Niwot girls cruise to Northern League Title

The Niwot girls track and field team can add another title to its already lengthy list: 2017 Northern League champions. In yet another dominating performance, the Cougars outscored their nearest opponent by more than 60 points to capture first place at last weekend’s conference meet, winning nine of the 19 events, including all three sprints and both hurdles races. Senior Alexis Carroll and junior Mary Gillett combined for five of the Cougars’ nine individual titles, and between them set three meet records.

To even the most casual observer, the Cougars will clearly be a force to contend with at the upcoming Class 4A State meet. “There are still some things we need to improve on, but obviously the Northern Conference is a tough conference, so it’s a pretty good indicator of where we’re at,” said Niwot head coach Maurice Henriques following his team’s record-setting weekend. “After finishing third last year, coming off three state titles in a row, their goal is to be on top again.”

The Cougars were paced once again by their strong upper class core. Carroll set two meet records, in the 100-hurdles with a time of 14.79 seconds and in the long jump with a distance of 18 feet-8.5 inches. She also took first in the triple jump (35’-10.5”), and was a member of the first-place 4x200 relay team (1:45.01). Gillett, meanwhile, won all three sprints, setting a meet record in the 400-meter dash (56.12). She also took second in the long jump (18’-.5”).

Niwot junior Mackenzie Fidelak also had a big day, winning an individual title in the 300-hurdles with a season-best 44.38. She had another season best in the 100 hurdles (15.47), which was good for second behind Carroll, and was runner-up to Gillett in the 200-meter dash, with a time of 15.47.

In the distance runs, senior Jenna McCaffrey, who will be attending Northern Arizona University next fall, took fourth in the 3,200 meters (12:19.13), fifth in the 800 meters (2:26.49) and ninth in the 1,600-meter run (5:50.07). Senior Claire Gillett ran a season-best 2:21.93 in the 800-meter race, which was good for second overall. She was also on the two first place relay teams.

But as extraordinary at this group of veterans is, Henriques said he is equally impressed by his younger team members. “Mary, Alexis, Mackenzie and Jenna are our top kids, and they’re going to score a lot of points,” the coach said. “But you have to have depth across the board, and I’m really excited about our underclassman. We have some freshman and sophomore girls that are going to be big contributors at the state meet.”

Among them is freshman Elise Gillett, who took ninth in the 100-meter hurdles (51.41) and eighth in the 300-meter hurdles. She was also a member of the 4x100 meter relay team, which took fourth with a time of 52.68. Sophomores Erika Timbang (1:01.40) and Kayla Nowlin (1:02.41) took third and fourth respectively in the 400-meter race, and both were members of the first-place 4x400 relay team (4:04.99). Timbang was also fourth overall in the 100-meter dash with a season-best 13.24, and ran with the first place 4x200 relay team (1:45.01).

On the boys side of the meet, the Cougars finished fifth overall with 83 points, just a few points behind the fourth-place finisher Thompson Valley (87.33). While no Cougar won an individual title at the meet, three of the four relays finished in second place.

“I’m super excited about that,” said Henriques. “We’re right on the borderline [to qualify for state] with all of the relays, and that was our goal. Hopefully we’ll get them in at the St. Vrain.”

Junior Oskar Wells posted another sub-2:00 run in the 800-meter race (1:58.97) to take third overall, finishing just ahead of junior teammate Kamran Elahi, whose season-best 2:00.78 was good for sixth. In the 3,200-meter run, junior Kenny Lang placed third with a time of 9:59.67, while junior Ethan Steiner (10:20.63) was eighth.

In the hurdles races, senior Jason Fetters was fourth in the 110 meters (16.49), and sixth in the 300 meters (43.20), just behind sophomore Nolan Johan (42.04) who was fifth, and senior Carter Osteen (41.96), who was third.

Senior Alex Oelsner led the Cougars in the throwing events, with a fourth-place finish in the shot put (43’-6.5”) and an 11th-place finish in the discus (103’-7”).

The Cougars will be back at Everly-Montgomery Field for the St. Vrain Invite on May 12. This is the last chance to post a qualifying time or distance ahead of the Class 4A State Meet which will be held May 18-20 at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood.

Northern League Meet,

Everly-Montgomery Field, May 5-6

BOYS (Niwot Results)

Team scores — Silver Creek 146, Longmont 142.33, Mountain View 137, Thompson Valley 87.33, Niwot 83, Centaurus 39.83, Greeley Central, 35.5, Northridge 27.

100 Meter Dash — 6. Alex Herman, 11:55; 7. Jeremy Hollingsworth, 11:57; 20. Dylan Campbell, 12.07.

200 Meter Dash —9. Jeremy Hollingsworth, 24.08; 14. Dylan Campbell, 24.47; 22. Jensen Douillard, 25.68.

400 Meter Dash — 6. Emrick Wells, 52.57; 12. Jensen Douillard, 54.84; 17. Cory Rathburn, 55.80.

800 Meter Run — 4. Oskar Wells, 1:58.97; 5. Kamran Elahi, 2:00.78; 14. Benjamin Bi, 2:09.15.

1,600 Meter Run —9. Ethan Steiner, 4:45.45; 11. Peter LeCavalier, 4:58.69; 17. Luke Robinson, 5:02.85.

