MEEKER | The Meeker High School volleyball team extended their impressive winning streak this past weekend, clinching victories against Vail Mountain on Friday and Olathe on Saturday. As of last Sunday, the Cowboys sit in seventh place in the seeding index. As long as they remain in the top twelve, they are set to host the Regional Tournament on November 8 or 9. The team entered the weekend on a high note, having won four consecutive matches on the road, and they successfully pushed that streak to five.
In their Friday matchup against Vail Mountain, the Cowboys demonstrated their skill and tenacity, winning all three sets decisively. The scores were 25-13, 25-13, and 25-18. Junior Braydin Raley was a standout player, leading the team with an impressive 18 digs. Raley’s performance is indicative of her ongoing success; she has accumulated more digs over the past ten games than in any prior stretch of her season. Head Coach Greg Cravens acknowledged the challenges presented by Vail Mountain’s defensive play, stating, “Vail Mountain played very good defense, and we had a hard time finding the floor, but the girls battled all night long.”
The Cowboys excelled at the service line, finishing the match with 10 aces. Senior Reese Clatterbaugh led the team in aces. Coach Cravens pointed to the team’s strong service game as a critical factor in their victory, saying, “We averaged 10 points a set for earned points but played great defense, forcing Vail Mountain to make errors. Our serving was good, with 10 aces and only four errors on the night.”
Coach Cravens noted the significance of Friday’s win for his team, saying, “With the win Friday vs. Vail Mountain, we locked up the Western Slope 2A/1A League Championship.”
The following day, the Cowboys faced off against the Olathe Pirates. Coming off an 11-match winning streak, the Cowboys carried their momentum into this match, again winning all three sets. The game held special significance as it was Senior Night. The seniors include Adi Selle, Sydnie Ross, Taylor Garcia, Mylah Gallegos, Reese Clatterbaugh, Graycee Cravens, Kayla Scott, Brook Arnold, and Becca Hood.
Coach Cravens made it a point to highlight the contributions of the senior players, stating, “As I always try to do, we started all the seniors on varsity for the first set. They played great, and Brook Arnold took advantage with four kills in the first set. This group of seniors has been very special for me.”
On Saturday the Cowboys dominated the court, winning each set by at least 12 points. The scores were 25-10, 25-13, and a commanding 25-7 in the final set.
Leading the charge for the Cowboys were seniors Reese Clatterbaugh and Graycee Cravens. Clatterbaugh showcased her offensive prowess with 11 kills, further solidifying her role as the team’s leading scorer with 159 kills this season. Graycee Cravens contributed significantly as well, providing 19 assists and leading the team with three aces during the match. Currently, she ranks first in the Western Slope League with 327 assists, underscoring her critical role in the Cowboys’ success.
With the victory against Olathe, their record now stands at 15-3 for the 2024 season. Looking ahead, the Cowboys will close out the regular season with an end-of-year tournament in Buena Vista. Their schedule includes matches against Monte Vista at 1 p.m. and Middle Park at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by contests against Gunnison at 11:30 a.m. and Salida at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
By JARED HENDERSON
