All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Niwot track and field athletes don't get much of an offseason. Only a few weeks removed from the state championships, the Cougars, competing for head coach Maurice Henriques' REAL Training club team, are staying sharp in June. Henriques' group of tracksters began the month by visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico, from June 2-4 to participate in the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic. Niwot juniors Kimora Northrup (girls) and Eric Walker (boys) each won their respective 400m hurdles events, and...
Having never touched a pole in his life, Niwot senior Nicholas Stade needed just three weeks to learn the pole vault and place ninth in the Class 4A state track and field championships on May 22. Stade said that after he was unable to qualify for state in the 110-meter hurdles, it was his head coach Maurice Henriques who challenged the team player to help Niwot gain an extra point or two. His vault of 12 feet, 9 inches was a pleasant result. "I really surprised myself with being able to do...
It took a little longer than expected, but Niwot will officially welcome boys volleyball as a varsity sport in the 2022-23 school year. The anticipated offering will mark the lone boys volleyball program in the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). Following a successful eight-week pilot club season in the spring of 2019 and the subsequent sanctioning of boys volleyball into the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA), Niwot was intending to launch a varsity program in 2020....
In his nearly two decades coaching high school track and field - the past 11 of which having come at Niwot - Maurice Henriques, or as he's affectionately known as Coach Mo, has accrued a good deal of wisdom. Some of that insight, and perhaps more importantly to Henriques, life insight, will now be shared with the world as he was featured in a recently published book, "30 Days with America's High School Coaches." Author Martin A. Davis Jr. interviewed many of the country's top high school...
With star swimmer Mary Codevilla out for the weekend, it was Jamieson Legh’s turn to take charge for the Niwot girls swim team. The junior dominated in a pair of individual races to help the Cougars finish second in 4A at the Mustang Invitational, which concluded on Jan. 8 at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Thornton. Niwot also finished fourth overall behind Broomfield, Legacy and meet-winner Regis Jesuit. The Cougars would have been well outside the top-five if it weren’t for Legh. In the 100-yard butterfly, Legh took first place and...
A trio of Niwot girls volleyball players and one boys soccer star received CHSAA All-State honors following the conclusion of the fall 2021 season. On the soccer pitch, Niwot senior attacker Azael Marrufo was by far the Cougars' most frequent scorer in 2021. A first team All-State selection, Marrufo scored 18 goals and eight assists in the Cougars' 17 games. Head Coach Stephen Dimit said Marrufo's season was particularly impressive due to his knack for scoring in big situations. Marrufo netted a...
With a 4-6 record, Niwot football had one its most successful season since 2008 and in turn, its top players received some impressive individual hardware. On the CHSAA All-State lists, offensive/defensive lineman Bryce Nemec's stellar senior campaign earned him a spot on the second team while junior quarterback/defensive back Ben Classen was an honorable mention. Playing in all 10 games, Nemec recorded 59 total tackles, including nine tackles for a loss. It didn't take long for Head Coach Nik...
Not much went right for the Niwot girls basketball team in the Trojan Classic Invitational, hosted by Longmont High from Dec. 16-18. The Cougars' scorching start to the season was simmered with losses to Thomas Jefferson, Evergreen and Longmont. In the span of about 48 hours, Niwot watched its 4-1 record slip to 4-4. Up first in the tournament for Niwot was Thomas Jefferson on Dec. 18. Niwot trailed by just three points following the first quarter but progressively watched the deficit increase...
It hasn't been easy for Niwot boys basketball to put together a formidable team in recent weeks. Head coach Clay Wittrock estimated that since early December, nine Cougars have missed games and/or practices due to impacts of COVID-19. Niwot canceled its recent Steamboat Springs trip (which has been rescheduled for Jan. 4) and is waiting to reschedule games against Colorado Academy and Eagle Valley that were missed during a five-day program shutdown. Low numbers and moving pieces have been a...
Senior swimmer Mary Codevilla’s Niwot legacy grew a little larger following a pair of historic races at the REX Coaches Invite on Dec. 18. Codevilla, a Notre Dame commit, has been swimming for the USA National Junior Team and the REX Invite was her first meet of the season with Niwot. Her senior debut was a good one as she broke a pair of school records at the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton. Her time of 2:02.56 in the 200 IM and 50.71 in the 100 freestyle were both Niwot bests. Unsurprisingly, both of Codevilla’s record times had...
