Cowboys push the 100 point mark

MEEKER I The Meeker Cowboys used a strong team effort to score a 95-28 victory against the visiting Debeque Dragons Friday night in Meeker. Saturday, the ‘Pokes traveled to Collbran for the league rematch against the green and white Cowboys. Although Meeker scored a relatively easy 17 point victory in the first meeting, Collbran wasn’t ready to throw in the towel for this game. Meeker was able to withstand a furious fourth quarter rush to garner their sixth consecutive league victory and push their overall record to 14-1.
Friday in Meeker, the Cowboys used a strong offensive output against an overmatched Debeque Dragons team to put the game out of reach early. Meeker doubled the output of the visitors in the first quarter establishing a solid 22-11 lead. They followed that up with the most productive scoring quarter of the season in the next stanza as Trey Morris and Cooper Smith lit up the scoreboard for 27 of the team’s 34 points to take a commanding 56-21 halftime lead. While the offense slowed their output only slightly in the third quarter, the ‘Pokes flexed their defensive muscle and held the visiting Dragons to only two points in the third quarter to extend their lead to 77-23. Playing the entire bench in the fourth period, all but two Cowboys were able to light the scoreboard for the game as the rest of the Cowboy team coasted to a 95-28 victory. Cooper Smith and Trey Morris paced the ‘Pokes with 25 and 19 points respectively.
Friday’s league contest in Collbran was a rematch of a game played earlier in the year that had no conference implications. This one however, counted in league standings and a victory would move Meeker one step closer to claiming the league title. The game started as a defensive battle. Plateau Valley’s top scorer, Grundy, paced his team with five of their seven first quarter points, while Scott Smith and Dylan Mobley were pushing Meeker to a 12-7 lead. Meeker was able to extend their lead in the second quarter as Morris and Gable Smith picked up the scoring, and Meeker led 28-16 at halftime. Meeker turned another good defensive quarter in the third holding Plateau to just six points while Gable and Scott Smith helped extend the Meeker lead to 20 points at the end of the third quarter 43-23. The old adage that free throws can win ball games was apparent as Plateau Valley made a valiant run at Meeker in the fourth as they forced the ‘Pokes to the free throw line to get control of the ball. Meeker shot 25 free throws in the final quarter making 14 of their 23 points in the quarter. Meanwhile Collbran was finding ways to score themselves and closed the gap with 35 points of their own in the quarter. Meeker hung on to win in the final minutes with a 66-58 score. Scott Smith scored his season high of 20 points, and Trey Morris canned 19 points to lead Meeker.
This week Meeker will have a couple of league games as they host Paonia in a league contest that is a rematch of an earlier game the Cowboys won 67-63. Saturday the ‘Pokes will travel to Oak Creek for a league contest against the Soroco Rams. Friday’s varsity game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start at the MHS gym while Saturday’s varsity contest is slated for a 4 p.m. tip-off in Oak Creek.