By Madison Shaw
Originally published in the Left Hand Valley Courier on August 13, 2025.
Jackson Sessa at the Coal Creek Golf Course on Sept. 10, 2024. Coach Ed Weaver is expecting senior Sessa to be one of his leaders this season. (Madison Shaw/Left Hand Valley Courier)
The Niwot High School boys golf team is off to a competitive start this fall, with head coach Ed Weaver optimistic about the group's potential and the changes that could shape their season.
The Cougars return with a strong core led by seniors Jackson Sessa, Moses Lance, Will Jones, and Charlie Budacz. Weaver expects all four to set the tone both on the leaderboard and in team culture. Junior James Larkin is currently the team's No. 5, with promising contributions from sophomore Akshay Sorla and freshman Henry Peterson.
Early-season competition has shown just how close the margins can be. In the Friday, Aug. 8 league event hosted by Mead High School, Niwot finished sixth but was only three strokes out of third place.
Jones led the way with a 75, birdieing the final hole. Sessa followed with a 76, Lance carded a 79 despite an uncharacteristic 41 putts, and Budacz rounded out the scoring with an 81. "It's a very competitive league this year," Weaver said.
One major storyline this season is CHSAA's elimination of the regional tournament. Instead, golfers' rankings will now be determined by performances throughout the season and course difficulty rankings, using data from the statewide electronic scoring system. The top 84 players qualify for state, with a maximum of four per team. Only varsity events count toward rankings, making every eligible round more meaningful than in past years.
Weaver believes the change will benefit his players in the long run, as each tournament now carries state implications. "It makes all the events they play throughout the year way more meaningful," he said. "That's going to make them better golfers, because now every event means something."
Niwot's schedule features 12 varsity events, up from 11 last season. Niwot will be hosting a league event at Twin Peaks Golf Course on Aug. 27, the Fox Hill Invitational on Sept. 17, and the state tournament on Oct. 6-7, as well as a Junior Varsity Invitational on Sept. 23.
Depth could be a strength for Niwot this year, as several younger athletes are already making an impact. In the concurrent "JV" tournament at Mead last week, juniors Cooper Leap and Owen Lipinski carded an 80 and 85, respectively, and Peterson finished with an 85. Every player at the tournament broke 85, giving Weaver reason to be encouraged about the program's future.
With experienced leadership, promising young talent, and a new qualification system adding weight to every round, Weaver sees the 2025 season as a chance for the Cougars to be competitive at the state level, and maybe even host a few big moments on their home courses.
