Rangely Sports, Sports

Good Panthers, Bad Panthers

New/old coach Mark Skelton says Rangely boys need consistency
RANGELY — After a 3-2 start to the season, it’s safe to say Rangely High School’s boys’ basketball team has experienced mixed results.
“We’ve had moments of brilliance, and other times we don’t have a clue,” said Coach Mark Skelton.
That inconsistency may be expected, given the Panthers are learning a new way of doing things.
“We have some pretty good athletes,” said Skelton, who is back for his third go-round as coach. “But they have to buy into our system, which is different from what they played in the past.”
Not that the Panthers weren’t successful last season.
“They were like 14-7 last year and got beat at districts for a chance to go to regionals,” Skelton said. “But we lost about four or five kids to graduation.”
Skelton is still getting to know his team. He took over as coach after the job came open in October. It was a role he was familiar with, having coached the Panthers during two previous stints, first in the early 1990s and again in the early 2000s.
“I forgot what it’s like when you start over with a program,” Skelton said. “It’s tough. When you come in with your own ideas, kids have to buy into that.”
In the early 2000s, when his sons Greg and Brian were playing, the Panthers consistently produced winning teams.
“We went to state three times out of the four years they were playing,” Skelton said.
He’s hoping to return the program to where the Panthers are competing for a state berth, year in and year out.
“What we did before worked,” he said. “It got us to state several times.”
Skelton is using primarily eight players on the varsity. They are: seniors Kanden Brady, Roman Chavez, James Herrera, Blake Mecham and Michael Morton, and juniors Adam Dahl, Mark Perzinski and Patrick Phelan.
Skelton says the Panthers are showing signs of coming together as a team.
“Patrick is probably averaging about 20 points a game, and Michael Morton has been coming on,” Skelton said. “But we’ve been trying to spread around the scoring. That’s our goal. We’ve had three games where we’ve had three kids in double digits and one game we had four. To me, that’s a much better way to have it.”
Rangely will begin Western Slope League play Saturday at South Routt County.
“Anybody we play now will be a league game,” Skelton said, adding the league will be highly competitive.
“It’s pretty tough,” he said. “Meeker looks like, definitely, the front runner. We’ve already played Hayden twice and split with them, and it’s one of the better Hayden teams I’ve seen in quite awhile. I have a hunch (the league) will be pretty even. It all depends on how well you put your puzzle together.”
For the Panthers, Skelton hopes the pieces will come together in time for league play.
“We have to make them believe in the system and put that to effect in games,” Skelton said. “The kids have the ability. But it takes that thing called heart.”

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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
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A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
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Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
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5 days ago
View on Instagram |
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Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
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