Meeker | For the second time this season the Cowboys shut out an opponent. The Cedaredge Bruins struggled to get their offense going against the Meeker defense and the Cowboys came away with a definitive 44-0 win. This season the Cowboys have only allowed 22 points scored but racked up 92 so far.
“We bounced back very well from last weekend,” commented head coach Shane Phelan, “I liked the intensity we came out with; we cleaned up some things from a week ago, still a few things to fix, but we are headed in the right direction.”
Friday night was Homecoming 2020 for Meeker and Kelton Turner put the first points on the scoreboard. The Bruins stopped the extra point and with just over half of the first quarter gone, it was time for Cedaredge’s first possession, which didn’t last long. They threw for an interception, retrieved by Braydon Garcia with 5:44 left in the first quarter. The Cowboys capitalized on this extra possession and two short minutes later, Ryan Phelan met Colby Clatterbaugh to make it 12-0 and Phelan ran it in for two more making it 14-0 Meeker.
In the second quarter the Cowboy offense continued to pick up steam, with 16 seconds eaten off the clock Turner ran it in for six more and Phelan met Trinden Powell for the extra points.
The second quarter continued with nearly every possession a score by the Cowboys. Clatterbaugh caught a 34-yard pass from Phelan that resulted in a score; Turner ran it in for two and the score was 30-0.
After the kick the Bruins fumbled on their 12-yard line, Phelan met Spud White for six and for the first time in many years for Meeker, John Hampton Hightower kicked a PAT, making the score 37-0.
The final score of the game came with just six seconds left on the clock in the first half, White scoring again and Hightower putting up the extra point, score was 44-0.
In the second half the JV was on the field, holding their own. Ryan Sullivan came out as quarterback and the younger boys had their first opportunity to see a varsity defense, Cedaredge kept their varsity in the whole game. The Meeker defense continued to stop the Bruins from scoring and many of the younger boys received their very first stats.
“Every player on the team got a chance to play in the second half,” commented Phelan.
When the dust settled, Phelan threw for 168 yards; 55 to Clatterbaugh, 52 to White, and 29 to Garcia. Turner, also putting up some impressive numbers, ran for 168 yards, caught for 13 and had 181 for the night, just one shy of Phelan’s 182 yards. In all the Cowboys had 575 total yards.
Defensively Clatterbaugh and Connor Blunt led the team with six tackles each, Zach Eskelson had four, and Chase Callahan had the only sack.
Looking at the rankings, in the RPI the Cowboys are sitting at No. 2 and MaxPreps has them at No. 7. In the CHSAA coaches’ poll they are ranked seventh. Each is weighted at 25% for the final season bracketing and it is estimated that right now the Cowboys are sitting at six.
The Cowboys will now prepare for the Olathe Pirates. This year the Pirates are 2-2 and their losses come from Cedaredge who won 14-12 and Hotchkiss in a 42-0 game. Their wins come from Trinidad in their season opener and Paonia.
“Olathe played Hotchkiss well for the first three quarters,” said Phelan, “they are big and strong athletes, they run the ball well, and it is traditionally a tough game every time we play them. They have lots of good hard nosed kids.”
Olathe will host Meeker this coming weekend on Friday, game time is 7 p.m.
In JV action the team traveled to Grand Junction Monday for their final game. The final score was 43-8.
Special to the Herald Times
