All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Bringing Niwot High School baseball back to its once-dominant form means a good deal to Haden Shaw. Although Niwot has bigger goals this spring, the junior catcher believes that playing in the postseason last year helped the Cougars' reascending program gain some outside respect. And in today's age of high school athletics, respect goes a long way. "It was nice to know that Niwot's back on the map," Shaw said. "When I tell everybody on my club teams that I go to Niwot, a lot of people say,...
Armed with more confidence, Cassie Chen is transitioning from the No. 2 doubles line to No. 3 singles entering her junior season on the Niwot High School girls tennis team. While Chen played in a handful of No. 3 singles matches last season, she believes the move won't be too difficult. Her primary concern is contributing her best wherever Niwot head coach Aimee Hites needs her most. "I'm really excited to play singles this year and just be able to work with the team," Chen said. She still must...
Niwot High School senior Tracy Yu will be pulling double duty this spring for the first time in two years. Yu is currently preparing for her fourth season on the Cougars' girls tennis team and is rejoining Niwot's girls soccer squad after taking last season off. Her weekday afternoons may be chaotic at times, but her passion for both sports should prevail. Regarding her return to the pitch, Yu was convinced by teammate Margaux Boyer to attend a low-stress summer kickaround. "I definitely really...
Rohit Das wasn't exactly left satisfied with how his junior season played out on the Niwot High School boys basketball team. Yes, he enjoyed several strong moments, but the Cougars' final record of 7-16 weighs heavy. "It was up and down, and it was a little bit disappointing," the junior point guard said. "I thought we could have won a lot more games. But our team was young, so it'll be fun next year." Das did, however, play a key role in Niwot winning three of its final four games. At Mountain...
Nobody impressed Niwot High School girls swim head coach Ella Thramann more this past season than sophomore Phoebe Donovan. After finding little success during her freshman season - her first on a competitive team - Donovan took it upon herself to improve, and the results followed. Donovan became a key member of Niwot's state-qualifying 200-yard medley relay team and was one of the Cougars' best in the breaststroke. "She was a C Team freshman last year, joined Flatiron's (swimming club) and...
Only midway through her prep career, Addison Ritzenhein has already cemented herself as one of the greatest runners to ever come through Niwot High School. In the past few months alone, the sophomore standout secured her first Class 4A cross country individual state title and surprised many by finishing first at the Nike Cross Country Nationals on Dec. 2. Her efforts were then honored on Jan. 23 when she became the first Niwot runner to win the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country P...
With a quick draw and release, Archer Buckbee has been hitting his mark often this season for the Niwot High School boys basketball team. Through Jan. 24, the fearless shooter leads the Cougars with 16 made 3-pointers, including four in one game, as a valuable threat off the bench. Buckbee shared that his confidence stems from the support he has around him. "All my teammates trust me that I can make the shots and my coaches have been encouraging me to shoot a lot, so that's been really...
Competitive swimming has long been a valued part of Daisey Bui's life, and with her days on the Niwot High School girls swim team limited, the senior chose to dedicate her complete attention to the pool this winter. As someone with an immense range of interests, it likely wasn't easy for Bui to commit everything she has to swimming. In order to make that happen, she stepped away from her involvement with Up-A-Creek Robotics, a club robotics team based in Longmont, but has since taken great...
In an era where far too many players shoot first and think second, Sebastian Stenz's approach to basketball is a welcome throwback. The Niwot High School guard drives the court intending to find an open teammate, a selfless style that's yielding plenty of assists. Through Niwot's first 10 games, Stenz recorded at least one dime in each and currently leads the Cougars with an average of 2.6 assists per contest. Stenz, a junior, said his pass-first mindset began to develop during his season-plus...
Parker Sullivan will be learning by trial and error this winter as he navigates his first competitive wrestling season. After moving from Austin, Texas to Colorado before this school year, he joined the Niwot High School boys wrestling team and hasn't exactly been eased into his new sport. The 150-pound junior wrestled at Niwot's annual Gary Daum Classic on Saturday, Jan. 6 and was immediately matched up with Air Academy's Lucas Plunkett, who later took first in the weight class. Although he...
