All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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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...
In a landmark season for Niwot High School's cross country program, the Cougars made an unforgettable debut at the Class 5A state level, securing a state title for the boys team and delivering impressive individual performances on the girls team. The championship race took place at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, where Niwot's runners faced fierce competition and challenging terrain. For the second consecutive year, Niwot's boys claimed a state cross country title, marking...
In a commanding performance that showcased both offensive firepower and defensive prowess, the Niwot High School boys soccer team secured their spot in the second round of the Class 4A Boys Soccer State Tournament with a 2-0 victory over Wheat Ridge High School. The Cougars wasted no time establishing their dominance, striking early in the game when midfielder Leo Broteland won a crucial tackle in the middle of the field. With precise vision, Broteland threaded a pass through the Wheat Ridge...
Entering last weekend, the Niwot High School girls volleyball team had a 16-3 record, and was cruising through the Granite Peaks 5A/4A League in first place, with a record of 12-1. As is the custom for Coach Tony Engel, the Cougars participated in the Cheyenne Mountain Tournament, held at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. The event is annually the top tournament in the state, held just before playoffs begin, and the Cougars won at least one match in every set, but came away with...
The Niwot Cougars fell 58-14 to the Northridge High School Grizzlies on Thursday, Oct. 31, in their last home football game of the season, which doubled as Senior Night. Despite a challenging game against Northridge, Niwot fought to put points on the board in the second half. Northridge opened with a touchdown just minutes into the game, taking a 6-0 lead after a failed extra-point attempt. Sophomore quarterback Wyatt Volf aimed to rally the Cougars, but an early interception by the Grizzlies,...
On Halloween, seniors from the Niwot High School marching band and football team were recognized for their final home game presentations of their dedication this fall as well as throughout their tenure at NHS. Marching band seniors were presented with a rose and escorted down the sideline by their family members prior to the start of the game. Seniors recognized were Kennah Brackett, Nathan Cowan, Karlien Dang-Lee, Grace Fisher, Sanjana Kaushik, Angel Kho, Samantha Kintzel, Yaretzi Martinez...
The Great Pumpkin Party kicked off its 27th year in Niwot with an immense crowd on Saturday, Oct. 26, with hundreds of trick-or-treaters in costume roaming the Niwot business district from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Local businesses, with owners and staff dressed in costumes themselves, gave out candy to the trick-or-treaters. The Left Hand Grange provided children's movies for youngsters who needed a short break from trick-or-treating. The Niwot High School Key Club created another very popular...
Ok. Was I the only one who thought "trunk-or-treat" was a typo? Seriously. I soon realized I saw the words too often together for "trunk" to be a typo. But I still didn't understand what trunk-or-treat meant for longer than I want to admit. What was happening here? And was there really an elephant involved? I figured it had to be a social distancing remnant of COVID. But after a little googling, I learned trunk-or-treating has been around for at least 10 years, well before COVID. Where have I...
When Niwot High School sophomore Aidan Coble picks up her trumpet, her passion for the music is immediately evident, which is one reason NHS Director of Bands Wade Hendricks selected her as Arts Student of the Week. "She has a gorgeous tone and vibrancy that comes with experience, attention, and listening to other excellent players," Hendricks said. "She is one talented, dedicated Cougar." This talent has been nurtured all her life by those around her. Coble's entire family is music oriented....
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...
Tyler Eggers, arrested for causing a crash near Niwot High School after a high speed chase last Valentine’s Day, was sentenced to four years in prison after accepting a plea bargain. Although the defense requested Eggers spend five years in community corrections, the prosecution requested he serve time in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Eggers, 31, was accused of leading law enforcement officers on a car chase through Longmont, which ended in a collision at Niwot High School on Feb. 14, 2024. He was initially charged with reckless drivi...
“Murder on the Orient Express” is Niwot High School’s fall theater production, scheduled to be performed Nov. 14, 15 and 16. Directed by Niwot’s theater teacher and director Amanda Foust, this murder mystery follows Detective Hercule Poirot, a beloved character created by Agatha Christie and featured in many of her works, and a unique group of travelers who come from various parts of the world including Hungary, Russia, Great Britain, the U.S. and Belgium. The production has two main casts and a...
The third annual Niwot High School Fall Fest spilled from the front entrance of the school into the parking lot on Friday, Oct. 25. The NHS Student Council organized the event, which attracted many ghosts, goblins, and superheroes from throughout the community. High school clubs and organizations, as well as the Niwot High Boosters, manned themed booths and trunks with plenty of activities for all ages. Costumes, candy and activities ensured high energy. Children of every age participated in a...