First-year head coach Jon Hill is looking to rebuild a Niwot girls basketball team that went winless last season. Niwot, which opens its 2021-22 season hosting Denver West on Thursday, Dec. 2, began official team practices on Nov. 15 but players have been going through preseason workouts since September. "Getting to know the girls has been really awesome," Hill said. "It's a great group. We're senior heavy this year. We've got five seniors and they've gone through a lot. But they're really excit...
When Niwot and Skyline get together in boys soccer, a close game typically follows. That proved true once again on Oct. 22 when the two teams settled on a 1-1 draw. Niwot will now enter the 4A state playoffs as the No. 19 seed and will face No. 14 Regis Groff in Denver on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. It will mark the third consecutive season these schools have met in the playoffs-the Cougars beat the Fusion 2-1 in last season's quarterfinals matchup in April. Regis Groff finished 9-6 this year an...
Former Lyons head coach Kenneth Rosales is the new leader atop Niwot baseball. Rosales brings his unique coaching journey to Niwot in hopes of restoring the program's previous glory. NHS athletic director Joe Brown announced the hiring in late September after four-year head coach Adam Strah resigned in June. During his eight seasons leading Lyons, Rosales brought the Lions to four state tournament appearances. He was also an assistant coach there for four seasons prior to taking over the...
Through Oct. 3, Jasmine Aldama has put on the Niwot softball uniform a whopping 83 times in her career. The versatile senior cleanup hitter has been a valuable asset for head coach Bobby Matthews. Aldama has primarily started at third base, but has also been an option in the circle during her career. Additionally, Aldama has recently played innings in center field, a position she was familiar with on her club team. It's with a bat in her hands, however, that Aldama truly shines. Matthews said...
Back when she was a budding high school track star, Elise Cranny never thought she would be honored as she was during this year's Niwot Homecoming celebration. The 2014 Niwot graduate and 2021 U.S. Olympian was given a hero's tribute during the annual parade and football game on Sept. 17. Before finishing 13th in the Olympic 5,000 meter race, Cranny helped Niwot win two 4A girls track titles and competed collegiately at Stanford University. She said that with no fans allowed in Tokyo, the...
Whether she's gliding down the snowy slopes of Winter Park or mastering the balance beams, Olivia Sroka does so with ease. The multi-talented athlete has reached impressive heights in both skiing and gymnastics throughout her life. Sroka, who plans on graduating from Silver Creek High School in December, began skiing at just four years old. While skiing for Winter Park, she soon specialized in the freestyle mogul where she placed 24th in nationals last year for the junior North American (NorAm)...
After coming into the week ranked fifth in Class 4A, the Niwot volleyball team proved itself worthy on Sept. 1 by cruising past Silver Creek in four sets (25-14, 25-22, 22-25, 25-13). Cougar head coach Daisha Agho said her team didn't care much for the ranking, it's the postseason that matters to them. With the likes of seniors Zoe Gibbs and Morgan Daugherty on the roster, those aspirations appear more than likely. Gibbs and Daugherty combined for 26 kills while junior Varshini Panuganti's...
Games are often won or lost in the red zone and that proved true in Niwot football's season opener at Greeley Central on Aug. 27. The Cougar defense didn't budge much all night to secure the team's first win, 21-14. With less than two minutes remaining in the game and Greeley Central down a touchdown, senior Craig Wright intercepted a Wildcat pass to put the game on ice. Wright's statement play was a fitting end to a defensive masterpiece. "Defense comes down to guts -- no guts no glory on the...
The fall sports season has officially arrived with Niwot softball kicking off its slate of non-league games. After dropping its home opener to George Washington 8-6 on Aug. 18, Niwot split a two-game round-robin tournament at Lyons High on Aug. 21. The round-robin tournament began with Niwot facing the Lyons Lions in game one. Despite a three-run homer by sophomore Anne Booth and a two-run bomb by junior Zoie Chociej, the Cougars couldn't maintain a four-run lead and lost another close battle,...
Year two of the Coach Nik Blume era will commence at 7 p.m. on Aug. 27 when the Niwot football team opens its season at Greeley Central. The Cougars struggled with a 1-6 record in 2020 but anticipate their returning core taking the next step. Niwot's two biggest losses of the offseason came with the graduation of former quarterback Ayden Bartko and two-way talent Cooper Ackerman. Their replacements? Junior Ben Classen is set to take the reins at quarterback while Ackerman's younger brother, Jack...
