in the face, tearing a muscle in his right eye that now keeps his pupil permanently dilated. Along with struggling to see in bright environments, Pimentel's right eye now interprets straight lines as curved. Little came easy for Pimentel early in his senior...
Earlier this month, Niwot High School baseball head coach Ken Rosales admitted that his team would need a perfect final two weeks of the regular season to potentially qualify for state regionals. Well, six wins later, the Cougars have done everything in their power to make things interesting. Requiring a top-32 spot to make regionals, Niwot stood No. 31 in the Class 4A Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Selection and Seeding Index as of Sunday, May 12. That is not a final...
The Niwot High School boys volleyball program, fresh off its second varsity season, will soon likely have its first player advancing to the college level. After receiving an offer he couldn't refuse, senior Sage Xiong plans on taking his talents to Lakeland University, a Division III college in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Xiong led Niwot in assists (617) this past season as the Cougars' primary setter. "I got a pretty good scholarship to go play there," said Xiong, an Erie High School student who...
Fueled by cold bats and inconsistent gloves, the Niwot High School varsity baseball team entered the final day of April riding an eight-game losing streak. However, while their frustrations grew with every narrow defeat, the Cougars never lost faith that their struggles would cease. At Mountain View High School on Tuesday, April 30, the Cougars' trust in themselves was finally rewarded in a 10-8 win over the Mountain Lions. Junior left fielder Jagger Kilpatrick cranked his first high school...
Batting leadoff isn't for everyone, but Charlie Shaw has embraced his critical new role at the top of Niwot High School baseball's lineup. The junior right fielder takes pride in putting early pressure on opposing pitchers before potentially causing chaos on the basepaths. "I want to be a pain in the butt for the pitcher just to get (our offense) started with," Shaw said. Shaw hit leadoff last season before being shelved with an injury, but began this year batting third in the Cougars' order....
A small handful of Niwot High School track and field athletes made their way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last week for the Penn Relays. The annual meet, held at the University of Pennsylvania's historic Franklin Field from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27, featured some of the nation's best high school runners, including Niwot's own Addison Ritzenhein. NHS had athletes competing in five different track events. Ritzenhein, a sophomore recently named the Gatorade National Girls...
Things haven't been easy for the Niwot High School varsity baseball team as of late. The Cougars dropped their eighth straight game on Friday, April 26. Although six of the losses came by two runs or fewer, the struggles sting all the same. With only four regular season games remaining as of Sunday, April 28, Niwot's record stands at 6-10 (3-9 Class 4A Longs Peak League). Still, third-year head coach Ken Rosales praised his players' handling of the recent rough patch. "They're not giving up,"...
On the soccer pitch, in the classroom, and around the community, Margaux Boyer has accomplished plenty throughout her four years at Niwot High School. A senior captain on the NHS girls soccer team, Boyer is enjoying arguably her best season yet for the 7-3-2 Cougars. The fourth-year varsity defender has contributed a career-high 12 points, including three goals, this spring, with three regular season games still remaining. "It's been great," Boyer said. "The girls are so nice and we're all...
Niwot High School track and field sisters Anna and Mia Prok both impressed at the Centaurus Twilight meet on Friday, April 19 in Lafayette. Anna, a sophomore, took first in the mile with a time of 5 minutes, 6.77 seconds, about seven seconds faster than her teammate and second-place finisher Elise Hagen. Mia, a senior, also topped the two-mile podium after crossing the finish line in under 11 minutes at 10:59.15. Additionally, the elder Prok had seventh-place results in the 200 and 400-meter races. With the help of those two and several...
Despite its recent dominance on the mound, Niwot High School baseball has been held back by some nagging offensive struggles. On Wednesday, April 17, the Cougars dropped their fourth straight low-scoring game, a 4-2 loss to Thompson Valley High School. Niwot, which fell to 6-6 (3-5 Class 4A Longs Peak League) on the season, managed only 10 total runs throughout the four-game losing streak. “We just have to get back to hitting like we're used to,” said third-year Niwot head coach Ken Rosales. “Ou...
No matter how dominant Niwot High School boys volleyball has been overall this season, falling to Poudre School District on Thursday, April 11, qualified as an absolute gut-punch. The visiting Cougars had their opportunities to put Poudre away for good in the fourth set but ultimately lost in a five-set thriller. Turning the page quickly while learning from what went wrong now becomes the challenge for Niwot, which dropped to 11-3 on the season. While head coach John Miller will offer his own...
At the Boulder County Track and Field Championships on Saturday, April 13, Niwot High School athletes topped the podium in 10 of the day’s 38 events. The NHS girls took first in the team standings while the Cougar boys placed second behind Erie High School. With about one month remaining until the state championships, several Niwot athletes once again proved themselves as legitimate Class 4A title contenders. Reese Kasper and Jade West continued their impressive junior seasons, standout sophomore Addison Ritzenhein recorded another two-mile w...
The mood inside Niwot's dugout could not have been more somber. Knowing how many accomplished bats the Cougars own, players and coaches alike were left discouraged following a 2-1 defeat at Severance High School on Saturday, April 13. Niwot mustered only five hits, one more than the Cougars produced two days prior in another loss to those same Silver Knights. Head coach Ken Rosales noted that Niwot's recent struggles at the plate appear more mental than physical. "We're a hitting team, but the...
While sweeping a regular season series in the Longs Peak League rarely comes easy, Niwot High School baseball head coach Ken Rosales couldn’t help feeling like his Cougars squandered an opportunity in their second meeting with Roosevelt High School. Two days after beating the Roughriders on Tuesday, April 2, Niwot was beset by defensive errors in the two teams’ rematch. Rosales said the Cougars committed seven miscues on their home diamond, leading to a “rough” 4-3 loss. “We definitely did not play our ball,” Rosales said. “I felt we were...
Running for the Niwot High School track and field program means everything to Kingston Staton. Only a sophomore, he first got to know Niwot's coaches through Real Training, a club team led by longtime Cougar head coach Maurice Henriques. Staton has maintained an appreciation for Niwot's accomplished coaching staff and the wisdom passed down upon him. "It's been incredible," Staton said. "I actually don't even live in Niwot... I've been running here and coming to school here because of the great...
The Niwot High School track and field program sent athletes to three different cities, including one in California, during the first weekend of April. Cougar colors were present in Longmont at the Birds of Prey Invitational, in Parker at the Legend Titan Track Clash, and in The Golden State for the renowned Arcadia Invitational and at all venues, Niwot runners enjoyed plenty of success against high-level competition. At the Birds of Prey Invitational, hosted by Skyline High School on Friday, Apr...
She may not be known by all of her classmates just yet, but Reese Kasper has proven herself quite valuable to the Niwot High School track and field program. Kasper moved from Minnesota to Colorado only two months ago, and while the adjustment has been challenging in some regards, joining track has made things "10 times better." Consequently, the Cougars are also better, particularly in the hurdles. At the second annual Niwot Invitational on Saturday, March 30, Kasper won the 300-meter hurdles...
For Kingston Staton, competing on his home track at the second annual Niwot Invitational generated an interesting mix of emotions. While he certainly felt some pressure wanting to represent the Cougars well, the junior hurdler also gained confidence from the meet being held on familiar grounds. Staton had rounded each of those four bends countless times at practice, but was now tasked with proving his talents in front of a larger audience. Particularly in the 300-meter hurdles, the home star shi...
