Niwot golf plays at a high pitch

Golf balls were flying this past week for the Niwot High School Cougars as 16 players teed it up in four different events.

The varsity team took to the links last Tuesday at Ute Creek Golf Course in the Longs Peak League’s Skyline tournament, coming up one stroke shy of nemesis Riverdale Ridge High School for the victory.

The Cougars’ JV representatives at the Skyline JV event ran away with a 25-stroke victory over second-place Severance High School in that nine-hole tournament. And, across town at Twin Peaks Golf Course, two Niwot foursomes teed off in the Longmont Invitational, winding up in fifth and eighth places in the 13-team gathering.

Thursday’s Frederick Classic at Coyote Creek Golf Course matched the varsity Cougars against teams from the Longs Peak League as well as several other teams from across the Front Range. Once again, the Cougars settled for a second-place finish behind Riverdale Ridge, this time by eight strokes.

The highlight of the Frederick Classic was the play of junior Jagger Kilpatrick. Not often playing with the varsity group this season, Kilpatrick made the most of the opportunity to shoot a career-best, one-under par 70 to finish in a six-way tie for second place, two-shots behind defending 4A state champion Bradley Weinmaster of Riverdale Ridge. The grouping at 70 also included the Cougars’ top player throughout the season, senior Emmett Shell.

With four holes to play, Kilpatrick, whose shotgun start round began on the course’s 8th hole, took the tournament lead at two-under par on the strength of an eagle 3 on the par 5 fourth hole. At that point, the Cougar had a one-shot lead over Weinmaster, whose round would end on holes seven, eight and nine. Kilpatrick parred his next two holes, while Weinmaster birdied seven and parred No 8. With one hole to play, the two were tied for the tournament lead at two under par.

The final holes saw Kilpatrick put his drive into the rough at No. 7 and then struggle in the green side bunker to card a bogey 5. Meanwhile, Weinmaster closed out his round with a birdie on No. 9 for the tournament victory.

Shell found himself with the Frederick tournament lead at three-under par with six holes to play. Starting the tournament on hole number 10, Shell carded one bogey, seven pars and four birdies in his first 12 holes.

But then the bogey bug bit. Shell, the Cougars’ low average leader this season, stumbled with three bogeys over his next four holes. He rallied back with a birdie on his final hole of the day to grab a share of second place.

Sophomore Sawyer Bennett was the third player to contribute to the three-player team total of 216, finishing the round with a five-over-par 76.

At the Skyline varsity tournament at Ute Creek, junior Drew Stapp and sophomore Jackson Sessa led the Cougars, each firing three-over-par 75s to tie for third place. Bennett contributed a 79 to the team’s second-place finish, which might have looked a lot different if not for a combined four over par for the threesome on the 18th and final hole.

The junior varsity’s victory at the Skyline tournament was led by a trio of sophomores. Joe Weimer paced the team with a sizzling two-under par 34 for the nine-hole event. Teammates Moses Lance and Henry Noblin chipped in with 37 and 39, respectively.

The top performers at the Longmont Invitational were Kilpatrick with a 78, freshman Sebastian Bennett and sophomore Will Jones tied at 80, and freshman Owen Lipinski with an 84.

The Cougar varsity was scheduled to play its final league tournament on Tuesday, Sept. 12. The Northridge-hosted league event which will include a team of four from Niwot will be held at Boomerang Links Golf Course in Greeley, the site of the Region 3 Tournament on Thursday, Sept. 21.