Niwot wrestlers build momentum heading into Regional Tournament

The Niwot High School wrestling team lost a dual meet to cross-town rival Longmont High School 48-24, on Thursday, Jan. 30. Although both teams forfeited several matches, the action in the contested weight classes was exciting.

Niwot showed strength in the middle and upper weights, with four consecutive victories from 157 to 215 pounds. Maddox Brown started the Cougars' run with a pin over Longmont's Angelo Martinez at 157 pounds. Eli Quesada followed suit at 165 pounds, pinning Rowan McCue to add six more points to Niwot's total.

Lucas Menza picked up a forfeit victory for Niwot at 175 pounds, and Max Burke Bedell capped off the Cougars' strong showing with a pin over Longmont's Charlie Stoner in the 215-pound division.

However, Longmont's depth proved decisive in the overall team scoring. The Trojans benefited from several forfeits across six of the weight classes. Xander Williamsen added a pin over Niwot's Will Murray in the 138-pound match.

The action continued at Northglenn High School on Thursday, Jan. 30, and Saturday, February 1 for junior varsity teams across the state. Niwot wrestlers joined over 400 competitors from 29 teams at the 2025 JV State Championships. The tournament, spanning Thursday through Saturday, showcased talent across fifteen weight classes from 98 to 285 pounds.

In the championship rounds, several Niwot wrestlers faced tough competition. Caden Corcoran-Schacht battled at 98 pounds before falling to Broomfield High School's Brendan Cooper in the second round. Cougar Fransisco Ibarra competed at 113 pounds but was defeated by Northglenn's Carter Voitik. Niwot's Armondo Montano (120), Rowan Lidge (157), and Hikaru Johnson (165) suffered defeats in their respective weight classes, however, they gained valuable experience in their championship round matches.

A highlight for the Cougars came in the consolation bracket, where Ryne Frain showed determination in the 175-pound weight class, securing a pin over Broomfield's Kris Thornton in 2:35 during the fourth round of consolations.

The busy week highlighted Coach Michael DeCamillis's wrestling program's depth. Both varsity and junior varsity wrestlers gained valuable experience as the varsity squad prepared for postseason competition. The Cougars will return to action at the CHSAA 4A Region 2 Regional Tournament on Feb. 7 and 8 at Mead High School, where they will battle for spots in the state tournament.

DeCamillis sees the upcoming Regional Tournament as a critical moment for the Niwot wrestling program. "We have a roster that can compete, and everyone has a chance to win multiple matches," he said, highlighting returning state qualifier Ryder Evans and other key wrestlers to watch who are poised to face challenging competition.

For DeCamillis, in his first year as head coach, the season has been a journey of discovery. "There are ups and downs and a lot of unknowns," he reflected. "But we have a great bunch of kids who show up every day."

Discussing team preparation, DeCamillis emphasized the mental aspect of wrestling. "Wrestling is a mental sport where you have to be able to turn your brain off and go to work, regardless of who you're going up against," adding that at this point in the season "the physical peak is about being healthy."

When asked about his first year as Head Coach, DeCamillis was unequivocal: "I love it. There is no place I'd rather be than to be able to teach and coach."