Knowing that she likely won't swim competitively in college, Reese Lavigne is simply trying to enjoy her senior season. The fourth-year Niwot High School swimmer has accomplished plenty in her prep career and wants to cherish these final days with her teammates. "It's been great," Lavigne said. "We do have a close-knit team, and I'll be hanging out with my swim friends outside of swimming a lot. A lot of the seniors that I'm friends with, I've swam with them all of high school, so I know them...
Because his days on the Niwot High School boys basketball team are limited, Brighton Langenegger has dedicated his senior season toward "inspiring the younger guys." Langenegger's motive stems from an acronym he learned while attending a PGC (Point Guard College) Basketball camp: E.T.D.M.T.Y.S., which stands for "Expect To Do More Than Your Share." Essentially, the instruction promotes going above and beyond in all aspects of life. "Every moment, no matter what you're doing, do it more-that...
As one of only two seniors on this year's Niwot High School boys basketball team, Jackson Carano prides himself on being a leader. The third-year varsity forward has his own personal goals, but nothing compares to the value he puts on overall unity. "The biggest thing I've taken away is the importance of team building," Carano said. "As a team captain this year, that's one of the biggest things that I've wanted to focus on. I think we're doing it pretty well. It's building each other up as a...
After losing several of last year's standouts to graduation, the Niwot High School girls swim team is leaning on a new, younger core early this season. At the heart of Niwot's youth movement is Emmy Hostelley, a sophomore who quickly caught the attention of head coach Ella Thramann last winter. Thramann shared that the versatile Hostelley swims year-round and continues to make strides. "She definitely came back this season and has impressed me the most so far," Niwot's second-year head coach...
With the help of her teammates, Sami Sessa quickly developed confidence in her first season as a starting libero for the Niwot High School girls volleyball team. "I definitely was nervous coming into the season because I was like, 'Now I'm a starter for the first time. I don't want to let the team down and let the program down since we've had such an amazing program the last couple of years,'" the senior said. "But I started to believe in myself. I really think that pushed me forward and I...
Every day was "leg day" this fall for Niwot High School senior Paris Lee. After balancing both soccer and kicking/punting duties on the varsity football team over the past few months, Lee said he could barely walk when it was all over. "I was very sore," Lee said. "After my first three days of not having both (sports), I wasn't able to walk up the stairs." Although NHS certainly doesn't lack multi-sport athletes, very few manage to play two sports during the same season. Lee's weekday afternoons...
Mia Prok has enjoyed quite an impressive past few weeks. First, the senior helped Niwot High School win its sixth straight Class 4A girls cross country state title on Oct. 28. Then, only 11 days later, she signed her national letter of intent to continue her running career at Wake Forest University. After committing to the Division I Demon Deacons in March of last year, Prok was thrilled to finally make things official. "It was cool to actually sign the papers and see it in writing," she said. R...
Head coach Tony Engel was overcome with emotion when asked about the importance of Anne Haley to his Niwot High School girls volleyball team. "Anne's a flat-out winner and she's been a winner since her freshman year when she walked into the gym," Engel said. "There's not many kids that do that, so she's special. I really appreciate everything that she brings." After missing about one month of the season with an ankle injury, Haley recently returned to Niwot's lineup, and the junior setter's...
Bo Gardner's first career postseason goal came at an opportune time for the Niwot High School boys soccer team. Stuck in a 1-1 deadlock with Pueblo Centennial late in the second half, Gardner received an assist from fellow senior Josh Ary and netted the game-winner in Niwot's Class 4A first-round state playoff game on Oct. 26. "It was definitely one of the top goals in my career," Gardner said. Gardner, who scored five goals in the regular season, gave all the credit to Ary for setting him up...
After battling COVID-19 earlier in the month, Niwot High School cross country senior Olivia Alessandrini was unsure how well she’d run at regionals on Oct. 19. Her stamina was still in recovery mode, and because the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada is no easy course, she wasn’t exactly confident heading into the meet. Regardless, Alessandrini embraced the challenge and completed the 5,000-meter race with a personal best time (at altitude) of 17 minutes, 49 seconds. Alessandrini’s confi...
