MEEKER | Last week, the Meeker Cowboys boys’ basketball team traveled to Vail Mountain with a three-game win streak following an 0-8 season start. Facing a 6-4 Vail Mountain squad, the Cowboys anticipated a tough challenge. The last meeting between the two teams, in January 2024, saw the Cowboys dominate with a 64-26 victory. This time, however, the Cowboys fell short, losing 61-54.
“We got off to a horrible start and had to dig out of a hole all night and never could get over the hump,” said Head Coach Klark Kindler said.
Despite the loss, senior Tyler Sanders led the team with 15 points. He was supported by his teammate senior Drew Drake, who scored 12 points, shooting 6-of-11. Coach Kindler noted some positives from the game, stating, “We battled all night. We just were playing from behind and didn’t make enough plays.”
The Cowboys recorded 18 assists compared to Vail Mountain’s 9 but struggled to contain senior Charlie Vidal, who had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. While junior Grant Iverson added 11 points and six boards for Vail Mountain. The loss ended the Cowboys’ win streak and dropped their season record to 3-9.
On Saturday afternoon, the Cowboys faced Roaring Fork on the road. They entered the game with a 3-9 record, Meeker battled through three quarters, and where tied with the Rams heading into the fourth. Roaring Fork, cooming into the game boasting a 9-3 record, ultimately prevailed as the Cowboys struggled in the final quarter.
“We were tied going to the 4th, so there were no real adjustments,” Kindler explained. “When they got ahead, we panicked and were trying too hard, and everything that could go wrong did go wrong.”
Senior Alex Garcia stood out with 10 points and 7 rebounds, while sophomore Said Rodriguez contributed 9 points and 6 assists for the Cowboys. Kindler emphasized the positives, saying, “Roaring Fork is the most talented team in our league, and we fought them toe to toe for three quarters. We know we can play with anyone in our league. We have to work on being better in the 4th quarter.”
The loss dropped the Cowboys’ record to 3-10. Meeker will host the North Fork Miners on Friday evening, with the JV game starting at 4 p.m. and varsity tipping off at 7 p.m. The Cowboys, fourth in the league with a 3-4 record, aim to rebound against the Miners, who sit sixth in the league with a 2-4 record.
Kindler highlighted the team’s focus for improvement: “Keep working hard like they are, and good things will happen.”
On Saturday, the Cowboys will travel to Parachute to face the Grand Valley Cardinals, who defeated them 66-39 earlier this season. Reflecting on that game, Kindler noted the team’s growth: “We were undermanned with injuries and sickness, so we feel we will play a lot better this time around. We will have better matchups and will be deeper coming off the bench.”
Cowboy fans are encouraged to come out and support the team on Friday as they host the North Fork Miners. Good luck to the Cowboys this weekend as they aim to return to the win column. As always, go Cowboys!
MHS senior Drew Drake (33) goes after a basket. Drake scored 12 points in the Cowboys’ match against a tough Vail Mountain team.