3,200 Meter Run — 3. Kenny Lang, 9:59.67; 8. Ethan Steiner, 10:20.63; 9. Ben Klingbeil, 11:00.64.

110 Meter Hurdles — 4. Jason Fetters, 16.49; 6. Nolan Johan, 17.03; 11. Cory Rathburn, 18.16.

300 Meter Hurdles — 3. Carter Osteen, 41.96; 5. Nolan Johan, 42.04; 6. Jason Fetters, 43.20.

4X100 Meter Relay — 2. Niwot (Alex Herman, Jeremy Hollingsworth, Dylan Campbell, Nolan Johan), 44.61.

4X200 Meter Relay — 2. Niwot (Alex Herman, Jeremy Hollingsworth, Carter Osteen, Nolan Johan), 1:31.75.

4X400 Meter Relay — 2. Niwot (Alex Herman, Carter Osteen, Oskar Wells, Emrick Wells) 3:33.51.

4X800 Meter Relay — 5. Niwot (Carter Osteen, Kamran Elahi, Benjamin Bi, Oskar Wells), 8:23.40.

High Jump — 9. Max Towlen, 5-5.5; 10. Daniel Thomas, 5-5.5.

Long Jump — 13. Jason Fetters, 18-3.5; 16. Daniel Thomas, 18-0; 23. Cory Rathburn, 16-2.

Triple Jump — 7. Daniel Thomas, 39-11.5; 12. Jason Fetters, 36-10.75; 13. Cory Rathburn, 16-2.

Discus —6. Max Towlen, 120-6; 11. Alexander Oelsner, 103-7

Shot Put — 4. Alexander Oelsner 43-6.5; 14. Max Towlen 34-9.5.

GIRLS (Niwot Results)

Team scores — Niwot 190.5, Longmont 127, Thompson Valley 119, Mountain View 116.5, Silver Creek 83, Greeley Central 44, Centaurus 44, Northridge 11.

100 Meter Dash — 1. Mary Gillett, 12.42; 4. Erika Timbang, 13.24; 8. Princess Sagala, 13.57.

200 Meter Dash — 1. Mary Gillett, 25.24; 2. Mackenzie Fidelak, 26.08; 8. Kaitlyn Hellman, 28.67

400 Meter Dash — 1. Mary Gillett,56.12*; 3. Erika Timbang, 1:01.40; 4. Kayla Nowlin, 1:02.41.

800 Meter Run — 2. Claire Gillett, 2:21.93; 5. Jenna McCaffrey, 2:26.45; 8. Samrawit Dishon, 2:28.84.

1,600 Meter Run — 9. Jenna McCaffrey, 5:50.07; 13. Samrawit Dishon, 6:01.77; 14. Jeri Wilcox, 6:03.19.

3,200 Meter Run — 4. Jenna McCaffrey, 12:19.13.

100 Meter Hurdles — 1. Alexis Carroll, 14.79*; 2. Mackenzie Fidelak, 15.47; 9. Elise Gillett, 17.73

300 Meter Hurdles — 1. Mackenzie Fidelak,44.38; 5. Ashley Herring, 49.78; 8. Elise Gillett, 51.41.

4X100 Meter Relay — 4. Niwot (Haley Noterman, Julea Trank, Elise Gillett, Princess Sagala), 52.68.

4X200 Meter Relay — 1. Niwot (Alexis Carroll, Claire Gillett, Erika Timbang, Mackenzie Fidelak), 1:45.01.

800 Meter Sprint Medley Relay — 3. Niwot (Haley Noterman, Julea Trank, Kelia Portis, Kayla Nowlin), 1:55.77.

4X400 Meter Relay — 1. Niwot (Erika Timbang, Claire Gillett, Kayla Nowlin, Ashley Herring), 4:09.99.

4X800 Meter Relay — 5. Niwot (Samrawit Dishon, Jeri Wilcox, Courtney Smoljan, Kaitlyn Hellmann), 10:43.59.

High Jump — 5. Zoe Gonzales, 4-7.5; 7. Erin Carroll, 4-3.5.

Long Jump — 1. Alexis Carroll, 18-8.5*; 2. Mary Gillett 18-.5; 14. Julie Bottke, 12-1.

Triple Jump — 1. Alexis Carroll, 35-10.5; 11. Marlow Baines, 29-7.5; 14. Haley Noterman, 26-10.5.

Pole Vault — 3. Erin Carroll, 8-7; 9. Carolyn Qiu, 6-7; 10. Amber Nusser, 6-7.

Discus — 6. Rachel Oliver, 98-3; 11. Sophie Storz, 83-2; 19. Elizabeth Archabold, 65-8.

Shot Put — 4. Rachel Oliver, 30-01; 10. Megan Herring, 27-7.5; 16. Sophie Storz, 23-8.5.

*Meet record