Cougar boys tie for 2nd at state track

The Niwot High boys track team entered the state Class 4A meet as the defending state champion, and came close to a repeat, finishing in a tie for second with Cheyenne Mountain at 60 points each, just behind Longmont with 76.

The Cougars were led by senior Zane Bergen, who won the 800m (1:52.07) by more than two seconds, and took second in the 1600m and fourth in the 3200m (9:08.60). Bergen, who will run for Stanford next year, was also a part of the winning 4 x 400 relay team. “He’s a great kid,” Head Coach Maurice Henriques said. “He definitely will be missed.”

While Bergen had an outstanding performance, he was disappointed he didn’t do more. Bergen was the defending state champion in both the 1600m and the 3200m, but lost to Longmont’s Connor McCormick, who was second to Bergen last year. Henriques said, “I told him, ‘Hey son, you ran your personal best, you can’t complain. You tip your hat to that kid.’” Bergen’s time of 4:07.72 was not only a personal best, it surpassed the previous state 4A record in the 1600m.

Another senior, Nick Stade, participated in multiple events. Stade, who will compete at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore., next year, finished ninth in the pole vault (13’3”) and was a member of the 4 X 200 relay and the 4 x 400 relay.

Eric Walker, a junior, placed in both the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles. He entered state seeded first in the 300 hurdles, but finished sixth overall at 39.73. He took fifth in the 110 hurdles at 15.39. Walker also ran on the 4 X 200 and 4 X 400 relays. Ben Classen, also a junior, took fifth place in the 400m (49.52), and also ran on the 4 X 200 and 4 X 400 relays.

Stade, Classen, Walker and Bergen posted a time of 3:20.84 in the 4 X 400 relay, more than two seconds ahead of the runner-up. In the 4 X 200 relay, the Cougars took fifth at 1:30.18, with senior Thomas Carnagie, Classen, Stade and Walker running.

Others running for Niwot included Joey Hendershot, who took 11th in the 3200m (9:25.58) and 13th in the 1600m (4:24.85). The Cougar 4 X 800 relay finished 11th (8:14.04), with Hendershot, Stefan Haug, Isaac Robinson and Frederick Ambrose running.

For Henriques, the second-place finish was bittersweet. “I thought it was going to be a battle,” he said. “Longmont had an unbelievable meet. Hats off to them.” Part of the reason is that Henriques runs an off-season club track team, REAL Training, which includes more than just Niwot High runners. “Longmont had five kids that ran [at state],” he said. “Four out of the five train with me. At the end of the day, it’s about the kids – give them the opportunity.”

Others notice too. “Cheyenne Mountain tied with us for second,” Henriques said. “I saw them at the end of the indoor [track] season, and told them, ‘Hey, I hope you get second [at state].’ At the end [of the state meet], they all came over and said, ‘I guess you were talking about yourself too.’ They remembered what I had said to them.”

Henriques noted the efforts of his assistant coaches in creating an exceptional high school track and field program. “I appreciate all the coaches and the time they put in. His assistant coaches include Lorne Jenkins, a former NHS track and football star, and Alex Herman, another NHS grad (2018) who ran under Henriques.

There are other Niwot connections as well. “Bryant Strause, a counselor at Platte Middle School, is one of my assistants, and his wife, Leanna Hirsh, ran for me at Niwot,” Henriques said. “Bernard Gillett, Mary’s dad, is an assistant coach.” Mary Gillett was a top runner for Niwot until she graduated in 2018 and moved on to Stanford.

Kelly Christensen, Niwot High counselor and head coach of the cross country program, works with the distance runners. Katie Ranisberger and Tim Geldean also help with distance events. Nicolas Blume, Niwot High football coach, works with the throwers. Dante Baken, a math teacher at Angevine Middle School, joined the coaching staff to work with the pole vaulters.

Daniel Bloom, who teaches in the Thompson Valley School District, is moving to Summit County, and will be leaving the front range.

Henriques will continue to work with his club team through June, then take the month of July off. For the Cougars, it will be time to reload.