In addition to performing halftime shows at football games and marching in parades, the Niwot High School Marching Band is also largely about fostering camaraderie and building student leaders. On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Sunset Middle School advanced band had the opportunity to march and perform with the Niwot High School Cougar Marching Band. The two programs joined forces to march in the annual Longmont Halloween parade down Main Street in the midst of lots of music, candy, and festivities. The...
Niwot gymnasts competed with seven teams at their annual league competition on Oct. 23, and walked away with top-two finishes from both their varsity and JV teams. The event was the JV athletes' final meet of the season, and marked a meaningful milestone for the entire group. A week earlier, the Cougars took part in a triangular home meet against Loveland High School and Mountain Range High School, and secured their highest team score of the season with 181.9 points. The team shined at the Oct....
The Niwot High School cross country team secured top team finishes at the 5A Region 3 Championships in Broomfield on Thursday, Oct. 24. Both the boys and the girls teams demonstrated dominance, sweeping the top places and showcasing their readiness for the upcoming 5A State Championship. Boys Team The boys team claimed the first eight spots and an impressive 15:54 average time, well ahead of their closest competitors. Boulder High School held an average time of 16:22 and Fairview High School ave...
In an intense back-and-forth contest on Friday, Oct. 25, the Niwot Cougars fell to the Greeley Central Wildcats, 34-27. The game marked the closest finish for Niwot this season, as the Cougars took their first lead since the season opener. "We've been working all season to try and get something going, and made a lot of offensive changes and went up-tempo tonight," Head Coach Nik Blume said. "It's taken way too long for us to find an identity, but that definitely was a piece of it tonight." The...
The Niwot High School softball team's impressive postseason journey came to an end Friday at the Aurora Sports Complex, as the Cougars fell to fifth-ranked Holy Family High School, 8-3, in the 4A State Championship Round of 16. The loss marked the conclusion of a successful season for the Cougars, who finished with a strong 16-10 overall record and 7-4 in league play. Fresh off two victories in the Tournament of 32 Teams in Pueblo, Niwot faced a familiar opponent in Holy Family, which had...
The Niwot High School boys soccer team experienced both triumph and disappointment this week, securing a convincing 4-0 victory over Frederick High School before falling to Skyline High School in a surprising 4-3 upset. In Tuesday's away match at Frederick, Niwot showcased its offensive prowess with a balanced scoring attack. Naveen Bopearachchigedon, Colin Mundt, Jay Scharfe, and Mohi Bauer each found the back of the net as the Cougars secured their second consecutive win, improving their...
Flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028 with both men's and women's divisions competing in Los Angeles for gold. Much closer to home, a local youth co-ed flag football team is excelling by showcasing how popular and exciting this sport has become. The Carolina Panthers are an all 7th grade co-ed team competing in the NoCo 5v5 Flag Football League in the 7th/8th grade division. Games are played all over the northern front range. The majority of teams in the league are male-only, but...
Ralph Wallace Thompson Oct. 14, 1934 - Oct. 17, 2024 Ralph Wallace Thompson passed peacefully at home from cancer on October 17th, 2024, three days after celebrating his 90th birthday with loved ones. Ralph was born on October 14,1934 in Chicago, IL to Elliot and Thelma Thompson. He grew up in Downers Grove, IL with his older brother, Ronnie, and older sister, Carol. Ralph's mother, Thelma, passed away at age 29 in 1939. His father, Elliot, married Mabel Casperson in 1940 and together they had...
Jazz saxophonist Sam Lindquist comes from a musical family. His father plays drums, and his mother plays piano and clarinet. Occasionally he plays duets with his mother. Lindquist's grandmother on his father's side, Jan Lindquist, was an exceptional organ player who served as the principal organist at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lindquist took piano lessons from age four to ten, but his main interests are saxophone and guitar. He took up saxophone in elementary...
The "Pride Of Niwot" Cougar Marching Band has once again been hard at work this season to put on yet another exceptional halftime show performance. The band has had many opportunities to perform its show, "Night at the Movies," primarily at home football games. The band also had the opportunity to perform at the non-competitive event known as St. Vrain Band Night Oct. 9. This halftime show has featured a medley of Disney-Pixar songs, an arrangement of recognizable tunes from "Pirates of the...
Niwot High School is host to over 60 student-run clubs, and one stand-out is Club Heartbeat. Club Heartbeat is a service-oriented club where musicians come together once a week to rehearse pieces they then perform at nursing homes and children's hospitals. Every Friday, the group meets and learns music from familiar pieces of media such as Disney movies including "Pirates of the Caribbean." Club Sponsor, Wade Hendricks, lends the group the band room in which to practice. The Club Heartbeat leade...
