Meeker girls defeat Rams

MEEKER I The second day back from Christmas vacation, the Meeker girls’ basketball team defeated the 3A Roaring Fork Rams at home before traveling to Walden for its first league game of the season, which the Lady Cowboys lost.
“It was a good way to start the new year,” head coach Hallie Blunt said of the 51-35 win over the Rams. “We had the tempo we wanted and these girls just keep working hard but we need to cut back on the turnovers.”
Meeker was led in scoring by junior Rebecca de Vergie, who scored 24 points and senior Stacey Fitzgibbons, who added 10. Freshman Kaysyn Chintala hit a 3-pointer and finished with six points, while Randia Rule added four, Laura Glass three and Elissa McLaughlin and Timbre Shriver each scored two points.
Although Meeker led after each of the first three quarters, the Lady Wildcats outscored Meeker 12-4 in the fourth quarter to win the first league game of the season in North Park.
“They had a really good fourth quarter and we came up short,” Blunt said.
Fitzgibbons scored eight and de Vergie added six for Meeker to take a 14-11 lead after the first quarter. The Lady Cowboys only scored four in the second quarter but still led 18-16 at halftime.
“Stacey and Becky really played well in the first half and Randia had a great third quarter,” Blunt said of her post players’ play and sophomore Randia Rule’s six points in the third stanza.
Meeker led by three going into the final quarter, but trailed by three late in the game.
“We had a chance to tie the game with 17 seconds left but missed the 3-pointer then fouled on the other end,” Blunt said of the 33-38 loss.
Blunt said the Lady Cowboys shot only 12 of 50 from the field and had 34 turnovers.
Fitzgibbons and de Vergie each finished with 12, Rule scored six, Glass two and Shriver added a free throw to round out the scoring.
Meeker will host Hayden Friday, before traveling to play Vail Christian.