Niwot boys golf finding equilibrium

The beauty of golf is that it rewards a balance among strength, finesse, and mental acumen. When all aspects are clicking, the game can seem easy. But when the scales are out of balance, golf can be one of the most frustrating sports.

Niwot High School golf coach Ed Weaver has spent this season coaxing his players to find that equilibrium. And he knows he hasn't finished delivering the message.

"Length is our strength and length is our nemesis," Weaver explained while discussing the host Cougars' performance at last week's Niwot League Tournament at Twin Peaks Golf Course in Longmont. "We have too many players who just want to grip it and rip it. It's a little bit rampant on the team right now. I need to break that somehow."

The Cougars' over-reliance on hitting the long ball off the tee haunted the five-player varsity squad at Twin Peaks. While finishing the 10-team Long Peak League event in third place, Weaver's team was a distant 24 shots behind tournament winner Riverdale Ridge High School. The Ravens were led by last year's 4A State Tournament gold medalist, senior Bradley Weinmaster, who shot a 72, and fellow senior Wil Balliet, who posted a 74 to take third place overall.

Only one Cougar, sophomore Jackson Sessa, was able to score under 80 for the round. Last year's lone Niwot representative at the 4A State Tournament, Sessa posted a team low of 77, despite carding three double bogeys in his first six holes. Weaver highlighted Sessa's preference for the driver off the tee for leaving the sophomore in poor positions for his second shots which eventually led to the double bogeys.

"The driver is just not always the best choice. I think when I get a chance to sit down with Jackson and talk to him about this, he's going to get it. I'm going to have to sit down 1-on-1 with each of them. I don't think you can do it (have that conversation) as a group," Weaver said.

Junior Devin Farahani and senior Brighton Langenegger contributed to the third-place, three-player tournament total of 243 by posting scores of 81 and 85, respectively. Sophomore Sawyer Bennett, who struggled from the first hole of the day, wound up with an 87 while the Cougars' top player throughout the young season, senior Emmett Shell, was forced to withdraw from the field with flu symptoms. Shell pushed himself through 12 holes at 8-over par before pulling out of the tournament.

Weaver took advantage of two additional tournaments last week in Estes Park to give eight other players some needed experience. In the Estes Park Varsity Invitational, junior Drew Stapp led the Cougars with a 79 at the Estes Park Golf Course. It was Stapp's first appearance for the Cougars since the Pace o' Play Palooza on Aug. 3 in Loveland. The other varsity finishers were Jagger Kilpatrick (88), Moses Lance (89) and Sebastian Bennett (91).

In the junior varsity event, sophomore Will Jones led the Cougars to a second-place finish by posting a score of 80. "The JV was playing off the white tees up there and Will shoots an 80. That's a great score!" Weaver offered.

Freshman Cooper Leap contributed a career-best 83 for the Cougars followed by two other freshmen -- Arno Bergstrom, at 87, and Jake Bastow with a 92.