Student Athlete of the Week Freddie Ambrose

While it's not at the absolute forefront of his mind, Niwot High School track and field senior Freddie Ambrose is doing his best to cherish the final days of his prep career.

"When I'm running with the other guys that I've been running with for four years, it's kind of like, 'Dang, this is one of the last times I'll ever be able to run with these guys when we're all racing for the same team,'" Ambrose said.

Putting on a show at the state championships in May remains his highest priority, though, especially after having to settle for a Class 4A runner-up spot last season.

"I just want to make state with the team, that's kind of all I can ask for," Ambrose said. "Whatever I have to do to help that, wherever Coach Mo (Maurice Henriques) or Kelly (Christensen) puts me to help make that happen is all that matters to me. I want to be on top of the podium with my teammates at the end of my senior year."

After competing in a slew of middle-distance and relay races as a junior, Ambrose is primarily focusing on the 800-meter and 1,600-meter runs this season. In the St. Vrain RE-1J District Meet on March 10, Ambrose finished second in both events, and he took fourth in the 1,600 at the Murray Kula Invitational on March 18. Moving forward, the 4x400 and the 4x800 relays are other events Ambrose expects to join more frequently.

Ambrose, along with teammates senior Jeremy Gillett and sophomore Gavin Engtrakul, then made the trip to Chandler High School in Arizona for the Chandler Rotary Invitational from March 24-25. Ambrose raced in the 800 and 1,600-meter, finishing 17th and 11th, respectively. Despite setting a personal-best time of 4 minutes, 22.17 seconds in the 1,600, Ambrose still believes it wasn't his strongest meet overall.

However, the senior remains pleased with his progression through the season's first few weeks of competition.

"I think I'm starting off the year faster than I was last year," Ambrose said. "Overall, as a team, we're starting off way better than we did compared to last year. We're all just excited to see what we can do this year on the boys' side and both sides. (There are) not too many expectations right now, we're just racing."

Coming up next for Ambrose, Niwot High is set to host 24 other programs at the NoCo Series #1 meet on April 1.