Cougars are 3rd at conference meet as Barkow wins 4th straight title

Last week was a big week for Niwot senior Madison Barkow. On Wednesday, she signed a letter of intent to play collegiate soccer at the University of Northern Colorado. Then, on Saturday, she captured her fourth consecutive Northern League diving title.

For head swim coach Sarah Stamp, competitors like Barkow, who was also a member of Niwot’s gymnastics team, don’t come along too often.

“Three-sport athletes who are so good in all three sports are hard to come by,” she said. “Maddie winning the title for the fourth year in a row was a tremendous accomplishment.”

Barkow was also named Northern Conference Diver of the Year, her fourth such honor.

Silver Creek clinched its third consecutive Northern Conference team title with 523 points, winning seven of the meet’s 12 events. The Cougars nabbed two titles at the meet, and had the winning time in the 200 freestyle relay (1 minute, 41.63 seconds), but were disqualified when a swimmer left the platform early. Niwot ended the day with 360 points, just four points behind second-place Thompson Valley (364). Stamp received the conference’s Coach of the Year honor, while Thompson Valley’s Haylee Buyers was the league’s Swimmer of the Year.

Despite the late slide into third place, Stamp was thrilled with her team’s performance in the two-day event. “They did great,” said the coach. “The fact that we were able to get four swimmers back [to the finals] in all but two events was just amazing, and not easy to do.”

Sprinter Chase Balman claimed the 50 freestyle title with a winning time of 25.58, just ahead of teammate Kristi Vu (25.93). It was the senior’s first career conference championship, and Stamp said she got emotional watching the close finish.

“I teared up,” she admitted.

Elsewhere, Niwot’s 200 medley relay team of Claire Jepson, Camryn Kenkel, Hanna Luo and Vu took third (1:55.85). Freshman Payten Irwin had three second place finishes on the day (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 400 freestyle relay), while Abbie Shaw came in second in the 100 backstroke, and 400 freestyle relay, and third in the 100 freestyle. Both were also members of the 200 free relay team that was disqualified.

“I know Payten and Abbie would have liked to come away with a title,” said Stamp. “But they both had great swims.”

As for the mishap in the 200 free relay, Stamp was philosophical.

“When you’re at these big meets and you’re nervous, sometimes it just happens,” she explained. “But now they know they’re capable of beating Silver Creek, and they know what they’re capable of timewise heading into state.”

Niwot is sending nine state qualifiers and two alternates to the 4A state meet in Fort Collins next weekend, and Stamp said her goals for the team are straightforward.

“I’d like us to get back into the top 10, and I’d love to see us get three relays back into the finals.” she said. “We’re just going to swim our hearts out and see what we can put together.”

The Class 4A State Meet will be held at the Edora Pool/Ice Center (EPIC) in Fort Collins on February 10-11. Swimming preliminaries kick off on Friday at 4:00pm, followed by diving prelims at 9:30am on Saturday. Finals for both events start at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon.

Northern Conference Meet, Feb. 4, Mountain View Aquatic Center

Team Scores — Silver Creek 523, Thompson Valley 364, Niwot 360, Longmont 232, Centaurus 223, Mountain View 187, Greeley Central 40

200 medley relay — 1. Silver Creek, 1:53.11; 2. Thompson Valley 1:54.91; 3. Niwot (Jepson, Kenkel, Luo, Vu), 1:58.67; 4. Centaurus, 1:57.20; 5. Mountain View, 1:58.40

200 freestyle — 1. Meghan Magill, SCHS, 2:00.19; 2. Payten Irwin, 2:00.48; 3. Skylar Riley, Centaurus, 2:01.95; 4. Sophie Kubik, TVHS, 2:02.31; 5. Emma Pearson SCHS, 2:05.55

200 IM — 1. Brandi Vu, Silver Creek, 2:08.73; 2. Lucille Matheson, Longmont, 2:09.03; 3. Haylee Buyers, TVHS, 2:14.39 4. Hanna Luo, 2:16.51; 5. Sara Findley, Silver Creek, 2:16.99

50 freestyle — 1. Chase Balman 25.58; 2. Kristi Vu 25.93; 3. Jenny Weygandt, SCHS, 25.94; 3. 4 Emily Fulp, TVHS, 25.99; 5. Madison Black, SCHS, 26.13

Diving — 1. Madison Barkow, 454.10; 2. Taryn Eveland, Longmont, 359.80; 3. Alexandra Smith, SCHS, 345.80; 4. Taylor Lenhart, MVHS, 344.10; 5. Cheyenne Bosse, TVHS, 334.65

100 butterfly — 1.Katie von der Lippe, TVHS, 58.61; 2. Payten Irwin, 58.73; 3. Nikki Schlegel, SCHS, 1:01.06; 4. Hanna Luo, 1:03.41; 4. Abigail O’Donnell, MVHS, 1:05.81

100 freestyle — 1 Sara Findley, SCHS, 54.09; 2. Skylar Riley, Centaurus, 55.54; 3. Abigail Shaw, 55.76; 4. Chase Balman, 56.70; 5. Emily Fulp, TVHS, 56.80

500 freestyle — 1. Lucille Matheson, Longmont, 5:16.14; 2. Sophie Kubik, TVHS, 5:27.99; 3. Emma Pearson, SCHS, 5:32.13; 4. Meghan Magill, Silver Creek, 5:36.76; 6. Amalia Luthens, 5:42.43

200 free relay — 1. Silver Creek, 1:42.48; 2. Thompson Valley, 1:46.28; 3. Longmont, 1:46.80; 4. Centaurus, 1:48.76; 5. Greeley Central, 1:54.22 DQ: Niwot (Shaw, Balman, Irwin, Vu), 1:41.63

100 backstroke —1. Haylee Buyers, TVHS, 59.04; 2. Abigail Shaw, 1:00.24; 3. Nikki Schlegel, SCHS 1:00.76; 2. Amalia Luthens, 1:02.88; 5. Claire Jepson, 1:03.41

100 breaststroke — 1. Brandi Vu, SCHS, 1:05.5; 2. Katie von der Lippe, TVHS, 1:08.43; 3. Karly Pearson, SCHS, 1:11.24; 4. Sophie Busse, MVHS, 1:13.42; 5. Camryn Kenkel, 1:14.86

400 free relay —1. Silver Creek , 3:40.27; 2. Niwot (Balman, Luo, Shaw, Irwin), 3:42.40; 3. Thompson Valley, 3:43.14; 4. Centaurus, 3:54.31; 5. Longmont, 3:54.72