Student Athlete of the Week Ben Gabrielson

Not initially expecting the starting role he was given, it took some time for Niwot High School boys soccer midfielder Ben Gabrielson to get comfortable at the varsity level last fall.

Gabrielson, then a junior, had received spot varsity minutes the year prior and was competing with other talented upperclassmen who were also searching for playing time. But as the season wore on and his confidence grew, Gabrielson quickly became a reliable presence in the Cougars' midfield.

Niwot finished the season 12-4-2 and reached the Class 4A state quarterfinals with Gabrielson providing consistency.

"I knew the system pretty well and was able to play the same way no matter what," Gabrielson said. "Being a consistent presence in the midfield was what I was able to provide... Some of the seniors, in particular, were better players than me, and they could provide more of the spark to score goals and stuff. I was more of a consistent presence as the six - the center defensive mid."

Numbers-wise, his lone offensive statistic came on Oct. 5 when he tallied an assist in Niwot's 10-0 blowout win over Mountain View High School. Defense, though, was his top priority.

With his senior season on deck, scoring career goal No. 1 is near the top of Gabrielson's bucket list. "I'd like to contribute more offensively," he said.

Gabrielson would also like to take on a greater leadership role as a veteran in the program.

"I'm a lot more confident in my abilities, being a leader on the team and knowing that I fit in well," Gabrielson said. "I'm a lot more confident than I was at this point last year, although I did gain quite a bit of confidence throughout my junior season."

After playing club soccer this spring with Real Colorado North, based in Longmont, Gabrielson is gearing up for his final high school season. Niwot started summer workouts earlier this month ahead of what could be another strong fall season.

"I'm focused on continuing to improve my skills and continuing to fit better within the team wherever I'm needed," Gabrielson said regarding his summer focus.

Including Gabrielson, the Cougars are expected to have another relatively large group of seniors. Naveen Bopearachchigedon, Jay Scharfe, Mohi Bauer, Aidan Carmen, Malachi Gilmore and Lucas Willard are other rising seniors who could make an impact this fall.

"We're expecting to compete in every game," Gabrielson said. "Our schedule is a lot harder this year than it was last year. We play several 5A schools and better 4A schools, but we're certainly expecting to at least have a winning record. Hopefully, we can get to 10 wins."

Gabrielson has also stood out in the classroom, particularly in the area of mathematics. After running out of high school-level math classes offered by Niwot, he took Calculus III and Differential Equations at Front Range Community College during his junior year. He plans on taking Linear Algebra next semester.