Track & Field: Henriques looks to build unity

In a sport where results are measured in thousandths of seconds, and athletes are judged by measured individual results, it can be hard to quantify abstract concepts like unity and team chemistry. But that doesn’t mean such things aren’t critical to a team’s success. When members of the Niwot track teams take the field at their events this season, Head Coach Maurice Henriques wants each one to remember that the whole team has their back.

“Our theme this year is loyalty,” he explained. “You’ll see it on our shirts at meets. That’s what we’re focused on. What does loyalty mean to each individual, what does loyalty mean in general, and what does it mean to Niwot track.”

This year, Henriques is hoping it means that grabbing wins in March will pay dividends in May.

BOYS

It’s been a few years since the Niwot boys track team has seen much success, but this Henriques is excited about this year’s crop of freshman and sophomores.

“So far, I’m really, really excited about our guys, especially the young kids we’ve got,” he said. “I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

He has reason for optimism. At last weekend’s Windsor Invite, Niwot freshman Cruz Culpepper finished 10th in the 1600 meter run, with a time of 4 minutes, 54.58 seconds, while sophomore Nolan Jordan (43.95) was sixth in the 300 hurdles. Sophomore Daniel Thomas was seventh overall in the triple jump, with a distance of 39 feet, eight inches, and 15th in the high jump (5’-4”).

The Cougars scored 14 points on the day, and finished 17th out 26 teams. Senior Alex Oelsner placed fourth in shotput (46’-11”), while junior Max Towlen had the eighth-place discus throw (129’-7”). Juniors Ethan Steiner (4:48.93) and Kenny Lang (4:50.39) placed eighth and ninth, respectively, in the 1600, and junior Kamran Elahi was ninth in the 800.

Despite the lower-half finish at Windsor, Henriques thinks his boys team has the potential to turn heads this season.

““The kids are excited, and I think we’ll surprise a lot of people,” said the coach. “Our goal for the season is to finish pretty high at Boulder County, and I think we’ll be number three in the Northern League. We just want to improve every week.”

GIRLS

In 2016, the Niwot girls track team finished third at state, after winning three state titles in a row in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This year, said Henriques, they will settle for nothing less than a return to the top of the 4A podium.

“Every year I let the girls set the goal,” explained the coach. “This year their goal is to win a state title and win Boulder County again.”

If their first two meets of the season are any indication, they are well on their way to doing both.

The Niwot girls captured the team title at last weekend’s Windsor Invite with 105.5 points, outscoring their closest competitor by more than 50 points. Junior Mary Gillett led the Cougars with two individual titles, in the 100m (12.62) and 300 hurdles (46.80). Her senior sister Claire Gillett finished seventh in the 400 (1:07.25), while freshman sister Elise Gillett was 11th in the 300 hurdles (52.31), 16th in the 100 (13.99) and 24th in the 100 hurdles (19.39).

Senior Alexis Carroll also had two first-place finishes on the day, in the 100 hurdles (15.39) and long jump (18’-1”). She also finished seventh in the pole vault. Senior Jenna McCaffrey again led the Cougar distance runners, taking second overall in the 800 (2:25.76), and fifth in the 1600 (5:33.45). Junior Mackenzie Fidelak was second overall in the 400 (59.46) and the 100 hurdles (16.11), while senior Rachel Oliver placed seventh in the discus (104’-3”) and 11th in shotput (30’-6”).

“Gillette, Carroll, and McCarthy have really started the season in a great way,” said the coach. “They also put in a lot of work in the off-season, so that doesn’t really surprise me.”

But he was surprised to see his team come away with a win at the Windsor meet, if only because they had no expectations going into the event.

“We didn’t go into Windsor trying to win,” Henriques said. “We were just trying to get some kids qualified, and it just kind of fell that way.”

Up next for the Cougars is the RE1J Meet at Mead High on Thursday, Mar. 23, followed by the Broomfield Shootout on Mar. 24.

