MEEKER I The Meeker Cowboys hosted the North Fork Miners for their 2021 Homecoming game. According to the consensus rankings, that meant number 11 was hosting number eight and it was slated to be a game to determine the Western Slope League Championship.
“It was an exciting game,” commented head coach Shane Phelan, “a total team effort.”
The Cowboys fought their way to a 30-13 win, starting it with a 40-yard field goal by John Hampton Hightower. The Miners were unable to make up the difference as the Cowboys kept pulling away. At the half the score was 10-7, another six points in the third by the Cowboys went unanswered, 14 more in the fourth and the Miners added to their score late in the fourth quarter but were unable to make their conversion.
“Our running game was working well so we stuck to it,” commented Phelan.
Turner ran 256 yards and had three touchdowns, Porter Hossack ran for 25 yards, and Connor Blunt ran for 14 and one touchdown.
“Overall I was really pleased with the kids, and thought the kids did great on special teams,” said Phelan.
North Fork has one of the top kick returners in the state, Mordechai White, and the Cowboys were able to shut them down.
“Defense and offense played well and were able to win the turnover battle,” commented Phelan.
Carter Neff of the Miners had been racking up double digit tackles each game and was in the top 10 of all tacklers in all classes in the state, and the Cowboys offense was able to block him and keep him to only having seven.
For turnovers, Elijah LeBlanc caused a defensive fumble, but the Miners had two, picked up by Zack Eskelson and Judd Harvey and for interceptions both Blunt and Trinden Powell picked up another.
The Cowboys racked up a lot of tackles, leading was Eskelson with 17, LeBlanc and Turner each had 14, and Zach Simonsen had 12.
“This is the type of effort we need against high quality teams like North Fork,” said Phelan.
The team now looks forward to undefeated Gunnison. These two teams met last year for the first time possibly ever. The Cowboys came away with a 48-0 win.
This year Gunnison is 7-0 and still has a relatively new coaching staff with “a lot of enthusiasm and have had a heck of a season thus far. And hopefully we can slow them down a little,” wrapped up Phelan.
Gunnison and Meeker were tied for the first spot in the Western Slope League Championship as of press time; they remain the only undefeated teams in league play. This game has league championship implications and was slated to kick off earlier than usual, 6 p.m. in Gunnison.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK
Special to the Herald Times
Rangely Panthers also won and are tied for first in their league.