Niwot girls volleyball ends at state

The Niwot High School girls volleyball team battled at the Class 5A regionals last Sunday, Nov. 10, in Pueblo and faced a bittersweet ending to their season.

The Cougars started off the day against Legacy High School and won with a strong 3-0 victory demonstrating the teamwork and skills they had built throughout the season. The Cougars then went against Pueblo West High School and gave it their all. After a tough fight, Niwot ended with a 3-0 loss.

Despite the result on the court, the season’s end left the team, coaches and supporters filled with pride and gratitude for all they have achieved. Head Coach Tony Engel reflected on the team’s growth, expressing how much the players had evolved in both skill and character over the season. “We have a lot to be proud of and have improved in every facet of the game from August on,” he said. “Not only did we get better as a team, but we got better as people.”

The Cougar season was marked by success, with the team securing the Granite Peaks Conference title. Several of the team’s top players received individual recognition and six players earned spots on the All-Conference Team, a reflection of their talent, hard work and dedication. Awards will be announced after the state tournament ends.

Senior setter Anne Haley’s final games brought a feeling of emotions. Haley, who has started on varsity all four years, said she was “filled with a lot of emotion after the game. It was partly the fact that my senior season was over, which was a bit sad. But more importantly, I felt so grateful for everything Niwot volleyball has given me over the past four years.”

Haley expressed her pride in the team’s ability to overcome obstacles together and support each other which built a lasting bond beyond the court. “We won together, and we lost together, and that connection in a team is something that is so special,” Haley added.

Haley wasn’t the only senior feeling a wave of emotions. Fellow senior Jade West added that after the games she felt “sad that the season was over, but overall was incredibly proud of the team and they battled through every obstacle.”

Both Haley and West credited the supportive and encouraging environment created by their coaches, Tony Engel, Bruce Emo, and Bailey Smoak who made their volleyball experience at Niwot so memorable. West said, “This team is something special. This group of girls makes you feel so loved and supported, and we compliment each other so well. I am so incredibly grateful to have been part of this team and to have been coached by Engel, Emo and Smoak. They were the best coaches I could’ve asked for.”

As the team closes out a stellar season, the Cougars have every reason to celebrate and look to the future with high hopes.