Windsor Invitational, Windsor HS (Mar. 18)

BOYS (Niwot Results)

100m — 27. Chandler Seroogy, 12.19; 35. Dylan Campbell, 12.42; 56. Chris Altenborg, 12.72.

200m — 11. Jeremy Hollingsworth, 24.23; 44. Chandler Seroogy, 26.27; 55. Noah Pena, 27.44.

400m — 12. Oskar Wells, 52.86; 17. Emrick Wells, 53.67; 61. Noah Pena, 1:03.69.

800m — 9. Kamran Elahi, 2:06.70; 17. Benjamin Bi, 2:11.20.

1,600m — 8. Ethan Steiner, 4:48.93; Kenny Lang, 4:50.39; 10. Cruz Culpepper, 4:54.58.

3,200m — 18. Jack Volf, 11:00.68; 20. Peter LeCavalier, 11:01.72; 25. Ben Klingbeil, 11:29.25.

110 hurdles — 10. Jason Fetters, 17.43; 18. Nicholas Grant, 19.09; 35. Daniel Thomas, 21.81.

300 hurdles — 6. Nolan Johan, 43.95; 14. Jason Fetters, 45.97; 16. Jensen Douillard, 46.07.

4x100— 18. Niwot A, 47.96.

4x200 — 8. Niwot A, 1:36.95.

4x400 — 8. Niwot A, 3:39.94.

4x800 — 13. Niwot A, 9:22.08.

High Jump — 15. Daniel Thomas, 5-4.

Long jump — 35. Daniel Thomas, 16-9.75; 54. Kyle Reeves, 15-4; 71. Noah Pena, 13-2.

Triple jump — 7. Daniel Thomas, 39-8; 27 Jason Fetters, 35-4.

Discus — 8. Max Towlen, 129-7; 17. Isaiah Shurtleff, 116-2; 22. Alexander Oelsner 108-1

Shot put — 4. Alexander Oelsner, 46-11; 52. Max Towlen, 32-0; 68. Isaiah Shurtleff 28-7.

GIRLS (Niwot Results)

100m—1. Mary Gillett, 12.62; 16. Elise Gillett, 13.99; 20. Kelia Portis, 14.12

200m —27. Kayla Nowlin, 30.03; 33. Julea Trank, 30.39; 49. Marlow Baines, 31.33

400m —2. Mackenzie Fidelak, 59.46; 7. Claire Gillett, 1:04.71; 14. Maggie Smith, 1:07.25;

800m —2. Jenna McCaffrey, 2:25.76; 28. Samrawit Dishon, 2:46.38; 40. Caitlin Hyers, 2:54.74

1,600m — 5. Jenna McCaffrey, 5:33.45; 27. Courtney Smoljan, 6:20.50; 38. Mary McLean, 6:53.08

3,200m — 16. Jeri Wilcox, 13.01.27; 23. Courtney Smoljan, 13:23.87; 27. Mallory Finley, 13:44.61.

100 hurdles — 1. Alexis Carroll, 15.39; 2. Mackenzie Fidelak, 16.11; 24. Elise Gillett, 19.39.

300 hurdles —1. Mary Gillette, 46.80; 6. Ashley Herring, 51.11; 11. Elise Gillett, 52.31.

4x100 relay — 4. Niwot A, 53.86.

4x200 relay — 1. Niwot A, 1:46.22

800 Sprint medley — 5. Niwot A, 2:01.93

4x400 relay — 1. Niwot A, 4:03.19

4x800 relay — 16. Niwot A, 11:43.27

Long jump — 1. Alexis Carroll, 18-1; 35. Julea Trank, 12-7.75; 39. Marlow Baines, 11-11.75;

Triple jump — 34. Haley Noterman, 26-6.5

Pole Vault — 7. Alexis Carroll, 8-0, 9. Erin Carroll, 8-0.

Discus — 7. Rachel Oliver, 104-3; 48. Sophie Storz, 65-10; 70. Megan Herring, 47-2.

Shot put — 7. Rachel Oliver, 30-6; 31. Megan Herring, 26-2; 54. Sophie Storz, 22-10.