Niwot boys tennis splits matches in weather-impacted first week

With a new-look lineup, the Niwot High School boys tennis team navigated a rather chaotic first week of the season.

The Cougars were tested immediately in their opener, going up against two-time defending Class 4A team state title winner Kent Denver School. In a match that began on Monday, Aug. 19, and wrapped up the following day due to rain, junior Oskar Hansen's 6-1, 6-2 performance at No. 3 singles represented Niwot's only winning line.

"It was tough starting with Kent because (they're) the best team in probably all of Colorado, including 5A as well," Niwot Head Coach Aimee Hites said of her team's 6-1 loss in Englewood. "I didn't want the boys to get frustrated from that because I feel like if we would play them later in the season, it would be a little bit different turnout. It was kind of a deer in the headlights first match."

In the other singles matches, senior Sebastian Moy dropped his senior debut on the top line (7-5, 6-1), and junior Charlie Kirtland suffered a 6-2, 6-3 defeat at No. 2 singles. Hites admitted that while Niwot lined up Moy-Kirtland-Hansen in the opener, those three are essentially interchangeable at the top three singles spots.

"They on any given day could beat each other," Hites said. "As it turned out, Sebastian is the one. He's a senior, too, and I think he really wanted that No. 1 singles spot, which is great. He's stepping up and ready to go. He's gonna have it tough. Obviously, anybody playing the No. 1 singles, that's never an easy match, no matter what school you play."

Kent Denver made quick work of Niwot in the four doubles matches. Senior Rex Wallington and junior Jack Peterson dropped the No. 1 doubles match, senior Gabe Bandera and Andrew Fong fell at No. 2, freshman Raul Arguwal and sophomore John Macintosh lost at No. 3, and seniors Ollie Jones and Tyler Chivukula rounded out the bunch with a loss at No. 4.

According to Hites, Niwot's underclassmen duo of Arguwal and Macintosh might be one to watch moving forward. Macintosh is a talented local hockey player who received permission from his club coach to play tennis this fall, and the rookie Arguwal comes from a strong tennis pedigree. His older brother, Raaghav, was a No. 4 doubles player on Niwot's 2020 state title-winning team.

"I kind of knew who he was coming in," Hites said of the younger Arguwal. "Kind of a quiet kid, but mature and talented."

Niwot's home opener came on Thursday, Aug. 22, against Monarch High School, but once again, weather played an unwanted role. The Cougars won four lines that day (meaning they technically won the entire dual) before inclement weather prevented the other three lines from finishing. The two teams attempted to complete the match on Aug. 23 but lightning prevented the resumption. Hites said the plan is for those unfinished lines to play at Monarch on Tuesday, Aug. 27, following Niwot's dual at Broomfield High School.

Following a difficult season opener at Kent Denver, Hites was proud of her group for bouncing back with four line wins, and likely counting, against Monarch.

"We had a really good talk after that (Kent Denver) match to what transferred over to Monarch," Hites said. "The boys really brought it."