Niwot boys golf kicks off 2021 season at Spartan Invitational

Mere weeks after coaching the Niwot girls golf team to a top-10 finish at the Class 4A state championships, seventh-year head coach Ed Weaver was back on the course with the Cougar boys, energized and looking forward to another successful season.

"We're a young team, but we have potential going forward," he said during Niwot's season opener in Greeley on Aug. 9. "I think some of the younger guys are coachable. They're doing the right things to stay competitive, or get more competitive next year."

That also happens to be true of Niwot's top golfer, senior Christopher Gunlikson, a three-time state qualifier who is looking to close out his high school career on a winning note. He has set some lofty goals for both himself and his teammates in 2021, including qualifying for state as a team, and then cracking the individual leaderboard there. In preparation, he spent "a ton" of time on the golf course during the off-season, and is now "super excited" to see the results pay off. "I've improved a lot on my ball striking this year, especially off the tee," he said. "And I'm a lot more confident with the driver and my irons, too."

Weaver is also eager to see his lone senior's hard work pay off on the course, especially when it comes to his play in the postseason. After an impressive fifth-place finish in the 2020 regional tournament, Gunlikson struggled at state, and his coach said the off-season work should help remedy that. As for the regular season, Gunlikson should be a contender for Longs Peak Player of the Year, Weaver said, and even a top-10 finish at state is possible.

"He's much more consistent. He's been playing a lot of AJGA [American Junior Golf Association] and JGAC [Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado] tournaments. I've always told the kids they've got to get 'tournament tough,' is what I call it. And the only way to do that is to play in them."

Gunlikson carded a 75 (+4) at the season-opening Spartan Invitational, which was good for fifth place overall out of 80 players. The next day, he took third overall with a 74 (+3) at the first Longs Peak League event of the year in Eaton.

Also returning to the varsity in 2021 is second-year golfer Emmett Shell, another player who has shown marked improvement from last season, Weaver said. The sophomore will be Niwot's number-two golfer this season, and Weaver foresees a postseason appearance in his near future.

"Emmett is maturing both as a person and a player. He had to go through trial by fire during his freshman year, and now he knows what it's like to play out here. I think he's more comfortable playing out here, and I think he should be a state qualifier."

Shell finished 17th at the Spartan Invitational with an 81 (+10), then carded a 77 (+6) at Eaton to take seventh place.

Also back is junior Carlos Kipkorir, who will be running cross country when he's not playing in the number-three spot for Niwot. According to Weaver, Kipkorir made some key adjustments to his swing during the off-season, and is very happy with how it has improved his game. At Eaton, he shot a personal best round of 80, which was good for ninth place. "He was very, very excited," Weaver said.

To round out the top-four, Weaver will have a choice between junior Ryan Lady, now in his third year with the team, newcomer Brighton Langenegger, a sophomore, and freshman Drew Stapp.

With the former two, the Cougars finished 7th out of 20 teams in the Spartan Invitational, and 2nd overall in the first league event at Eaton. Weaver was "really happy" with both performances, and likes the tone it sets for the rest of the season.

The Cougars will be back on the course next on Aug. 19 for an invitational at Eaton, followed by the second league tournament at Coyote Creek in Fort Lupton on Aug. 23.