The Niwot High volleyball team likely doesn't come back to beat Frederick without senior Julia Dadey. After dropping the match's first two sets, Niwot's back row, which included Dadey, was the spark that got the Cougars going en route to reverse-sweeping (20-25, 17-25, 25-15, 25-16, 15-8) the Golden Eagles on Oct. 10. "There were four or five (plays) that Julia Dadey got on her horse and ran from sideline to sideline picking up balls," Niiwot head coach Tony Engel said following the match....
Four-year varsity player Jett Feiner is wrapping up his Niwot High School boys soccer career on an impressive scoring surge. Through Oct. 8, the senior owns a career-high six goals to go along with five assists. Half of Feiner's six scores came via his first high school hat trick in a 9-1 blowout of Severance on Sept. 26. Besides being more aggressive in shooting the ball, Feiner shared that nothing major has changed regarding his role on the field. "I try to do everything while I'm out there,"...
Kyle Davidson is enjoying a successful final chapter of his Niwot High boys tennis career with his partner Sebastian Moy. The Cougars senior won six of his last seven regular season No. 1 doubles matches, according to MaxPreps, and continued that momentum with a dominant 6-1, 6-0, match victory in the first round of the Class 4A team state championships on Sept. 27. Despite feeling under the weather, Davidson still had enough strength to help Niwot advance past George Washington High School. "I...
One rough day is all it takes to destroy a golfer's state championship hopes. Emmett Shell learned that lesson last year when he missed the state cut at regionals despite qualifying the prior season. Now another year wiser, the Niwot High School golfer wasn't about to squander another opportunity to compete at the state tournament. Playing cautiously, Shell shot a 2-over-par 74 at the 4A Region 3 meet on Sept. 21 to finish sixth individually, well within the state cut. "This was meaningful in...
It wouldn't be a stretch to describe Manan Gangwar as an eternal optimist. Despite taking some lumps early in his Niwot High School boys tennis career, the senior has remained positive throughout it all and even values those difficult times. "When you lose a lot, it helps you gain a new perspective, which is why losing is really important," Gangwar said. "You just know what to do better next time." Gangwar is now giving out lumps far more than he's taking them. Through Sept. 17, his varsity matc...
Very few high school student-athletes take their work more seriously than Niwot volleyball senior Lizzy Kaus. Prior to the season, Cougars head coach Tony Engel described the work ethic of his middle blocker, saying she "comes to work with a hard hat on every day," and locks in on getting better. An improved Kaus finally got to reap the benefit of her efforts on Sept. 5 when she helped Niwot to a season-opening sweep of Silver Creek High School. The third-year varsity player contributed four...
Six years after his older brother Jason scored 13 goals for Niwot High School in 2017, Josh Rodriguez is currently enjoying his own stellar senior season for the Cougars boys soccer team. The younger Rodriguez owns six of Niwot's eight goals scored, plus a pair of assists through three games. He credited his early success to his teammates, who together have the Cougars off to an undefeated start. "I've known a lot of them for a while, so the chemistry is there," Rodriguez said. "It's obviously...
Switching high schools often comes with its challenges but for Jenna Hobson, her transition from Boulder to Niwot High School was made easier thanks to a "welcoming" softball program. Now in the midst of her third and final varsity softball season at Niwot, the senior looks back fondly on her time with the Cougars. "We've been talking about senior night the whole season," Hobson said. "I'm so sad to leave everyone. They're my best friends. You don't know them and then they're the people that...
Although challenging, Sawyer Bennett learned a lot about his golf game while navigating the monstrous RainDance National Resort & Golf in Windsor on Aug. 15. The Niwot High School sophomore admitted that he was plagued by "careless mistakes" but he nonetheless held his head high after shooting a seven-over-par-72 on the longest course in North America. His 79 strokes placed him in a five-way tie for 10th individually at the Second Annual Resurrection Christian Invitational. "It's a test of your...
After appearing in only a handful of Niwot High School boys tennis varsity matches last season, Pavi Soni enters his senior year as an improved player and one who should contribute frequently for the Cougars. Soni, along with Lauritz Strazenbach, started at No. 3 doubles in Niwot's season opener at Frederick High School on Aug. 10. The duo made quick work of their Golden Eagle opponents with a 6-0, 6-0 victory. While Soni admitted that his challengers were far less experienced, the clean sweep w...
