Ben Classen shines but Niwot falls to Lewis-Palmer

It will take at least another week for the Niwot Cougars (0-4) to secure their first win of the season after falling to the Lewis-Palmer Rangers, 44-16 Thursday night at host Erie High School.

Navigating a "thin" roster, first-year Head coach Nik Blume was impressed with how his players continued to compete. Over half of Niwot's roster is composed of freshmen who have been tasked with learning on the run.

"We knew it was a project coming in and you're seeing that for us right now every night and so our conversation is, 'You just got to keep swinging,' " Blume said. "(I'm) proud of the kids for staying together; they never quit. They haven't quit a single game so far and they keep grinding together even though we can't rotate a lot and they're doing everything we could possibly ask right now."

Sophomore wide receiver/linebacker Ben Classen did everything he was asked and did it well against Lewis-Palmer. With Niwot down 21-3 midway through the second quarter, senior quarterback Ayden Bartko connected with Classen, who broke free for an 85-yard touchdown. The loquacious Classen said the touchdown felt "pretty good."

After what could have been a script-flipping touchdown, Lewis-Palmer answered with a rushing touchdown while in the red zone and led 28-9 at the half. After the game, Blume said that developing consistency and taking advantage of momentum were key learning points.

Niwot's inability to harness momentum was epitomized early in the game. Senior cornerback/wide receiver Cooper Ackerman intercepted a Rangers' pass around midfield, and Bartko hit junior wide receiver Craig Wright to set up a first and goal. Three unsuccessful plays later, senior Ashton Campie knocked in a chip-shot field goal.

"Every day in practice we're continuing to preach attention to detail and it gets old, I know it gets old for the kids," Blume said. "They're (players) like, 'Every game we're like this close,' because we really are that close. The consistency is what's going to get us that last quarter of an inch that we've been missing for four games now."

Early in the third quarter, Lewis-Palmer recovered a Niwot fumble and promptly cashed in with a 31-yard touchdown pass on the next play. Niwot's defensive secondary struggled to stop the big plays and Blume said a greater focus on the fundamentals will help limit breakdowns in the future.

Blume was, however, pleased with Niwot's ability to stop the run. With just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Classen resurfaced on the defensive side of the ball and recovered a Ranger fumble. Classen was a force on defense and finished the game with 120 receiving yards on offense, proving to be a versatile piece for Blume.

"As a sophomore, we've been big on him (Classen) from the beginning," Blume said. "Even as an inside (line)backer, that kid's everywhere. Whether it's offense (or) defense, he's been all over the field....The big thing with Ben (is) he doesn't even talk- he just does what's asked of him. (He) goes out, makes plays, grinds, comes back and tries to do it all over again."

Niwot couldn't turn the fumble into points and Lewis-Palmer took a 44-9 lead on a 52-yard field goal. With time dwindling in the game, Niwot's triple-option offense gave Bartko a good look and he found Wright for a 17-yard TD. But the scoring play was too little, too late.

The Cougars will look for their first win since Sept. 2019 on Saturday, Nov. 7 against Discovery Canyon High School in Colorado Springs.