MEEKER | “A win gets us at least a share of the conference championship,” Meeker boys’ basketball coach Klark Kindler said of the importance of the Cowboys’ last game of the regular season to be played on their home court against the Soroco Rams. The Cowboys improved their Western Slope League record to 10-1 and currently 14-4 overall, after handling league foe Paonia Friday and pounding the DeBeque Dragons Saturday. Meeker’s only WSL loss came at the hands of Rio Blanco County rival Rangely, who the Cowboys are tied with for first place as the Panthers also only have one WSL loss to Vail Christian, with one regular season game to play against the Paonia Eagles Friday.
Meeker beat the Paonia Eagles (69-54) for the first time in three years, then easily defeated the 1A Dragons 77-44, setting up the final game of the regular season against the 4-14 Rams.
“We took control of the game early and made them play catch up,” Coach Kindler said. “It was a big win for us in the conference race.”
Meeker jumped out to a 22-8 lead after the first quarter and both teams scored 17 in the second, giving the Cowboys a comfortable halftime lead.
Senior Eli Newman led the Cowboys from down under with 17 points and he pulled down five rebounds, while Meeker’s other big-man Zach Dinwiddie added 16, including a three-pointer, went three-for-three from the charity line and recorded six rebounds. Senior classmate Logan Hughes led the Cowboys with eight rebounds and finished with nine points against the Eagles, while senior point-guard Doak Mantle found his mark, scoring 15 points, including three from behind the three-point arch, pulled down four rebounds and led the team with four steals. Meeker’s other senior starter, Valentin Rosas added seven, classmate Trapper Merrifield added two, Brennan Jensen also finished with two and Kale Burke made a free throw.
Coach Kindler said the Cowboys also “played well” against the Dragons, again jumping out to an early lead, then dominating their opponent in the next three periods.
“It was their fourth game in five days and we forced the tempo and were successful in transition,” Kindler said of the game in Debeque last Saturday. “We did a great job guarding their two leading scorers.”
Newman led the Cowboys for a second game, recording a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Hughes also finished with a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Mantle and Dinwiddie each scored 13 points, including two more three-pointers from Mantle and one from Dinwiddie. Ryan Phelan scored seven points, Cole Rogers added five, including a three-pointer, and Rosas scored four. Burke hit a three also, while Merrifield and Stephen Walsh each made free throws.
Meeker will host the Rams Friday in the final game of the regular season.
