MEEKER I Winter sports teams in Rio Blanco County will start the 2016 portion of their schedules tonight, when the Meeker Cowboy wrestling team hosts two teams, while Rangely’s wrestling team and the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams will take to the courts starting on Friday.
“It will be fun to start the year off with two home duals,” Meeker wrestling coach J.C. Watt said. “Hopefully, we get a big crowd to come watch.”
The Cowboys are coming off an outstanding performance at the Warrior Classic, winning the small school trophy and they are currently ranked No. 3 in 2A by On the Mat Rankings.
Meeker will host Grand Valley and 5A Ralston Valley with the visiting teams wrestling each other at 6 p.m., followed by the Cowboys wrestling both teams.
Both Rio Blanco County wrestling teams will wrestle in Vernal, Utah, starting Friday, in the always-competitive Tournament of Champions, which features 32 teams from several states, including Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.
The Rangely Panther basketball teams will start their 2016 portion of the schedule on the road, as will the Meeker basketball teams.
Rangely will travel to Collbran to play the Plateau Valley Cowboys on Friday then return home to host the Cedaredge Bruins on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.
The Rangely boys are currently 2-2, coming off a win against the Soroco Rams before the Christmas break, while the Rangely girls have won one of four games played before the holiday break. Both contests this week will be league games.
The Meeker basketball teams will play their first league games in Cedaredge on Friday, in their only action for the weekend.
The Meeker boys’ team is currently undefeated, winning the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout, then defeating the Olathe Pirates before going on Christmas break.
“I liked what I saw in the first part of the season,” Meeker boys’ coach Klark Kindler said. “The kids are competing hard and they have improved each game. Hopefully, we keep improving.”
The Meeker girls’ team will take the court in Cedaredge with a 2-2 record.