Niwot girls tennis makes waves at Granite Peaks League Tournament

Niwot High School's girls tennis team had a strong showing at the Granite Peaks League Tournament, held at home on April 15 and 16. The Cougars showcased both seasoned talent and rising stars, with deep runs, close battles, and hard-earned wins across all lines of play.

Niwot finished an impressive fifth out of 15 teams in the tournament, marking a solid performance across all divisions.

Junior Saha Kolli had a strong start in No. 1 singles with a hard-fought victory in the first round against Tessa Botha of Boulder High School, 6-4, 6-7 (10-4).

Freshman Hazel Awsumb fought hard in No. 2 singles. In the first round, Awsumb defeated her Silver Creek High School opponent 6-4, 6-3, with a mix of consistent baseline play and opportunistic net approaches. She advanced to face Holy Family High School in the next round and fought hard in a tight second set but ultimately fell 6-3, 7-6.

In No. 3 singles, senior Maggie Valentine opened her tournament with a solid 6-4, 6-1, win against Silver Creek, using well-placed groundstrokes to control the pace. In the next round, she faced a tough opponent from Fairview and dropped the first set 6-1. She found better rhythm in the second but fell just short, losing 7-5 to exit in Round 2.

Seniors Anne Haley and Samantha Zacky formed a formidable No. 1 doubles team, cruising through their first two rounds. They blanked Centaurus High School 6-0, 6-0, in Round 1, then followed up with a convincing 6-2, 6-2, win over Erie High School.

In Round 3, the duo faced Legacy High School in what turned into a closely fought match. Haley and Zacky took the first set 6-4, dropped the second by the same score, and pushed the match into a deciding super tiebreak. Despite strong rallies and quick reflexes at the net, they narrowly lost the tiebreak 10-7.

The No. 2 doubles team of Hannah Nelson and Jordan Rutkowski came out strong in their first match at the Granite Peaks League Tournament. They cruised to a 6-1, 6-0, win over Northglenn High School, showing solid teamwork and effective play at the net. In the third round, they met a tough challenge from Boulder and were defeated 6-1, 6-2.

The No. 3 doubles team of Eliana Spiridellis and Emory Rich had a strong start to their tournament run. In their opening match, they defeated Northglenn with ease, winning 6-0, 6-1. Their solid communication and coordination were on full display as they dominated the first round. In the second round, they faced a tougher challenge from Erie. After splitting the first two sets-winning 7-5 and then losing 6-2-the Niwot duo fought hard in the tiebreaker but ultimately fell short, losing 10-5.

The No. 4 doubles team of sophomores Amy Calderon and Nina Richards had an impressive run in the tournament, starting with a commanding 6-0, 6-0, victory over Monarch High School. The Niwot duo played aggressively from the first serve, never allowing their opponents to gain momentum.

They continued their strong play in the second round, defeating Frederick High School 6-0, 6-1, to advance to Round 3. In that round, they faced Legacy and secured another win with a solid 6-3, 6-4, performance. However, in the championship match, they faced a tough challenge from Fairview High School. Despite their best efforts, the Niwot pair fell 7-5, 6-2, but their journey to the finals showcased their resilience and teamwork.

With a mix of veteran leadership and underclassman potential, the Cougars demonstrated they are a force to be reckoned with heading into the latter part of the season. The Cougars will look to continue their strong season on Wednesday, April 23, when the first round of state playoffs begin at Niwot High School.