The stage is set for both Zoe Cameron and her Niwot High School softball team to make some noise on the diamond this fall. Now entering her fourth varsity season, Cameron is one of multiple seniors eyeing a big final year, including power-hitting pitcher Anne Booth and shortstop-centerfielder Autumn Rutherford. Niwot certainly boasts a few accomplished bats and Cameron hopes to provide another steady thump in an already dangerous Cougars' lineup. "This season, I really want to look at my...
Addison Engel understands that her upcoming senior season could be a little different compared to her previous three years with the Cougars. After graduating six impact seniors from last year's 21-9 club, the Niwot High girls volleyball team has a considerably younger roster entering this fall, making the veteran Engel a crucial piece to this transitional period. "Our Niwot team, in general, is on the younger side, whereas in the past we've been on the older side," Engel said. "We graduated six...
This summer has been all about football for Niwot High School incoming senior Mats Lehan. On top of Niwot's offseason morning workouts, the wide receiver/free safety spent time training at Jenkins Elite, a Denver-area camp focused on developing high school players. Plus, Lehan attended prospect camps at both the University of San Diego and Colorado School of Mines with the goal of getting noticed by college coaches. "They were a lot of fun," Lehan said of his experience at the prospects camps....
Now entering her senior season, Sarah Bitterman is working once again to prove both to herself and to her Niwot High School softball coaches that she can contribute at the varsity level. Bitterman was used sparingly as a pinch hitter last season but made the most of her limited opportunities, going 4-for-11 at the plate with three RBIs. She is now using her final high school summer to sharpen her swing while also becoming a more solid defender. "I like to hit a lot, so I've been trying to streng...
Following a busy yet fruitful start to his summer, Kye Toothaker's two weeks of down time is now complete as his junior cross country season at Niwot High School looms not far in the future. His time away was certainly well-deserved, though, after he competed in both the CHSAA track and field state championships and the Nike Outdoor Nationals in June. Results-wise, Toothaker helped Niwot win the Class 4A 800-meter relay - along with Rocco Culpepper, Ryder Keeton and Carlos Kipkorir - before...
Joining the Niwot High boys team last fall was one of the best decisions Josh Ary has made regarding his thriving soccer career. Then a junior, Ary was playing academy soccer before committing to play for his high school. Not only did Ary lead the Cougars in total points (32) en route to winning the Longs Peak League, but he also revived his love for the game along the way. "I think it just challenged me more on a technical level," defender Ary said. "It was also just the environment. It was a...
Lex Bullen doesn't much like talking about herself. The 2023 Niwot High School grad instead prefers giving credit to the countless number of individuals who've helped her reach impressive heights as a runner. After moving from Stargate Charter School in Thornton to Niwot High prior to her sophomore year, Bullen helped the Cougars to three straight girls state titles in both track and cross country. Yet, she remains most fulfilled knowing that she benefited from a program that treated her as...
Not many student-athletes nowadays are willing - or able - to take the path that Julian Lettow traveled throughout his time at Niwot High School. Besides opting out of his sophomore basketball season due to COVID-19 concerns, Lettow balanced academics with hoops, tennis and baseball for all four years, earning the increasingly rare distinction of being a three-sport athlete. The effort he put forth made receiving his diploma all the more satisfying. "I put a lot of work into these four years,"...
Despite being Colorado's most successful Class 4A girls track and field program over the past decade, Niwot High School had remarkably never produced a state title winner in shot put until May 19, 2023, when Jade West staked her claim to history. West's heave of 40 feet, 8.25 inches traveled a full 29 inches further than what the second-place thrower produced at the 4A state championships in Lakewood. In fact, observers reported that West had another throw that reached 42 feet at state, but it...
Stephen Codevilla, the younger brother of Niwot High School girls swimming great Mary Codevilla, is putting his own stamp on the Colorado swim scene with Silver Creek's boys team. At the Class 4A boys swim and dive state championships on May 13, Codevilla impressed in multiple individual and relay events, ultimately guiding his Raptors to their second straight team runner-up trophy. The Niwot High junior's best individual result came in the 100-yard backstroke, which took place immediately...
