Cougars compete in St. Vrain Invitational

Before last weekend’s St. Vrain New Balance Invitational, Niwot head track coach Maurice Henriques was hopeful his boys relay team would finally post a state qualifying time. With just one week left before the 2017 Class 4A Track & Field Championships, the crowded meet was the last chance they would get this season, and he knew they were close.

“That’s our goal,” he explained following the Northern Conference championships, where all four relays finished in second place. “Hopefully, the weather’s great, and we’re able to run well and get those kids in.”

There was good news and bad news for the coach after the St. Vrain Invite. Two of the four relays recorded their fastest times of the season, both coming in under the state qualifying times. The 4x200 team of junior Alex Herman, sophomore Jeremy Hollingsworth, senior Carter Osteen, and sophomore Nolan Johan finished in 1:31.15, which was good for fourth overall on the day. The 4x800 relay team of Osteen and juniors Oskar Wells, Kamran Elahi, and Kenny Lang finished second overall with a time of 8:13.98. The other relays, the 4x100 and the 4x400, did not fare so well, finishing in eighth and ninth places, respectively, and those teams will not be competing next weekend at Jeffco Stadium.

Unfortunately, they won’t be the only boys staying home next weekend. Senior Alex Oelsner’s 48 foot, 10 inch shot put throw at the Holy Family Tiger Tornado on April 18 earned him Niwot’s only other boys state berth this year. Osteen’s season-best 41.30 in the 300-meter hurdles was good for 10th overall at the St. Vrain, but fell just short of the state-qualifying time of 41.18.

As expected, Niwot will be well represented on the girls side at the state meet, with qualifiers in 13 of the 19 events. During the regular season, Niwot girls posted the top Class 4A times in the 200- and 400-meter sprints and the 800 sprint medley relay, as well as in the top distances and in the long and triple jumps.

The Cougar girls’ 1:42.36 at the St. Vrain in the 4x200 meter relay was the fastest time in all classes this season. While such dominance might cause other coaches to worry about overconfidence among his runners, Henriques said his team has their eyes on the prize, and won’t be happy with anything but a state title.

“It goes back to the leadership on that side,” he said of his core group of performers. “It’s the culture. We know what we have to do; we know that we faltered last year. At Niwot, if the girls get second, they’re going to be upset.”

Junior Mary Gillett qualified in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes, as well as the 300-hurdles and long jump, but will only participate in the sprints and long jump at state. At the St. Vrain Invite, Gillett was fifth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.55. She was also on three of Niwot’s four relays, all of which posted state qualifying times, including the 4x100 team, whose 49.04 at the meet was the another top time in Class 4A this season. For Henriques, Gillett’s emergence as a top talent this year has meant more to his team than just points at a meet.

“She trains hard, she works hard, and that gets passed down to our young girls,” explained the coach. “They’re all looking up to Mary Gillett and the way she brings it, so her work ethic filters down.”

Senior Alexis Carroll (100-hurdles, long jump, triple jump, pole vault) and junior Mackenzie Fidelak (200- and 400-meter dashes, 100- and 300-hurdles) qualified in four individual events apiece, while senior Jenna McCaffrey qualified in the 3,200-meter run, the only Niwot distance runner to make the cut. Fidelak took third overall in the 100-hurdles at Friday’s meet, with a time of 15.61, and was on the 4x400 relay team with Gillett, as well as the 4x100 and 4x200 teams, which also featured Carroll.

The Class 4A State Championship Meet kicks off on Thursday, May 18 at 8:30 a.m. and continues through Saturday, May 20.

St. Vrain Invitational, Everly-Montgomery Field, May 12

BOYS (Niwot Results)

100 Meter Dash — 11. Alex Herman, 11.50; 27. Jeremy Hollingsworth, 11.76.

200 Meter Dash — 38. Dylan Campbell, 24.33.

400 Meter Dash — 44. Jensen Douillard, 55.28; 48. Cory Rathburn, 56.04.

800 Meter Run — 11. Oskar Wells, 1:59.30; 41. Kamran Elahi, 2:07.40; 52. Benjamin Bi, 2:10.26.

1,600 Meter Run — 14. Cruz Culpepper, 4:32.95; 29. Ethan Steiner, 4:40.56; 3. Kenny Lang, 4:43.63.

110 Meter Hurdles — 15. Jason Fetters, 16.11; 37. Cory Rathburn, 17.80.

300 Meter Hurdles — 10. Carter Osteen, 41.30; 15. Nolan Johan, 42.26; 25. Jason Fetters, 43.46; 30. Jensen Douillard, 44.17.

4X100 Meter Relay — 8. Niwot (Alex Herman, Jeremy Hollingsworth, Dylan Campbell, Nolan Johan), 44.22.

4X200 Meter Relay — 4. Niwot (Alex Herman, Jeremy Hollingsworth, Carter Osteen, Nolan Johan), 1:31.15.

4X400 Meter Relay — 9. Niwot (Alex Herman, Carter Osteen, Nolan Johan, Oskar Wells) 3:30.00.

4X800 Meter Relay — 2. Niwot (Carter Osteen, Oskar Wells, Kamran Elahi, Kenny Lang), 8:13.98.

Triple Jump — 20. Daniel Thomas, 38-6.5.

Pole Vault — 26. Tommy Stager, 10-7.

Discus — 28. Max Towlen, 120-4

Shot Put — 13. Alexander Oelsner 45-5.25.

GIRLS (Niwot Results)

100 Meter Dash — 5. Mary Gillett, 12.55; 35. Princess Sagala, 13.56; 48. Haley Noterman, 13.98; Julea Trank, 14.17.

200 Meter Dash — 21. Kayla Nowlin, 27.58; 25. Kelia Portis, 27.98; 28. Princess Sagala, 28.36.

400 Meter Dash —6. Kayla Nowlin, 1:00.48; 21. Kelia Portis, 1:03.14; 28. Marlow Baines, 1:06.97.

800 Meter Run — 18. Claire Gillett, 2:26.68; 66. Jeri Wilcox, 2:52.53.

1,600 Meter Run — 29. Jenna McCaffrey, 5:36.73; 55. Courtney Smoljan, 6:08.08.

100 Meter Hurdles — 3. Mackenzie Fidelak, 15.61; 21. Elise Gillett, 17.67; 31. Ashley Herring, 17.93.

300 Meter Hurdles — 9. Ashley Herring, 48.50; 23. Elise Gillett, 50.84; 37. Erin Carroll, 55.73.

4X100 Meter Relay — 3. Niwot (Alexis Carroll, Mary Gillett, Ashley Herring, Mackenzie Fidelak), 49.04.

4X200 Meter Relay — 1. Niwot (Alexis Carroll, Mary Gillett, Erika Timbang, Mackenzie Fidelak), 1:42.36.

800 Meter Sprint Medley Relay — 5. Niwot (Princess Sagala, Elise Gillett, Erika Timbang, Kayla Nowlin), 1:55.00.

4X400 Meter Relay — 1. Niwot (Erika Timbang, Mary Gillett, Claire Gillett, Mackenzie Fidelak), 3:56.62.

High Jump — 8. Zoe Gonzales, 4-11; 16. Erin Carroll, 4-9.

Pole Vault — 21. Erin Carroll, 8-1.

Discus — 26. Rachel Oliver, 95-9.

Shot Put — 23. Rachel Oliver, 31-0.