MEEKER I With only eight players on the field in the championship game, Meeker I went undefeated in the annual 8-10 Recreational League tournament and won the championship on their home field in Paintbrush Park, finishing the season with an 11-1 record.
“We had nine kids on the team all year,” Jason Hightower, who along with Jim Hanks, coached the championship team. “For one reason or another, we played more than half the games with less than nine players on the field.”
Meeker I beat Hayden I in the first game of the double elimination tournament, then beat Flint Personnel from Craig, before beating Craig’s Northwest Title in the semifinals to advance to the championship undefeated.
Meeker II beat Professional Paint then lost to Flint and won two more games in the consolation bracket before being eliminated. Rangely’s team was eliminated after two games.
Flint Personnel won three games in the consolation bracket and earned their way into the championship game but their streak would end there as Meeker I defeated them again to win the season-ending tournament.
“With 8-9-10 baseball you never know what you are going to get,” Hightower said. “We were young but our team made huge strides all season. The last couple of games of the regular season they got it and we started to play baseball. We were lucky enough to stay on the winner’s side in the tournament and win. It was fun to coach them.”
Meeker II was missing teammate Kyle Wagnild and Coach Hightower said the team played hard “with Kyle on their minds.”
“This one’s for Kyle,” Hightower said one of his players yelled after the win.