MEEKER | The Meeker Cowboys girls basketball team secured a home victory Thursday against the Plateau Valley Cowboys, winning 52-41. The win came after a tough loss to the Grand Valley Cardinals the previous Saturday.
Head coach Megan Shelton, facing her former team, saw her squad step up in a strong team performance. Junior Shailee Rundberg led Meeker with a career-high 17 points, going 6-for-14 from the field, and adding five steals. Sophomore Kayla Castillo contributed 12 points, five rebounds, and four steals.
“We all came in with a winning mindset, which definitely helped us throughout the game,” Castillo said. “The amount of excitement and preparation we had helped me get in the right mindset to work hard. My teammates were very supportive and contributed to our energy on the court.”
The win marked Meeker’s fourth consecutive home victory, improving their record to 9-7.
However, the Cowboys struggled the following night against Gunnison, falling 49-28. Despite the loss, junior Addie Knowles and Castillo each scored 10 points. Knowles also grabbed five rebounds, while freshman Ellie Ana Ford recorded her first career rebounds.
“Gunnison shot very well from three-point range,” assistant coach Greg Cravens said. “We only shot 26%, and shots were not falling for us.”
The loss dropped Meeker to 9-8. The Cowboys then traveled to Aspen on Saturday, where they fell 43-34 to the Skiers.
Knowles had another strong performance with 11 points, eight rebounds, and four steals. Despite her efforts, Meeker continued to struggle offensively.
“We only shot 26%, and Aspen shot 30%,” Cravens said. “They did some things defensively that caused issues, but our 21 turnovers were the biggest problem. We need to work on protecting the ball and making better decisions.”
With the loss, Meeker’s record sits at 9-9 overall and 4-6 in league play, placing them fourth in the standings. The Cowboys will look to bounce back at home, hosting Roaring Fork on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and Cedaredge on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
