All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
Seniors Aydent Bartko and Cooper Ackerman connected for a long reception in the first quarter that set up Thomas Carnegie's first touchdown of the night.
Niwot junior defensive lineman Bryce Nemec recovered a Trojan fumble during the first half of Niwot's win over Thornton on Nov. 20.
Niwot players anxiously watch the action on the field as the seconds tick down to the Cougars first and only win of the 2020-21 season.
It took four Thornton Trojans to bring down big senior quarterback Ayden Bartko, who took off with the ball for a long run during Niwot's fourth quarter scoring drive that secured their first win of the season.
Emotions were running high at Erie's Tiger Stadium on Friday, Nov. 20. In a season finale battle of winless teams, Niwot senior quarterback Ayden Bartko led a game-winning fourth-quarter drive to defeat the Thornton Trojans, 26-20.
Head coach Nik Blume came away with his first win leading the green and white. He credited his resilient senior class for sticking together despite a challenging season.
"I couldn't be more proud," Blume said. "Our seniors carried us tonight. (Wide receiver/cornerback) Cooper Ackerman made some massive plays, Ayden Bartko made some massive plays, Brandon Dimas (and) Jesus Amaya (too). That whole senior group, they all contributed tonight some way."
Playing in front of an empty stadium wasn't an ideal curtain call for Niwot's seniors, but they were able to manufacture energy early and often. A slew of family members watched from their vehicles on a hill, cheering and honking as Niwot took an early 12-0 lead.
A spectacular catch by Ackerman set up junior running back Thomas Carnegie to find the end zone but Niwot couldn't convert the extra point. Carnegie had multiple long runs in the first half. "Kid runs like a rhino," praised Blume.
On Thornton's ensuing drive, junior defensive lineman Bryce Nemec recovered a Trojan fumble and junior Easten Leatherwood punched home the Cougars' second TD. Niwot opted for the two-point conversion but was unsuccessful.
Both teams let all their frustrations surface before the offseason in a chippy second quarter. Several 15-yard personal fouls were called against Niwot, aiding in two Thornton touchdowns.
"We got to clean up the unsportsmanlike (penalties) and understand that that kind of stuff is what loses you games, and it almost did," Blume said. "As much as we fought and battled and scored points, we almost gave it away because we just couldn't get out of our own way."
Nemec got the last laugh of the half, sacking the Trojans' QB and preserving an 18-14 halftime lead. Blume said the Longmont transfer has been "dominating everybody" and will be a player to watch in 2021.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but Thornton took a 20-18 lead on a 23-yard TD pass with just over six minutes remaining in the game. On the following kickoff, Ackerman went down on Niwot's 42-yard line to set the stage for Bartko's heroics. One play later, Bartko faked a handoff to his running back and it took four Trojans to bring him down on the 16-yard line.
Thornton's defense forced a 4th-and-15 on the next series but Bartko, just moments before getting tackled, found junior Craig Wright for a first down. Leatherwood scored from six yards out and Bartko converted the two-point conversion to regain the lead with what turned out to be the game-winning score.
Blume kept his advice simple for Niwot's offense on its final drive. "He (was) like 'let's go score,' so we did it," Bartko said. After four seasons of leading the Cougar offense, the team win in his final high school game was extra special for Bartko.
"I was thinking about it before the game and I was promising myself I wouldn't get emotional, but you really can't help it," he said. "We went out with a bang, the team played very well and I've got to give it to them. They carried me."
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