The music department at Niwot High School is thriving. Students have become involved in multiple ensembles and NHS music regularly does well at competitions, and groups find opportunities to travel. One night a year, all three of the primary music departments come together to perform in their Fall Extravaganza concert where families and the community have the opportunity to experience a significant amount of the magnitude of music-based strength at Niwot. That night was held Wednesday, Oct. 16 i...
In a day of intense competition at the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Class 4A boys tennis individual state championships on Oct. 17, Niwot High School's varsity tennis program demonstrated both promise and perseverance across multiple divisions. Senior Sebastian Moy, Niwot's No. 1 singles player, opened strong with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lewis-Palmer High School's Thatcher Crisler in the first round. However, Moy's tournament run was cut short in the quarterfina...
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...
The Niwot High School softball varsity team has secured its spot in the state Tournament of 16 after an impressive showing at the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A Regionals in Pueblo, Colorado, Oct. 18 and 19. The team demonstrated resilience and skill, finishing with a 2-1 record in the round of 32. In their opening game against the Palisade High School Bulldogs, the Cougars emerged victorious with a tight 2-1 win. Standout pitcher Kianna Butler dominated from the circle,...
The Niwot High School football team faced another challenging matchup on Thursday, Oct. 17, which resulted in a 44-0 loss to the Timnath High School Cubs. This latest defeat keeps the Cougars winless on the season, extending their losing streak to 0-7 as they struggled to find offensive momentum throughout the game. The first quarter was a defensive battle. Niwot's quarterback, sophomore Jaydan Martinez, connected early with sophomore Kaleb Notterman, but the drive ultimately ended in a...
The annual Great Pumpkin Party will be coming back with plenty of spooktacular events on Oct. 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event, spanning Second Avenue and Cottonwood Square, has been a Halloween tradition in Niwot for the past 27 years. Pat Murphy, one of the founders of the event, continues to organize the activities on behalf of the Niwot Business Association, with funding from the Niwot Local Improvement District. Family-friendly events will include three magic shows in Cottonwood...
Susan Odiseos has been an active volunteer in the Niwot community since she moved here in December 2018, including organizing food drives, participating with the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms, working at Rock & Rails, and being an active member of the Niwot Community Connection (NCC). Odiseos has had a lifetime of community involvement that has changed lives. Odiseos originally lived in Connecticut, and assisted several charity and volunteer organizations there before she moved to Santa Fe around...
Lindy Bartruff is a face that is familiar to many in the Niwot Community. She has been teaching dance lessons at the Left Hand Grange for four years. Her classes are popular as she teaches all levels of dance including line dancing, social dancing, tap and jazz. Bartruff 's journey to Niwot is a tale of passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of artistic expression. Born and raised in Montana to artistically inclined parents - her father a renowned UCC minister and counselor, her mother a...
The Left Hand Valley Courier (Courier), a nonprofit organization, is dealing with the same issues that the journalism industry, particularly local journalism, is grappling with across the country. This article is the first in a series of reports on the current journalism business climate, the history and contributions of the Courier, why local journalism remains an important asset in community-building, and ways in which its business model can be strengthened. There was a time when cities and co...
REVENUE Revenues from the 1% sales tax in the Niwot Local Improvement District is down 8.8% compared to a year ago through July, but the percentage of decrease actually dropped a full percentage point, from 9.8%, since June. LID Treasurer Mary Coonce reported that retail sales are down 7.4%, while accommodations and food are up 6.7% year-to-date compared to 2023. The largest percentage decrease is in a category of "Other and Wholesale," which is down 35% year-to-date. Four funding requests were...
The annual St. Vrain Valley School District's Band Night was held on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Longmont High School. Every high school marching band in SVVSD met to build comradery and perform their halftime shows for the other bands. St. Vrain high schools that performed included Lyons (performing "Ex's and Oh's" with the Unified Drumline), Skyline (the music of Santana), Silver Creek (Jackson 5 music), Frederick ("The Macabre"), Mead (Michael Jackson hits), Longmont ("Night of the Living...
Niwot High School is host to over 60 student-run clubs, and one stand-out is the Key Club. Key Club is one of the many high school level branches of Kiwanis, an international club which has a mission to "improve the world one child and one community at a time." Key Club focuses on aiding local communities and volunteering in various ways. Throughout the year, Key Club fundraises, hosts various donation drives, and promotes unity among students to help others. With help from teacher-facilitator...
Niwot High School Student Council will be hosting the third annual Fall Fest on Friday, Oct. 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fall Fest is a celebration of the season for the entire Niwot community, not just the high school. This event will feature various games, activities, and a trunk-or-treat for our students, feeder schools, and the community in the parking lot in the front of the high school. Niwot's various clubs and sports will be hosting booths with quintessential fall-themed games such as Potat...
