MEEKER I “Last week was tough to gauge since we were missing four wrestlers,” said Cowboy head wrestling coach J.C. Watt said, “but we’ve improved a lot since the start of the season.”
Nine Cowboys wrestled in the Rangely Invitational, some in 8- and 16-man brackets, others in round robins. When the smoke cleared, Meeker finished with two runner-ups and two consolation champs.
Freshman Anthony Watt (132) and junior J.R. Crawford (182) both pinned two opponents in their respective weights but each lost one to finish in second place.
“I was glad to see J.R. wrestle well,” coach Watt said. “It was a good tournament for us, everyone wrestled hard.”
Sophomore J.C. Henderson pinned two opponents and won two by decision to finish third in the 126-pound bracket and senior Ethan Overton pinned three opponents and finished third in the 195-pound class.
Kylloe Goedert (106) and Sebastian Clarke (138) each won a match but did not place in their respective brackets.
Calvin Shepherd (106), Matt Frantz (138) and Lathrop Hughes (160) got mat time but didn’t place.
Coach Watt expects Issac Robertson, Willis Begaye and Justin Hardy back in the line-up this weekend and hopes Aaron Cochran will return the following week after suffering a broken finger.
The Cowboys will have a dual match in Paonia Friday and compete in the Flying Eagle tournament Saturday.