All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
Evelyn Melis at the free throw line as Chloe Mitchell (11) lines up against Frederick.
Madison Ackerman (4) lines up on defense as Hadie Adams (2) runs down the court.
The Niwot High School pep band kept the crowd entertained during the basketball doubleheader against Frederick Jan. 11.
Junior Evelyn Melis knocks down a mid-range jump shot over a Frederick defender.
The Niwot High School girls basketball squad came out of winter break with a record of 2-6, hoping to get back in the win column, but the first two games of January came against tough opponents, Thompson Valley High School and Frederick High School.
The Cougars took on Thompson Valley Jan. 9, on the road, and stayed with the Eagles through the first half. Although they found themselves down 12-7 at the end of the first period, the Cougars outscored the Eagles 11-9 in the second period, with Thompson Valley leading by only a 3-point margin, 21-18, at the half.
The third quarter proved to be the turning point, as the Eagles outscored Niwot 13-2, and the fourth quarter only added to Thompson Valley's lead as the Eagles won 54-27.
The Cougars returned home two nights later to host Frederick, but a slow start again doomed the home team. Frederick got out to a 20-1 lead in the first quarter, as Niwot could only muster a free throw from Jiselle Sales at the end of the period. In the second quarter, the Cougars were able to put up seven points on a free throw by Evelyn Melis and field goals by Melis, Hadie Adams and Madison Ackerman, but Frederick increased its lead, scoring 14 points for a 34-8 halftime lead.
A full-court press by the Golden Eagles caused multiple turnovers, and the Cougars were cold from the floor and from the free-throw line. The third quarter saw Niwot add only two free throws, one by Chloe Mitchell and one by Peyton Rhodes. Melis had the only Cougar points in the fourth quarter with a layup. She also blocked a shot, but Frederick continued to score, with 20 points in the third quarter, and eight points in the fourth after reserves entered the game midway through the period. The final score was 62-12, with the 50-point loss tied for worst margin of loss of the year.
Melis led the Cougars with five points, but as a team, Niwot went 4-32 from the field for a 12.5% field goal percentage. The Cougars were 0-14 from the 3-point range, and 4-19 from the free throw line. Melis, Mitchell and Rose Pacheco each pulled down seven rebounds. Pacheco, who is the team's leading scorer on the season, was in foul trouble early and was held scoreless, eventually fouling out. The Cougars also lost the turnover battle, turning the ball over 38 times to 17 for Frederick.
Niwot's next game is at Fort Morgan Jan. 18, where the Cougars hope to pick up a victory.
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