Out in Leftfield

BASEBALL

David Bote, son of longtime Niwot High baseball coach Bob Bote, was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Chicago Cubs on March 19 as he continues to recover from off-season shoulder surgery. Bote, an infielder, dislocated his left shoulder while reaching back to touch second base after a slide sent him past the base on May 30, 2021. He missed almost two months of the season, but returned on July 25, only to go back on the injured list with a sprained ankle August 28. He is expected to return to the active roster near the end of May.

Skye Messinger (Niwot) is the starting third-baseman for the University of Texas, which is ranked second in the nation with a record of 18-7. Messinger is a graduate transfer from the University of Kansas, and is fourth on the team in hitting with a .337 average. He has two homers and 18 RBI, with 15 runs scored, starting 21 of the 23 games he has played. On March 26, Messinger had three hits in five at bats in the first game of a double header, a 5-4 extra inning loss to Texas Tech. His hits included a double and a homerun. In the second game, he had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, but the Longhorns lost again, 16-12.

Patrick Perry (Niwot) is an area supervisor as a scout for the Texas Rangers. Now in the middle of his fourth season with the Rangers, Perry is based out of St. George, UT, but his area of responsibility is California. He played several seasons of professional baseball with the Red Sox organization before becoming a college coach, and later a scout.

GOLF

Kelsey Webster (Fairview) of Gunbarrel shot a career-best 70 (2 under) for the Oregon State Beavers in the opening round of the PING/ASU Invitational in Phoenix on March 25. Webster transferred from the University of Colorado last year for her senior season. According to the OSU website's description of her round, "She started on the 10th hole and eagled the par-5, 508-yard 15th hole and went 3 under over the final 10 holes to post the 2-under 70 that has her tied for eighth place." Webster posted an even-par 72 on the second day of the tournament and had a team-high seven birdies in the first two rounds. She finished in a tie for 15th place with a 1-under 70-72-73-215 for the tournament, which is her best career three-round score. OSU, ranked 37th nationally coming into the Arizona tournament, finished seventh in a field that included 12 top-50 ranked teams, finishing ahead of two top-10 ranked teams. Webster's former team, Colorado, finished 33rd.

This was Webster's third Top-20 finish in five tournaments with Oregon State this season. She finished in a tie for 11th at the Molly Collegiate Invitational and a tie for 19th at the Stanford Intercollegiate.

SOFTBALL

Meghan Waidler (Niwot) finished her softball career at UCCS last spring, and has continued her education by pursuing a master's degree in athletic training at UCCS. She is currently serving as a student trainer for hockey, baseball and golf at the United States Air Force Academy.

TRACK

Alexis Carroll (Niwot) finished fourth in the long jump for UCCS at the Dr. Dan Caprioglio Early Bird Open in Pueblo March 19. Carroll posted a mark of 5.32 meters. On Feb. 26 at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Championships, Carroll scored in two events, placing seventh in the triple jump with a mark of 11.4, and seventh in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.15 seconds.

Curtis Volf (Niwot) is running track for St. Mary's College this spring after competing in cross-country last fall. Volf ran an 8:48.05 in the 3,000m in his first collegiate track meet, finishing the second heat in fifth place at the Aggie Open in California March 12.

Lucca Fulkerson (Niwot) finished tenth for Princeton University women's track and field team at the Ivy League Indoor Championships in the 3000m. Fulkerson posted a time of 9:41.83.

Cruz Culpepper (Niwot) helped the University of Mississippi to a tenth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships, earning Second-Team All-America honors. Culpepper was part of the Distance Medley Relay for Ole Miss which took 11th-place overall at the March 12 event. At the SEC championships he came away with a title in his first career SEC final, but faded down the stretch in the men's mile. According to the school's website, Culpepper held the lead going into the final lap but was passed on the final curve, resulting in a third-place finish. His time of 3:57.66 made him the tenth Rebel to break the four-minute barrier in the mile, with a time that now ranks sixth in school history.

Samree Dishon (Niwot) finished fourth in the mile for New Mexico at the Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships with a personal record of 4:51.78 Feb. 24-26. Earlier in the year, Dishon finished second in the 800m at the New Mexico Classic with a time of 2:13.99.

Elise Gillett (Niwot) took second place in the 100m hurdles for the University of Colorado at the Jerry Quiller Classic March 19. Gillett, a sophomore, posted a time of 15.13 in the event. She also placed seventh in the 200m with a time of 26.67.

Kelia Portis (Niwot) ran a leg of the 4X400 Relay for Western Colorado at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships, which placed third with a time of 3:55.68 Feb. 28. The time was tenth all-time for Western Colorado for the event. Earlier in the season, Portis won the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.39 at the Western Colorado Alumni Open.

Maggie Smith (Niwot) finished seventh in the 800m for Colorado State University at the Spank Blasing Invitational March 26. The meet was the first outdoor track and field event of the season. Smith posted a time of 2:16.83.

Erika Timbang (Niwot) finished 18th for the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs in the 400m at the CSU Spank Blessing Invitational March 25-26. Timbang posted a time of 1:01.4 in event. She finished 13th in the 800m a week earlier at the Dr. Dan Caprioglio Early Bird with a time of 2:24.32.

Joelle McDonald (Niwot) of the University of Colorado was the top attached runner in the 3000m at the Jerry Quiller Classic March 19. McDonald, a sophomore, posted a time of 10:35.19.

HOCKEY

Michael Sdao, formerly of Niwot, is now an amateur scout for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Sdao is based out of Lincoln, Nebraska, where he played and coached for the Lincoln Stars.

VOLLEYBALL

Mackenzie Fidelak (Niwot) transferred to the University of Denver after a four-year run at Stanford University. While with the Cardinals, Fidelak was a member of two national championship teams in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, she had a career-high 22 assists in a victory over Arizona State, but did not appear in any matches for Stanford in 2021. DU Head Coach Tom Hogan was quoted on the DU website as saying, "Mackenzie has had an incredible career at Stanford filled with conference and national championships, and we are thrilled to add her experience to our program. On top of being a high-level player, Mackenzie is an incredible person who has an amazing impact on those around her. We are excited to welcome Mackenzie home to Colorado." The graduate transfer is listed as an opposite hitter on the DU website.

EQUESTRIAN

Amber Nusser (Niwot) helped UC Davis to a regular season-ending win over eighth-ranked Fresno State, 11-9 on March 12. Nusser, a sophomore, won her point in reining by a score of 70.5.-70 to put UC Davis in a 9-9 tie before UC Davis pulled out the victory.

BASKETBALL

Cooper Sheldon (Niwot) saw action in nine games for Doane University during the 2021-2022 season. Sheldon made three out of four field goals and was 4-6 at the free throw line, for a total of 11 points. He also pulled down five rebounds in limited action.

SKIING

Emily Creek (Niwot) finished 48th in the Giant Slalom for Northern Michigan at the USCSA Championships in Lake Placid, NY, at Whiteface Mountain March 8-12. Creek posted a combined time in the event of 2:30.78. She finished in fifth place at the regionals to qualify for the nationals.