MEEKER | The Meeker High School boys wrestling team competed in the Western Slope Showdown last weekend, bringing 17 wrestlers to the two-day tournament. Six wrestled in the varsity bracket, while 11 participated in junior varsity matches.
New head coach Stryker Lane reflected on the team’s strong showing they had this past weekend.
“We showed a lot of grit, and that is very encouraging early in the year,” Lane said.
The Cowboys placed ninth out of 30 teams with 88 points. Seniors Cade Blunt and Clay Crawford captured gold, while sophomore Koy Weber finished sixth in the 132-pound weight class.
Crawford, who is competing at 144 pounds this season, described his most challenging match of the tournament.
“My finals match was my most challenging because the kid I wrestled had pinned me the week before. I knew I just had to wrestle my match,” Crawford said.
In the finals, Crawford faced Derrick Sievertsen of North Fork High School. Crawford led 4-2 after the first period and extended his lead to 6-3 in the second. By the third period, Crawford secured a 19-8 victory to win the championship.
Blunt also delivered a dominant performance in the finals, where he faced Jeremiah Baumgardner of Monte Vista High School. Blunt led 3-0 after the first period, widened the margin to 5-1 in the second, and sealed a 16-1 victory by the third period to claim his title.
Looking ahead to the Warrior Classic, another two-day tournament, Crawford shared his goals and areas for improvement.
“My goal for the Warrior is to win it, of course, but I wouldn’t be mad at placing at a tournament like the Warrior,” Crawford said. “I’m going to work on keeping a consistent pace throughout a full match and staying in a good position the whole time.”
This weekend, the varsity Cowboys will compete in the Warrior Classic in Clifton, Colorado, hosted by Central High School, while the junior varsity squad will participate in a two-day tournament in Fruita, Colorado. Lane emphasized the team’s focus.
“Our main focus this coming weekend is still development,” Lane said. “We have a young team that has a lot to learn before February. We need to focus on stringing matches together.”
After the Warrior Classic, the Cowboys will take a brief break before competing in the West Grand Tournament in Kremmling, Colorado, on Jan. 4, 2025.
By JARED HENDERSON