Cougar girls basketball claws its way up Cheyenne Mountain but falls in overtime

Although the final result didn't go the Cougars' way, Head Coach Todd Trobaugh was proud of how his Niwot High School girls basketball team competed in a difficult road game on Jan 18.

A couple of factors were working against the Cougars when they traveled to Cheyenne Mountain High School, located in west Colorado Springs. First, Niwot was playing on short rest after defeating Skyline High School the night prior, 57-27. Second, poor weather conditions made an already lengthy trip even more difficult.

Playing its fourth straight road game, Niwot was met with even more adversity when it entered halftime down 34-22.

"Down by 12 at half, we told the girls it was gut check time," Trobaugh said. "How bad do you want it? Then down by 14 at the end of three, we told them it's now or never. We have to bring the pressure. Take chances. All out. They took it to heart and won the fourth, 20-6."

Tied at 46, the Cougars and the Red-Tailed Hawks began overtime, but the extra period concluded with Cheyenne Mountain stealing a 53-52 win.

"In overtime, we played equally well," Trobaugh said. "It was just a battle. The final break didn't go our way. But I couldn't be more proud of our team. On the road in bad weather, after a rivalry game the night before, they gave me everything they had. I love these kids."

Niwot fell to 9-5 overall (1-3 Granite Peaks League) following the non-league defeat. With nine regular season games remaining, the Cougars are still well within reach of their first 10-win campaign since 2016-17.

Freshmen Alaina Loomis and Alexis Austefjord played key roles in Niwot's near-takedown of Cheyenne Mountain. Loomis led the Cougars with 20 points while Austefjord tallied an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double.

Senior Thalia Almaraz also secured a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 11 steals. Fellow upperclassman Ella Zechman, a junior, chipped in five points as the only other Cougar to score.

Niwot will resume its Granite Peaks League schedule with home games against Centaurus High School on Jan. 21 and Mead High School on Jan. 24.

As of Jan. 19, Niwot is ranked No. 32 in the Colorado High School Activities Association Selection and Seeding Index for Class 5A, the second highest classification for girls basketball. The top 40 teams following the regular season qualify for the Class 5A state tournament.