Niwot boys soccer faces new league and new challenges

The Niwot High School boys varsity soccer team is gearing up for a new season marked by significant changes. With a slew of key players graduating and a more challenging schedule, the Cougars face a formidable test under the leadership of ninth-year Head Coach Stephen Dimit.

"Last season was a ton of fun," Dimit said. "Really the last two seasons have kind of felt like one season together, because there were a lot of the same guys playing together for those last two years."

While the team managed a quarterfinal run for the second consecutive year, the graduation of key players, including Usiel Franco Cruz, Josh Rodriguez, and Bo Gardner, leaves a substantial void. "To fill those roles is tough," Dimit admitted.

The upcoming season promises to be more demanding. "We have a much harder schedule than we've had the last few years," Dimit explained. He said, "It's a really, really tough start" because the team will open the season against last year's Class 5A #1 seed, Legacy High School, followed by a matchup against Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs.

Despite the challenges, Dimit is optimistic. He points to returning captain Jay Scharfe as a player to watch. "He captained us for about half of last season and really earned the arm band throughout the year last year, even on a really experienced team," he said. "He's just an electric player and electric personality."

The Cougars will also navigate a reorganized league – the Granite Peaks League – that includes many district rivals. Leagues are geographical-based divisions within the 4A classification. "The feature of the new league is that so many in our league in soccer are top 16 teams," Dimit explained. "It's one of the toughest leagues I've ever seen."

While the focus is on the upcoming season, Dimit is also mindful of the program's culture. "We've created this cool community and culture here," he said. "A couple weeks ago, we had our alumni come out for a friendly game. And we had so many guys come back from the last seven or eight years, just to come out and see each other and play." This emphasis on community and camaraderie is something Dimit hopes to continue building.

As both an English teacher and soccer coach, Dimit has a unique perspective on student development. "To me they go hand in hand," he said. "I think it's amazing once I'm able to teach some of these kids in class. The same ones that are my players, I just understand them so much better. I almost coach them in a better way because I understand how they think from seeing them every other day and working with them in a different setting."

The Niwot boys soccer team kicks off its season on Aug. 22 against Legacy High School. Their first home matchup is against Steamboat Springs on Aug. 31. As they navigate a new league and the challenges of replacing key players, the Cougars will look to build on their recent success and establish themselves as a force in Colorado high school soccer.