MEEKER | The snow is falling and that means it is wrestling season! This year head coach JC Watt has 26 kids in the Meeker Cowboy wrestling room.“ It has been a great couple of weeks so far, the kids have tons of energy and are very motivated,” commented Watt.
Watt’s coaching staff includes Carl Padilla, Tyrel Turner, Kurt Blunt, Trevor Grant, Justin Grant, and Stryker Lane.
“The room is full and with so many coaches we are able to have smaller groups and get a lot accomplished,” said Watt.
This year’s seniors are Connor Blunt, Tanner Musser, Abe Maupin, and Trae Kennedy, all of which have made a trip to the Colorado State Wrestling Championships.
Watt is returning four more state championship qualifiers in Zeek Gianinetti, Hayden Shutls, Brendan Clatterbaugh, and Judd Harvey.
Last year Blunt, Kennedy, and Harvey all made it to the finals helping to lead the team to a State Runner-Up trophy.
Practicing with the Cowboys is also Adrianna Price, she will wrestle with Moffat County as they have a girls team, but is able to practice is Meeker.
There are some changes from last year. Regionals is now back closer to home and will be hosted by Hayden High School, as always there are some rule changes, and not a change but still new, the team will once again be traveling to one of the toughest tournaments in the state, Top of the Rockies in Lafayette.
This week the JV will be headed to Olathe for a tournament that will begin at 8 a.m., and varsity will be at the CMU duals. The duals are scheduled to start at 8 a.m., but it will depend on the full schedule if Meeker will wrestle at 8, that will be unknown until Thursday evening or Friday.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
