Niwot wrestling stumbles in early weeks

Much like head coach Bobby Matthews predicted in the preseason, the youthful Niwot wrestling team is still struggling for wins in the early part of 2021.

On Feb. 6, Niwot traveled to Johnstown for a four-way meet with host Roosevelt, Mountain View, and Loveland. Unfortunately, the outnumbered Cougars netted only a single contested victory on the day, by freshman Ben Rauschkolb (195lb) against the Mountain Lions.

"He's incredibly coachable," Matthews said of the newcomer after his second win of the season. "The light switch is going to go on for him soon. He listens to everything we're asking him to do. He's a hard worker, and he's got a heart of gold."

Also competing for Niwot on the day were freshman Autumn Rutherford, sophomore Vithal Arya, and senior Josh Armas, all ending at 0-3 on the day. Meanwhile, four members of the team were out with an illness or injury, including junior Bryce Nemec, the only Cougar with a winning record on the year.

After the meet, Matthews said there are signs of overall improvement in his wrestlers, but the lack of varsity experience is hard to overcome against powerhouse competitors such as Roosevelt and Loveland.

"It's trial by fire for a lot of them....But this year isn't about the overall team success, it's individual success, and building for the future. And these kids are out here, in a weird year, where there are so many restrictions on them. And they're in practice every day, and so I'm proud of them for what they're going through. They're working hard, and that's all you can ask for as a coach."