Niwot celebrates first and second place finishes in the 100-meter hurdles at last year’s state meet. (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
The Niwot Cougars, two-time defending Class 4A state champions in girls track and field headed into the 2015 season, wanted to prove their program was bigger than just one person.
After all, Elise Cranny, a record-breaking runner and winner of two distance triple crowns at the state meet (800, 1,600, 3,200) in 2013 and 2014, had graduated. With her departure went a large chunk of the 136 team points accumulated by Niwot at the 2013 and 2014 state championships.
“A lot of people doubted us after we graduated Elise,” senior Kela Fetters said. “They thought our run of championships was over. We knew we had enough talent and the people coming back wanted it. We just had a group of great girls that were motivated all season.”
While Cranny was a transcendent talent — she’s now an American junior indoor 3,000 record holder for Stanford University — Niwot rolled to their third consecutive state championship in 2015 on the strength of the team. In fact, last year’s team scored more points than either of the Cranny-led Cougar units, racking up 85 and easily outdistancing Mountain View (59.5), Air Academy (54), and Thompson Valley (50).
“Within our program, I think our kids and our coaches weren’t surprised,” said Niwot coach Maurice Henriques, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association girls’ coach of the year in 2015. “I think the girls were really motivated last year to show we were a complete team.”
Like any elite track and field program, Niwot has been a 4A force in the relays. The Cougars claimed the 1,600-meter relay state championship in 2013 and 2014, the 800 relay championship in 2015 in a new 4A meet record time (1:41.13), and have advanced to plenty of other finals in the relays during their three-year stretch of team titles.
Lauren and Rachel Sharpe, twin sisters, 2015 graduates, and now members of the University of Colorado track and field team, and Christa Boettiger, a distance runner who signed with Oklahoma University in the 2015 class as well, have been key components to the Cougars’ powerhouse program.
But as Niwot has continued to prove, the program is stronger than just a few individuals. New top-flight competitors stepped up for the green and white last season. Freshman MacKenzie Fidelak placed third in the 400 (56.26), second in the 100 hurdles (15.15) and second in the 300 hurdles (44.15). Fetters, as a junior, won her first individual state championship by edging out Fidelak in the 300 hurdles (44.10). Sophomore Alexis Carroll did the same in the 100 hurdles in a photo finish (15.15).
“Alexis Carroll was the state champion in the 100 hurdles,” Henriques said. “The year before that, she was running the JV Championships. She wasn’t even on our state team. Alexis went from the JV Championships to an individual state championship in a year.”
Carroll also had a monstrous personal best in the long jump, upping her lifetime mark from 16-7.5 to 18-0.5 while placing third in 4A. Niwot returns Carroll, Fidelak and Fetters, the trio responsible for first and second-place finishes in the two hurdle events last year.
For Fetters, a fourth season for the Cougars means a chance at making it four-for-four in team championships.
“I think it would be really, really special,” she said. “I think all of the girls coming back really want it. We actually have a ton of new freshmen. We are just starting to get them excited about it and show them what’s possible this year. For the team and for Niwot High School, to get four in a row would be phenomenal.”
Niwot can expect resistance in the team competition from some teams in their own backyard. Including Thompson Valley from 2012, the Northern Conference has claimed four girls track and field championships in a row. Air Academy, Cheyenne Mountain and Valor Christian are expected to be among the top challengers to Niwot as well.
If the Cougars lay claim to a fourth consecutive title, they’ll become only the fourth program to win at least four state championships in a row. Niwot would be the first to do so since The Classical Academy won five in a row in 3A from 2006-2010. Limon won four in a row in 2A from 2004-2007 and Mullen was a seven-time champion in 4A from 1997-2003. Paonia will also be going after a fourth championship in a row in 2A this season.
Henriques is confident in his Cougars, but he also knows every season is a process and the competition in 4A will be stiff again.
“We always have a theme that you’ll see on the back of our shirts,” he said. “Last year our theme was resilience. This year it’s sacrifice. It’s been a little thing every year. It’s a great way that we bond. We had to be resilient to pull it off last year.”
Girls track and field preview
- Regular season begins: March 10
- Regular season ends: May 14
- State meet: May 19-21, Jeffco Stadium (Lakewood)
Class 5A
- Defending champion: Cherokee Trail
- Returning all-state athletes: Amazing Ashby, senior, Cherokee Trail (triple jump, 1st team); Heide Baron, senior, Pine Creek (4×200 relay, 1st team); Jasmine Chesson, junior, Fort Collins (4×400 relay, 1st team); Gina Coleman, junior, Fountain-Fort Carson (shot put, 1st team); Tessa Gartrell, senior, Denver East (800 medley relay, 1st team); Zoe Gilbertson, junior, Mountain Range (300 hurdles, 1st team); Lauren Gregory, junior, Fort Collins (3200, 4×400 relay, 1st team); Symone Holland, senior, Cherokee Trail (4×100 relay, 1st team); Lillian Markusch, senior, Cherry Creek (4×800 relay, 1st team); Katie Plomondon, senior, Cherry Creek (4×800 relay, 1st team); Haley Rogers, senior, Cherokee Trail (4×100 relay, 1st team); Becca Schulte, senior, Fort Collins (400 meters, 4×400 relay); Emily Sloan, sophomore, Rock Canyon (100 hurdles, 1st team); Lisa Swartz, senior, Cherry Creek (4×800 relay, 1st team); Taylor Watson, sophomore, Cherokee Trail (4×100 relay, 1st team).
