5 Things Northfield Accomplished in the Winter Sports Season

March 2026

From basketball to climbing to swimming, the Nighthawks had success and tremendous growth this winter. As the season wraps up, here are five Northfield triumphs:

1. Girls Basketball State Championship Appearance

One of the most impressive teams for the Nighthawks was the girls basketball team. In just their second year competing in the 6A division, they were three points away from winning the state championship. The team made history as the first DPS girls team to reach the 6A finals.

On their way to the championship, the Nighthawks took down Cherokee Trail, the number one seed in the tournament, and Riverdale Ridge, led by Brihanna Crittendon, the top recruit in the state. Head Coach Sydney Price said the key to winning those games was “Confidence and trust in each other, the coaches, and the game plan.” It was a run that proved Northfield could compete with the best in the state and serves as a sign of what could come in the future.

This year’s team was led by a strong junior class, including Delaney Dennis, Paris and London Taylor, and Madison Bethel. Throughout the playoffs, there was not always one star. Every player contributed, and different Nighthawks stepped up in big moments throughout the run. Coach Price said, “They trust each other and understand roles as a team!” This junior class will return for their senior year looking to build on this impressive run.

Also worth noting was the amazing Nighthawk student section, who showed up for the team in every game at the Denver Coliseum, showcasing our growing athletics program and school spirit. Coach Price said of the support, “That was huge, not just for our team but for the culture and community as a whole. We are grateful for the love!”

Nighthawks girls basketball will come back looking to win the state in 2026-27.

2. Successful Swim Year

Another winter season that recently concluded was girls’ swim and dive. Led by Coach Olivia Allen, the team made major strides in both individual and team performances.

Like many other Northfield teams, the girls swim and dive team at Northfield moved to the highest division in the state for the 2024-25 school year (5A in swimming). The team performed well last year, considering the increased competition, but this year, they saw a major jump. In year one, the team sent three swim relays to the state competition, as well as three divers. This year, the team had a total of 21 state athletes. Junior diver Morgan Lemmon was named to the 5A State second team. The swimmers also broke school records in 9 out of 12 events this year.

The Nighthawks also saw significant improvement as a team in the league meet. Despite finishing in second place in the meet behind East for the second season in a row, the team made it a much closer competition. Last year, they finished 192 points behind East, but this year, they came within 23 points of first place. Next year, they will make a push for first.

Of this season, Coach Olivia Allen said, “The standard has been raised, and there is a clear understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level. Our goal is to continue strengthening the culture, building depth, and pushing each other to improve. It is exciting to see the program growing in confidence and consistency, and we are looking forward to what comes next.”

3. Climbing State Champions

The climbing team at Northfield is one of the most underappreciated sports programs at Northfield. In fact, the climbing team is still run as a club at Northfield. Despite its limited size, the climbing program has been dominant. This year, the girls won the state team championship for the third year in a row. On top of that, the boys won their first state climbing team championship.

The boys team was led by junior Moses Wang-Lohnes and senior Keegan Kline Oliver, two climbers who also finished 6th and 7th in the individual state competition, respectively. The girls were led by sophomore Giovanna Chickillo, freshman Eva Poczobutt, and junior Stella Cooper. These climbers finished 6th, 7th and 9th, in that order, in the individual competition. All five of these athletes were named All-State climbers. Four of them will come back next year to defend their title.

4. Growth in Boys Basketball Program + Playoff Run

The girls were not the only ones who made the state playoffs in 6A this year. Led by Judah Michael, the Northfield boys finished with a 14-11 regular season record and a trip to the state playoffs. The Nighthawks won their first playoff game in Fruita Monument 80-53 before falling to Mountain Vista in the second round.

This was only the Nighthawks’ second year in 6A, and it was an improvement from year one. Senior Judah Michael was a star for Northfield this season, averaging 24.5 points per game and almost 7 rebounds. Michael’s year was enough to earn him a McDonald’s All-American nomination.

The Nighthawks also saw major contributions from their juniors. Guards Rashad Austin and Evo Montoya each averaged double-digit points as well. These juniors will have to step up next year to fill the void left by the departure of Michael.

For the Nighthawks, this season highlighted an upward trajectory for a team hoping to someday win the state championship.

5. Nighthawks Track Indoor Meet

While winter indoor track is not recognized as an official sport by CHSAA, individual Nighthawks athletes competed at the Nike Indoor Nationals from March 12-15 in New York City. Several Nighthawks had outstanding performances at a national level.

One of the most impressive feats of the weekend came from sophomore Abdinasir Hassan. He ran a sophomore class national indoor record in the mile. His time of 4:01:66 was also enough to make him the national runner-up (across all grades). In addition, in the 800-meter race, junior Ayuub Hassan finished in 8th place as an All-American with a time of 1:52:88.

Finally, the Nighthawks were a national runner-up for All-American honors in the distance medley relay. The combination of Ayuub and Abdinasir Hassan, Bridger DeCamp, and Micah Sheehan recorded the seventh fastest time in US high school indoor track history.

After these performances this winter, keep an eye out for more record-breaking runs from the Nighthawks this spring.