Just about four months separate the Niwot Cougars from the heartbreak they endured in the Class 4A boys state soccer semifinals, bumped from fall to spring in the 2020-2021 school year. That is all in the past, though, with a new core of Cougars greeted with the chance to mold their own history. Head coach Stephen Dimit will be tasked with replacing the production of eight graduated seniors that accounted for nearly two-thirds of the goals scored last season. Fortunately for Dimit, the players...
After winning two of its final three games last season, the Niwot softball team is primed for continued success in 2021. Head coach Bobby Matthews' Cougars return their ace pitcher and nearly all their offensive production with plenty to prove in the 4A Longs Peak League. Senior Ayva McComas has hit over .500 in each of her three previous seasons and will once again be a leader on the diamond. Matthews' "steady" senior shortstop was named an honorable mention to the All-State team last year and...
After narrowly missing the qualifying mark for the 2016 Team USA women's discus team, Silver Creek graduate Valerie Allman made the mark and more in Tokyo. Allman became just the third American since 1932 to win gold in the women's discus with a 69.98 meter (229.6 feet) hurl on Aug. 2. She backed up a 66.42 meter (217.9 feet) throw in the qualification round on July 30 which had then set a record for the farthest throw ever by an American woman in the Olympics, yet still short of her 70.15...
Niwot High School alum Elise Cranny will take the world's center stage on July 30 at 4 a.m. MST when she competes for Olympic gold in the women's track and field 5,000 meter event. Cranny, who graduated from Niwot in 2014 with multiple Colorado state titles in cross country and track before running at Stanford University, won the Team USA 5,000m qualifying race in June with a time of 15:27.81. Her family watched from the sidelines at Hayward Field in Oregon as Cranny punched her ticket to...
Niwot high School Head Coach Nik Blume and his staff will be hosting a youth football camp on July 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. The free camp will be held at the NHS football field and players ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade are invited to attend. Walk-up registration begins at 8 a.m. and there is no ability level requirement. Blume hopes to introduce young players to Niwot football while teaching the skills of the game through drills. Several current players will also help coach. “Parents drop kids off for a couple hours and do some skills a...
With both the Niwot girls and boys track and field teams taking first place in the 4A state meet, it was no surprise that the All-State teams were drenched in Niwot green. Eleven girls and four boys received the recognition, which was based upon state meet results. Leading the list for the girls was senior Lucca Fulkerson, and for the boys junior Zane Bergen, who each won Athlete of the Year honors. Head Coach Maurice Henriques led the historic season and was named Coach of the Year. In girls...
Niwot head baseball coach Adam Strah announced his resignation on June 21. Since his promotion to the head coaching position in 2017, the Cougars compiled a 20-57 record in four seasons, with the 2020 season cancelled due to COVID. . Strah, who joined the program as an assistant coach in 2012, will continue teaching physical education and health at NHS. In his final year, the Cougars finished their 2021 season with a 5-11 record. Athletic Director Joe Brown said he was grateful for Strah’s leadership. “We're so thankful for all that he has giv...
Misha Barrett enjoyed every minute of the spotlight when he raced in the state Special Olympics 100 meter dash on June 24. The Niwot High special needs student, who may be better known for his talents on the basketball court, took fourth place in front of a packed Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood. Born in Ukraine, Barrett has dealt with cognitive issues his entire life after he suffered an anoxic brain trauma at birth. As his senior year was coming to a close, Barrett underwent surgery to...
The seniors' division Hawks, majors' Giants and AAA's Cannon Ballers all took home the gold in the 2021 Niwot Youth Sports recreation baseball playoffs. Led by coaches Ben Bernstein, Mike Curtin and Scott Francis, the 4-8 Hawks upset the 10-2 Falcons in the championship game on June 26. The contest stretched to extra innings and the Hawks won on a walk-off bunt. "It was a wonderful seesaw game," said NYS baseball director Galen Scheidenhelm. "Both teams battled hard and the Hawks were able to...
It's not every year that a Niwot varsity baseball roster will include 10 seniors. Following a COVID-19 stolen junior season, the Cougars' crowded senior class led Niwot to a 5-10 record, the program's most wins since 2017. In their final four games together, Niwot cruised to a 3-1 record highlighted by a 16-7 win at Silver Creek on June 8 for the first time since 2016. The Cougar season ended at home with an 11-4 loss to the Class 4A eighth-ranked Windsor Wizards on June 10. Head Coach Adam...
The Niwot baseball team won back-to-back games for the first time in 2021 after taking down Skyline on June 3 and Centaurus on June 5. Now sitting at 4-9, Head Coach Adam Strah said his team hasn't panicked despite its record. A postseason appearance may be unlikely but Niwot has found its groove in the season's waning stretch. "I would say they just have kept pushing forward and a little bit of that is paying off now," Strah said. Following a 5-3 loss at Riverdale Ridge on June 1, the Cougars...
