Meeker’s bid for a state berth ended in Buena Vista during a quarter final match. Ten seniors played the last game of their high school career. The final score was 22-15. | Tiffany Jehorek Photo
MEEKER I For ten seniors on the Meeker Cowboy Football team, the quarter final playoff game was their last high school football game to be played. The seniors this year were Zagar Brown, Damik Chintala, Liam Deming, Zach Eskelson, Ty Goedert, John Hampton Hightower, Porter Hossack, Trinden Powell, Zach Simonsen, and Kelton Turner.
It was a great day for football with great weather and stands full of Cowboy fans.
The Cowboys put eight on the board first in a game of well matched teams.
“Really good high school football playoff game, a good, hard fought contest that went back and forth in the scoring,” commented head coach Shane Phelan.
The Cowboys would score and it would be answered by the Demons before they were able to put another score up. At the half the teams went to the locker room tied eight all.
“We would go up then they would score to tie it up,” said Phelan. “There were a few key moments when they were able to make a play and we weren’t.”
Rushing for the Cowboys, Turner led with 153 yards, Dagon Dade had 25 and Hossack had 21. Deming led the team in receiving and it was quarterback Connor Blunt that ran the two touchdowns for the day in.
Defensively Turner had 19 tackles, Brendan Clatterbaugh and Elijah Leblanc each had 12 and Simonsen had 10.
“We had chances and key moments on offense and defense that could have changed the game,” commented Phelan. “I am proud of these young men, they did everything we could have asked of them and it was just the way it ended up.”
The game was tied when regulation time ended and going into overtime the Demons had the ball first. Buena Vista scored on their first play of overtime, they were successful in their PAT, and then on third down the Cowboys turned the ball over, and the game ended 22-15.
“It was great to see stands full of Meeker fans and thank you to all of the fans that traveled to this game and all the games all year long; we have great community support,” wrapped up Phelan.
SEASON TOTAL STATS FOR THE COWBOYS
Passing – Connor Blunt – 457 yards
Rushing
Kelton Turner – 1768 yards
Deming – 243 yards
Hossack – 192 yards
Receiving
Deming – 246 yards
All purpose yards
Turner – 2002 yards
Deming – 839 yards
Clay Crawford – 374 yards
Touchdowns
Turner – 25
Blunt – 6
Deming 5
Tackles
Turner – 105
Eskelson – 108
Simonsen – 69
Special to the Herald Times
