Cougar softball loses playoff heartbreaker to #3 seed D'Evelyn

Niwot High School girls softball team ended a spectacular season with a heartbreaking first-round playoff loss to the D'Evelyn Jr./Sr. High Jaguars, who were seeded No. 3 in the state. Niwot entered the weekend seeded No. 14.

"I am so proud of the work that the players put in this season," said head coach Bobby Matthews. "They left it all on the field and they should not hang their heads at all. This game is tough, and sometimes the best team doesn't always win."

The Cougars scored first on a home run by pitcher Kiana Butler during her first plate appearance and she followed up with another RBI later on. Shortstop Autumn Rutherford had a home run of her own and went 4-for-4 during the game, while third baseman Anne Booth had the final Cougar RBI of the game.

Niwot held the Jaguars scoreless through the sixth inning after a three-run second inning gave D'Evelyn the lead. The Cougars scored two runs in the third inning to tie the game, and took a 4-3 lead with a run in the fifth inning.

The Cougars did not score in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, D'Evelyn's Elle Pharris reached base, and Peyton Marvel's two-run walk-off home run ended the game, with the Jaguars on top, 5-4.

The Jaguars were dominated by the Frederick High School Golden Eagles in their next game, with Frederick losing in the semifinals to the Riverdale Ridge High School Ravens. The Ravens in turn, fell to Lutheran High School, 6-1. It was the third year in a row that Lutheran earned a state title.

Although it was a disappointing conclusion to the season, the Cougars had much to be proud of throughout this season. They played in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014 and maintained an overall record of 18 wins, 8 losses, and one tie.They placed third in the Longs Peak League and were ranked in the top 20 in the state in Class 4A.

Individual players put up some impressive stats. As a pitcher, Butler led the 4A Longs Peak League in strikeouts, and was fourth in the same category across all of Class 4A. She was also second in games won in the Longs Peak League.

Rutherford led the Longs Peak League in batting average, finishing just ahead of Frederick's Makenzie Sais, who had held the top spot for much of the season. She also held the number two spot in home runs (9) for the league and was eighth in RBIs. Booth led the league in home runs with 11, and was second in RBIs with 40, and finished fourth in batting average.

Eight Cougars cracked the top 20 in the Longs Peak League for stolen bases. They were Rutherford at number two (26 SB), May Herrera at number seven (11 SB), Madison Dodge and Jenna Hobson tying in the ninth and tenth spots (9 SB), Zoe Cameron, Camryn Legh and Booth tying for the 11th, 12th and 13th spots (8 SB) and Julia Philofsky in 18th place (6 SB).

The Cougars not only finished the season with a strong record, they're leaving with an even stronger team bond and positioning for next year, even without Booth, Rutherford, Cameron and Hobson.

"To our amazing four seniors, I want to say thank you," added Matthews. "Thank you for going through some crazy times while at Niwot. From temp checks and hand sanitizer to playing in the Sweet 16, you left your marks in Niwot softball. You broke records and left the program better than it was when you came in. You were leaders both on the field and off. The coaching staff can never thank you enough for all you have done for the program."

D'Evelyn Jaguars 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 - 5

Niwot Cougars 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 - 4

Niwot: (AB, R, H, RBI) Z. Cameron 3 1 1 0; M. Dodge 3 0 1 0; C Legh 3 0 1 0; K. Butler 3 1 2 2; P. Johnson 1 0 0 0; A. Booth 4 0 1 1; J. Hobson 3 0 0 0; Autumn Rutherford 4 2 4 1; M. Herrera 3 0 0 0; S. Paterno 2 0 0 0.

Butler (W/L) (IP, H, R, ER, BB, K) L (6 8 5 5 2 5)