In his final stretch at Niwot High, the dreaded senioritis has eluded pitcher/outfielder Micah Sheats on the baseball diamond. His two-way talent shined on May 22 when he pitched a six-inning shutout and hit a home run during a 12-0 mercy-rule victory at Thompson Valley. The performance was nothing new as Sheats owns an over .300 batting average in 52 career games through May 30. As a freshman in 2018, Sheats hit .311 and played in all 23 of Niwot's games. He followed that season up with a...
Led by senior pitchers Hayden Morford and Micah Sheats, the 2-7 Niwot baseball team kept its opponents quiet during a 1-2 week on the diamond. Following a 10-4 loss at Fort Morgan on May 19, Niwot returned home to face Severance on May 20. Morford, making his first start of the season, allowed two runs in six and one-third innings against the Silver Knights. His brilliant effort wasn't enough, however, as the Cougars couldn't get any offense going behind their southpaw starter and lost, 4-0....
Another busy week concluded for the Niwot baseball team which secured its first win of the season on May 12 at Northridge. Niwot wasn't able to keep the momentum going and fell to Mountain View on May 13 and Frederick on May 15. The Cougars now sit at 1-5 and have just 10 games remaining to make up some ground in the 4A/3A Longs Peak League. Senior Dylan Olson toed the rubber at Darryl Kile Field in Greeley against Northridge. He allowed two unearned runs in three and two-thirds innings and was...
The Jon Hill era is set to begin for the Niwot girls basketball team with the program finding its new head coach. Niwot Athletic Director Joe Brown announced the move on May 5 following the retirement of longtime head coach and Colorado High School Athletics Association Hall of Famer, Terri Ward. Although Ward has stepped away from coaching, she will remain around the program in a mentorship role. Hill said he looks forward to bringing a fresh energy to the program while having Ward's wisdom...
Playing in his first season with the Colorado Thunderbirds hockey club, Niwot High junior Jack O’Rourke didn’t shy away from the bright lights. O’Rourke scored four total goals in three consecutive elimination games to propel the Thunderbirds’ AAA Tier One Elite 16U team to the USA Hockey National Championship Game. Although the Thunderbirds fell to the North Jersey Avalanche in the title game on May 3, the experience was an unforgettable one for O’Rourke. “Those were the biggest games we've ever played and we capitalized on it,” said O’Rourke...
Following an over two-year wait, the Niwot baseball team began its 2021 campaign with three games in three days. Although Niwot went winless, the Cougars possess a core of improving talent. Niwot's opener came on May 6 at Severance. After Niwot scored five runs in the top half of the third inning, Severance regained the lead with seven in the bottom half and held on for a 10-7 victory. Senior Micah Sheats got the start on the mound and was pulled during the rough third inning. Offensively,...
The past year has been challenging for prospective college athletes, particularly those who missed their junior seasons of competition in the spring of 2020. But for 15 Niwot High athletes, the arduous journey through the virtual recruiting process came to a satisfying end at the school's Letter of Intent signing ceremony on May 3. "This is probably the hardest year in the history of college athletics to have an opportunity to play at the collegiate level," Niwot High athletics and activities...
Niwot's quest for a 4A boys soccer state title came to an abrupt end on April 28, at the hands of the eventual champions, the Windsor Wizards. The Cougars' defense didn't have an answer for Windsor senior John Burnett who scored both Wizards' goals in their 2-1 victory. Niwot senior Keegan Stobbe netted the Cougars' lone goal in their lowest offensive output since a March 20 loss to Skyview. Despite the outcome, there was a lot to be proud of this season for head coach Stephen Dimit. In...
For the second time in four seasons, the 11-1 Niwot boys soccer team is back in the 4A state semifinals. The three-seeded Cougars clawed past Coronado and Regis Groff to arrange a date with No. 2 seed Windsor on April 28. In Niwot's state quarterfinals matchup against the 11-seeded Regis Groff Fusion on April 24, senior Ismael Dominguez scored the game winning goal with 58 seconds left in regulation, giving Niwot a hard-fought 2-1 victory. "I kept telling the guys I want a ring this year,"...
