Niwot's Cross Country Powerhouse: Can They Rule Again?

Niwot's cross country teams are no strangers to victory. The boys' team and standout runner Addy Ritzenhein are aiming to secure their third consecutive state titles this weekend. The boys are ranked number one in the country, and their recent performance at the regional meet was nearly flawless, with all five scoring runners placing in the top six. Meanwhile, Ritzenhein dominated the girls' race, winning by over a minute. The Cougars have been a force to be reckoned with since 2018, winning at least one cross country title every year. This year, they are entering the state championships as one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. Their boys' team won the 5A meet last year in their first season in the state's largest classification, and they are projected to finish 1-2-3 with Boulder and Erie in Saturday's race. The girls' team is also a strong contender, with Ritzenhein setting the course record at Norris Penrose last year. She won the individual 5A title in 16:54. 62, and this season, her fastest time came at the regional meet, matching that record. Boulder's Calia Vaughn finished second to Ritzenhein in Arvada, and the Panthers are looking to build on their sixth-place finish from last year. In other news, Mead's Josh Knight and Ava Mierau won individual titles at 4A Region 3. Knight ran 15:56. 84, beating his competitors by over 15 seconds each. Mierau beat the regional runner-up by nine seconds, though her team, the Tigers, won the team title. Holy Family's girls are also returning to the state meet after placing fourth last year. The race schedule for Saturday starts with the 5A boys at 9 a. m. , followed by the 2A girls, 5A girls, 2A boys, Unified, 4A girls, 3A boys, 4A boys, and 3A girls. With so many strong teams and individual runners, it's sure to be an exciting day of competition.