MEEKER I The Meeker Cowboy wrestling team opened the season in Grand Junction at the Maverick Duals on the Colorado Mesa University campus on Saturday and won all five of its duals. Meeker will compete in the Panther Invitational in Delta on Saturday.
“We had good mat awareness,” Meeker head coach J.C. Watt said of his team’s first performances of the season.
The Cowboys defeated Montrose (40-33), Gunnison (69-10), Montezuma-Cortez (57-18), Palisade (55-15) and Cedaredge (58-24).
“They were all bigger schools except Cedaredge, and we had six kids go undefeated,” coach Watt said.
Sheridan Harvey (126), Hunter Garcia (152), Casey Turner (160), Devon Pontine (170), T.J. Shelton (182) and Caleb Bradford (220) won all of the matches they wrestled in, in their respective weights.
Meeker had several wrestlers competing on the varsity for the first time, including freshman Tannen Kennedy, who won four of his five matches in the 120 pound weight class, Garrett Frantz (132), Ty Gibson (138) and Tanner Slaugh at 145.
“We have several first-year varsity kids we will continue to train them up,” coach Watt said.
Jacob Pelloni (113), Dillon Frantz (195) and Tyler Ilgen (285) completed the varsity lineup for Meeker and all contributed to Meeker’s wins.
The Cowboys also sent seven wrestlers to a junior varsity tournament in Olathe and several won matches, including Chase Rule, who won the 170 pound bracket.
Kasey Rosendahl (120), Christopher Strate (132), Charlie Day (132), Sammy Palmer (138), Daylon Nielsen (145) and Zach Medlin (195) all wrestled in Olathe.
“We have a lot of work to do,” coach Watt said. “We are still out of conditioning, but we are just getting started.”