Class 4A
- Defending champion: Niwot
- Returning all-state athletes: Rylee Anderson, sophomore, Silver Creek (high jump, 1st team); Alexis Carroll, junior, Niwot (100 hurdles, 1st team); Helena Ernst, junior, Thompson Valley (4×400 relay, 1st team); Maya Evans, sophomore, Vista PEAK (long jump, 1st team); Kela Fetters, senior, Niwot (300 hurdles, 4×200 relay); MacKenzie Fidelak, sophomore, Niwot (4×200 relay, 1st team); Lilly Hamilton, sophomore, Air Academy (4×800 relay, 1st team); Maren Janda, senior, Thompson Valley (4×400 relay, 1st team); Shynesti Johnson, sophomore, Widefield (4×100 relay, 1st team); Brooke Moore, junior, Widefield (4×100 relay, 1st team); Katie Rainsberger, senior, Air Academy (800 meters, 1600 meters, 3200 meters, 4×800 relay, 1st team); Emily Roma, junior, Lewis-Palmer (800 medley relay, 1st team); Diana Scott, senior, Widefield (4×100 relay, 1st team); Madelyn Smith, senior, Lewis-Palmer (800 medley relay, 1st team);
Class 3A
- Defending champion: Eaton
- Returning all-state athletes: Shelby Adonay, senior, James Irwin (800 medley relay, 1st team); McKayla Bauer, senior, University (high jump, 1st team); Allee Beach, senior, Platte Valley (4×400 relay, 1st team); Taryn Ceglowski, junior, Salida (800 meters, 1600 meters, 1st team); Taylor Finn, senior, Manitou Springs (100 meters, 1st team); Christina Hamerly, senior, Peak to Peak (4×800 relay, 1st team); Selena Hernandez, senior, Moffat County (4×100 relay, 1st team); Kera Kapu, senior, James Irwin (800 medley relay, 1st team); Kiarra Mattern, junior, James Irwin (800 medley relay, 1st team); Rachael Metzler, junior, Peak to Peak (4×800 relay, 1st team); Alice Oveson, senior, Peak to Peak (4×800 relay, 1st team); Kayla Pinnt, senior, Moffat County (100 meters, 200 meters, 4×100 relay, 4×200 relay, 1st team); Jacey Reinert, sophomore, Platte Valley (4×400 relay, 1st team); Skylar Ritchey, senior, Platte Valley (4×400 relay, 1st team); Emma Samuelson, junior, Moffat County (4×100 relay, 4×200 relay, 1st team); Ary Schaffer, senior, Moffat County (4×200 relay, 1st team); Tarynn Sieg, junior, Eaton (shot put, 1st team); Nicole Swain, senior, James Irwin (800 medley relay, 1st team); Lily Tomasula-Martin, junior, Estes Park (3200 meters, 1st team); Brenna Vallejos, junior, Lamar (long jump, triple jump, 1st team); Sarah Yocum, junior, Faith Christian (300 hurdles, 1st team).
Class 2A
- Defending champion: Paonia
- Returning all-state athletes: Ellie Berry, junior, Burlington (discus, 1st team); Shayna Dale, junior, Cedaredge (4×100 relay, 1st team); Melanie Deering, junior, Kiowa (400 meters, 1st team); Marisa Edmondson, senior, Paonia (4×200 relay, 1st team); Brittany Fuchs, sophomore, Calhan (200 meters, 1st team); Megan Godsey, junior, Wray (triple jump, 1st team); Faythe Harris, senior, Wiggins (800 medley relay, 1st team); Kenzie Henderson, senior, Cedaredge (high jump, 1st team); Amber Jenkins, senior, Cedaredge (4×100 relay, 1st team); Courtney Jenson, sophomore, Wiggins (3200 meters, 1st team); Tori Jordan, sophomore, Wiggins (800 medley relay, 1st team); Brenna Kuskie, junior, Lyons (pole vault, 1st team); Kendall McHugh, senior, Cedaredge (4×100 relay, 1st team); Emily Pieper, junior, Paonia (4×200 relay, 4×400 relay, 1st team); Randi Rapke, sophomore, Paonia (4×400 relay, 1st team); Sierra Tucker, senior, Lyons (4×800 relay, 1st team); Brianna Van Vleet, junior, Paonia (long jump, 4×200 relay, 4×400 relay, 1st team); Ashley Van Vleet, senior, Paonia (4×200 relay, 4×400 relay, 1st team); Jessica Veeman, senior, Wiggins (800 medley relay, 1st team); Kayla Zink, junior, Caliche (100 meters, 1st team).
Class 1A
- Defending champion: Heritage Christian
- Returning all-state athletes: Ella Baca, junior, Shining Mountain (4×800 relay, 1st team); Sarrah Claman, senior, Shining Mountain (4×800 relay, 1st team); Kaelyn Dennis, senior, Plateau Valley (4×400 relay, 800 medley relay, 1st team); Laura Greene, senior, Plateau Valley (4×400 relay, 800 medley relay, 1st team); Susana Herrera, senior, Idalia (4×200 relay, 1st team); Lisette Laforge, senior, Otis (high jump, 1st team); Tatelyn Lasley, junior, Springfield (4×100 relay); Brooke Lenox, senior, Eads (discus, 1st team); Ally Loflin, junior, Springfield (4×100 relay, 1st team); Zariah Mason, sophomore, Kim (100 meters, 200 meters, 1st team); Jenna McKinley, senior, Sangre de Cristo (shot put, 1st team); Rebekah Rairdon, senior, Heritage Christian (300 hurdles, 1st team); Bryce Schafer, senior, Idalia (4×200 relay, 1st team); Antonya Schaffert, senior, Otis (pole vault, 1st team); Emma Shaefer, sophomore, Shining Mountain (4×800 relay, 1st team); Reagan Shaffer, senior, Idalia (4×200 relay, 1st team); Sarah Storey, senior, Sangre de Cristo (long jump, 1st team); Savannah Turner, senior, Plateau Valley (800 medley relay, 1st team).