The 2024 baseball season was mostly a lost year for Niwot High School grad Skye Messinger, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last December. Messinger, a third baseman in the Colorado Rockies' organization, injured his arm while working out in the offseason. The recovery time for the surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm is seven to nine months at a minimum before a return to competition for non-pitchers. As a result, Messinger missed all of spring...
The Niwot High School softball team has been turning heads this season with an impressive performance on and off their home field. With a solid overall record of 14-8 for the 2024 regular season and a commendable 7-4 standing in the competitive 5A/4A/3A Granite Peaks league, the Cougars have proven themselves a force to be reckoned with. The team's performance has been particularly stellar on the home turf, with the Cougars boasting a 6-2 record. Their away game resilience is evident in their 7-...
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...
The Niwot Cougars faced another tough night on Thursday, Oct. 10 with a 56-0 loss to the Windsor High School Wizards. The game, played at Everly-Montgomery Field in Longmont, saw the Cougars fall to 0-6 on the season. The Wizards struck early and often, with their first touchdown coming four minutes into the game. By the end of the first quarter, Windsor had built a commanding 28-0 lead. Niwot struggled to find any offensive rhythm, despite a few bright moments, including a solid run by senior...
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, Niwot varsity boys soccer fell to rival Silver Creek High School, 1-0, in a hard-fought contest. The loss dropped the Cougars to a 0-2-1 league record and a 6-4-1 overall record. After nearly completing a monumental comeback the previous week against Longmont High School, they drew against Centaurus High School on Monday, Oct. 7, in a 2-2 tie, with goals by Sullivan Burns and Colin Mundt. However, they went without a goal in their loss to Silver Creek at home. Winless in the Granite Peaks League so far, Niwot is searching...
Six weeks into the 2024 competition season, Cougar gymnasts are reflecting on their growth in collaboration and are looking ahead with optimism as they continue to improve. Since the Niwot team's first meet in early September, it has participated in six competitions across the Front Range. Niwot has secured top-three rankings at every invitational meet it has attended thus far. Competing with thirteen schools on Sept. 21 at Overland High School, varsity took third with 175.125 points total. The...
Niwot High School's cross country teams dominated the Granite Peaks League Championship on Friday, Oct. 11, with both the boys and girls racing to decisive team titles. The varsity boys swept the top five positions, with junior Rocco Culpepper taking first place in 15:23.65, closely followed by juniors Hunter Robbie (15:26.45) and Ryder Keeton (15:28.92). Senior Keegan Geldean finished fourth in 15:32.09, and senior Cole Mazurana rounded out the top five with a time of 15:34.38. Nine of the...
Niwot seniors Drew Stapp and Jagger Kilpatrick represented the Cougars at the 4A Boys Golf State Tournament on Oct. 7 and 8, held at the Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction. Competing against some of the best golfers in the state, both players put forth strong efforts in their final tournament. For Stapp, the state tournament marked his third appearance, and carried special significance as he aimed to end his high school career on a high note. He opened the first round with an impressive...
The autumn sun cast long shadows across the tennis courts as the Class 4A Regional Tennis Tournament unfolded at Niwot High School. The air crackled with anticipation as players from various schools gathered, their rackets ready and dreams of state glory in their hearts. Niwot's boys tennis team, a perennial powerhouse, entered the tournament with high hopes. Leading the charge was Sebastian Moy, the school's formidable No. 1 singles player. Moy's journey began with a first-round bye, a...
Every time Pali Sauer talks about the theater program at Niwot High School, she feels overwhelmed by the community and the way the students uplift each other on and off stage. "There is no other community that has been like this," Sauer said, "and I constantly turn to them for everything in my life." A junior at NHS, Sauer has been a part of the high school's theater program since she was a freshman, when she got a part in the fall play. She has been involved in every production since. NHS...
On Tuesday, Oct. 1 the Cougar boys golf team competed in the 4A Region 2 Regional Tournament at the Foothills Golf Course in Denver. The Cougars walked away with a fifth-place finish and a team score of 244. Highlands Ranch High School took first place with a score of 234, with Dakota Ridge High School following in second with 236, and Pueblo West High School finishing in third with 241. Ponderosa High School edged out Niwot for fourth place, finishing just two strokes ahead of the Cougars....
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...
When the nights begin to cool and feel like fall, the league kicks off for Niwot boys soccer, and competitive games start in earnest. This year, the Cougars' league includes several nearby rivals, including Skyline High School, Silver Creek High School, and Longmont High School. Longmont was the Cougars' first local opponent of the season last Thursday, Oct. 3. Longmont entered the match undefeated, fielding a cohesive, experienced team. They had scored an impressive 29 goals so far this season...
