Niwot softball ready to face new challenges in 2024

In many respects, this upcoming season will mark a new era for the Niwot High School softball program.

Longtime head coach Bobby Matthews is still at the helm, but the Cougars' schedule will look slightly different this fall as Niwot joined the newly-formed Granite Peaks League. Other high schools in the conference include Broomfield, Erie, Fairview, Frederick, Holy Family, Horizon, Legacy, Longmont, Mead, Monarch, Skyline, and Silver Creek. The Cougars had been in the Longs Peak League, which featured a heavy dose of Loveland/Greeley-area teams.

Niwot will face each of those 12 conference opponents once during the regular season, including Colorado softball powerhouses Holy Family and Broomfield.

"We've got a very, very tough league," Matthews said. "It's one of those things where we're going to have to bring it."

In the dugout, longtime assistant coach Jason Johnson is stepping away from coaching this fall after an estimated 11 years by Matthews' side. Johnson has been replaced by Alex Baldner, an Erie High School product who played collegiately at North Platte Community College in Nebraska.

"She's super knowledgeable and has the right personality," Matthews said. "I think she's going to be a great fit."

Matthews and Baldner will oversee a varsity roster that returns multiple impact players from last year's state tournament team. Those heading into their senior year include ace pitcher Kianna Butler, outfielder Madison Dodge, and utility player Simone Paterno.

Butler, who began her high school career in Arizona before transferring to Niwot, was critical to the Cougars' 18-8-1 campaign last season. Along with going 15-6 in the circle with a 2.68 earned run average, she hit .432 at the plate while recording a team-high 20 doubles.

"I just want to have fun this year," Butler said. "I really want to win and get farther in the season than last year."

Despite losing standout players Autumn Rutherford, Anne Booth, Zoe Cameron and Jenna Hobson to graduation, Dodge believes Niwot has reloaded nicely this offseason by adding some promising underclassmen.

"We have a lot of new girls coming in, which I think is really great for the program," Dodge said. "I think the team's looking really, really good this year. I'm definitely excited. I think it'll be a good season for sure."

Matthews is particularly excited about sophomore infielder May Herrera, who hit .303 and tallied 11 RBIs as a freshman on varsity last season.

Fellow sophomore Camryn Legh also played big innings during her freshman campaign, but the infielder/pitcher will miss this upcoming season due to a knee injury that required surgery. Legh hasn't let the injury keep her from being a supporting teammate, however.

"She's been at workouts and does everything that she can as far as what the doctor allows her to do," Matthews said of Legh. "That's been good to see because just because she's hurt doesn't mean she's checked out. That's huge for the other kids to see. She knows that she can't play this year, but yet she's there most of the time working hard."

Offensively, Niwot's approach may be a little different this season with some players still developing their natural power. Butler and junior Payton Johnson are the only returning Cougars who have hit at least one career home run.

"I think that we could be very, very good again," Matthews said. "We're gonna have to do it differently than we did last year. We won't have as much of the long ball that we had. The home run power in our lineup isn't necessarily there, but I think we have more depth as far as kids with varsity experience."

Niwot's season opener is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 17, at Golden High School. Last year, the Cougars beat the Demons twice in regionals.

Niwot will also support a junior varsity team, led by head coach Adam Strah, and a freshman "C" team. Matthews said he's searching for another lower-level coach.