The Cougars likely aren't fighting for a state regionals berth without Jed Kilpatrick having arguably the best season of his Niwot High School baseball career. Through May 12, the senior shortstop owns career-highs in batting average (.472), on-base percentage (.548) and fielding percentage (.932) while leading Niwot to 12 wins, the program's most since 2014. Kilpatrick believes that Niwot's emergence is due in large part to an improved culture built by a still fairly young group of Cougars....
As one of eight seniors on the Niwot High School girls soccer team, Tiffany Yie said it was an exciting yet difficult experience playing her final two games for the Cougars, although winning both made things at least a little easier. "A lot of the games were really special for me because this year I really cherished each game rather than like, 'Oh, I still have another year, it doesn't really matter what happens,'" said Yie, who tallied a goal and two assists in Niwot's senior day win over...
Recent University of Northern Colorado football signee Kaiden Box is doing something a little different during his final high school semester. The Skyline High School quarterback was looking for a sport to play this spring and with neither baseball nor track enticing him, he was convinced by fellow Skyline senior Erik West to join the inaugural Niwot High School varsity boys volleyball team. It didn't take Box long to learn the sport and he soon developed an immense respect for his new...
Although he thinks of himself as a defense-first catcher, Niwot High School baseball senior Diego Castro has made an equally large impact this season with his bat. The Cougar backstop sports a .429 batting average through April 23 with a team-leading 18 RBIs. Last year, he hit just .162 in a similar number of plate appearances. Castro credited an offseason of facing pitching machines that allowed him to see higher velocities and breaking balls. "Honestly, I think I'm just more comfortable, more...
Although he has his own personal goals, Jeremy Gillett is typically thinking about his team before anything else. On April 1, for example, the Niwot High School track and field senior shared that he took immense pride in representing his school as he competed on his home track at the NoCo Series #1 meet. Gillett ran in the 1,600-meter and as the race remained crowded up front entering the final stretch, his final push was motivated by a force greater than himself. "In that last 100 (meters), I...
Short-distance standout Kimora Northrup is still hunting for some more hardware in the final stage of her accomplished Niwot High School track and field career. Already an individual Class 4A state champion in both the 100 and 300-meter hurdles, the senior has her eyes set on winning gold again in both events to further cement an already strong Niwot legacy. Northrup, however, has been dealt some adversity early this season with knee problems limiting her to competing only in sprint relays in...
While it's not at the absolute forefront of his mind, Niwot High School track and field senior Freddie Ambrose is doing his best to cherish the final days of his prep career. "When I'm running with the other guys that I've been running with for four years, it's kind of like, 'Dang, this is one of the last times I'll ever be able to run with these guys when we're all racing for the same team,'" Ambrose said. Putting on a show at the state championships in May remains his highest priority,...
The fourth and final season of Evan Welding's prep swim career is shaping up nicely. Already an accomplished swimmer for Silver Creek High School's boys team, Welding has qualified for the Class 4A state championships in the 50-yard freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 free, 100 fly and 100 individual medley. He is also a member of two relay teams that have made the cut for state. In a dual meet against Broomfield High on March 16, he took first in the 50 free thanks to a season-best 23.61-second...
Jack Klein squeezed about as much as he could out of his four years at Niwot High School. Now about two months away from graduation, the senior in Niwot's International Baccalaureate Program is also the school's National Honor Society Treasurer and the youth board executive director of the Community Food Share, a local food bank focused on fighting hunger in Boulder and Broomfield counties. To complement his community work, Klein owns an accomplished athletics resume as well. In his primary spor...
Although the Rocky Mountain slopes are within reach, there are surprisingly few young athletes in the Front Range who ski competitively. Why? Skiing can't exactly be learned in a backyard or driveway; effort and time are required to fully appreciate the thrill of gliding down Colorado's infamous powder. But for those who've gone the extra mile, the payoff can be fruitful. Since joining the Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team in seventh grade, Sophie Spalding has been glued to the slopes and has be...