Cruising to a 7-0 victory at Severance High School on April 8, the Niwot boys soccer team secured a perfect 9-0 record to win the 3A/4A Longs Peak League. “They worked so hard for this,” said head coach Stephen Dimit. “They prepared all year long however they could to get ready to do this. To win the league and to win it as dominantly as we did, that's big.” The win over Severance came on the heels of a 6-0 win over Roosevelt on April 5 and a 10-0 win over Mountain View on April 6. In Niwot’s final six games of the season, the Cougars o...
The wins keep coming for the 6-1 Niwot boys soccer team which has now won five in a row and holds a one game lead in the 3A/4A Longs Peak League through April 4. Led by head coach Stephen Dimit, Niwot is in the midst of playing six games in 10 days against league opponents. The Cougars' third game of the stretch came at home against Frederick on April 3. Timely goals paired with strong defense helped Niwot shut out the Warriors (4-1), 4-0. Senior Aidan Martin opened the scoring at the 35:56 mark...
Flaunting a 3-1 record through March 29, the Niwot boys soccer team has shown dominance on both sides of the ball. Through four games, the Cougars have outscored opponents 27-4 including back-to-back 10-goal outputs in wins over Berthoud on March 23 and Riverdale Ridge on March 25. Prior to Niwot's 10-1 win over Riverdale Ridge, the Cougs' nine seniors were honored on the Niwot pitch. Both Ashton Campie and Aidan Martin relished their senior day as they each scored three goals. "He (Martin) can...
Led by senior Keegan Stobbe and junior Azael Marrufo, the Niwot boys soccer team went 1-1 in its first week of games. The Cougars opened with a convincing 6-1 win over Fort Morgan on March 18 before dropping a narrow 2-1 contest against Skyview on March 20. Stobbe scored a pair of goals and four other Cougars found the back of the net once against Fort Morgan, including Marrufo, Tavan Karbassi, Ismael Dominguez and Jett Feiner. Junior Jacob Elston assisted on two of the goals, while Stobbe,...
Just months before the pandemic hit, the Niwot boys soccer team completed its fall 2019 season with a shining 11-6 record and second place finish in the 4A Northern League. Pending a possible snow cancellation, the Cougars will return to the pitch on March 18, 499 days after losing to Golden in the second round of the 2019 4A playoffs. Several impact players from that 2019 team will give it another shot in 2021. Fifth-year head coach Stephen Dimit will enjoy nine seniors on his 23-man roster including Aidan Martin, Keegan Stobbe, Ismael Domingu...
Prior to Niwot's season finale on March 5, girls basketball head coach Terri Ward shed a few tears while completing her routine sweep of the gym floor. Ward had been doing the same monotonous chore before home games for almost 30 years, but with her decision to retire following this one, it dawned on her that this would be her last time. "It's hard to stop being what defines you or who you are and I think this does, because this is who I am, this is what I've done," Ward said. "And to leave...
In its final tilt of the season, the Niwot girls basketball team fell to Greeley Central, 52-20 on March 5. Niwot's three seniors, Adeline Spencer, MacKenzie Demmel and Grace Wardle, played in their ultimate home game and were honored prior to tip-off. Despite getting shut out in the first half, the Cougars rallied for 20 points in the second half to enter the offseason on a high note. Head coach Terri Ward, who was coaching in the final game of her 28-year career, said they were playing...
It has been an adversity-filled but ultimately fruitful journey at Niwot for girls basketball senior Adeline Spencer. Through undergoing knee surgery during her sophomore year and now navigating a pandemic season, Spencer has learned the value of perseverance sooner than most. Even more, her lone season on varsity this winter has been derailed with hip and leg issues. Spencer said she will be having hip arthroscopy surgery followed by a derotational femoral osteotomy procedure once the season en...
The 7-1 Northridge Grizzlies girls basketball team came down to Niwot on Saturday, Feb. 20 to face the 0-8 Cougars. An upset in the 4A Longs Peak League did not occur as the Grizzlies defeated Niwot, 66-22. While Niwot was already facing an uphill battle, the absence of senior MacKenzie Demmel made the challenge even more difficult. To make matters worse, sophomore Addy Ruth exited with a lower-leg injury less than one minute into the game. Demmel and Ruth combined have accounted for just under...
Like all seniors in the class of 2021, Niwot girls basketball point guard Grace Wardle has been dealt a rough hand. The Cougars' season had already been cut down to 14 games and that number is even lower for Wardle. She has played in just three games this season and has missed another three and counting due to COVID-19 exposure protocols. Wardle said it has been hard to watch her team play from the virtual sideline in what has been a "disappointing" thorn in her senior season. Despite the...
