MEEKER | The Meeker Cowboys high school football team will get an extra seven more days, gaining another week to compete. As the seventh seed, the Cowboys hosted the 10th-seeded Monte Vista Pirates on Saturday afternoon at Starbucks Stadium in the first round of the 1A Colorado State Playoffs, rising to the challenge.
In the playoffs, it’s win-or-go-home. The Cowboys embraced that mentality and managed to secure a 44-34 victory, marking their eighth consecutive win this season. Head Coach Andy Coryell credited the team’s maturity and determination for their success. “Not too many adjustments. We didn’t get a lot of great practice time this week with the fields covered up. We were in the gym, so it’s a testament to the kids that have matured through the year—those sophomores are now juniors. They’ve grown up, and they behave that way,” Coryell said.
Senior running back Cade Blunt led the Cowboys’ offense, rushing for 290 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Blunt’s performance was notable, he was averaging an impressive 8.8 yards per carry. Reflecting on the victory, Blunt said, “Playoffs are a fun time of the year. This last week, we’ve had the mindset of ‘win or go home.’ I think that really helped us get the win over Monte Vista. I was thrilled with everyone and how well everyone played.”
One of the standout moments of the game was Blunt’s 69-yard touchdown run in the first half. He described the play as a key point in the game and emphasized the importance of staying focused as they move forward in the playoffs. “I was just doing my best to get to the end zone first. I knew he was close to catching me. As we go into the second round, I think we just need to stay focused. If we all do our part, I think we will go tremendously far,” Blunt added.
With the victory, the Cowboys advanced to the second round of the 1A State Playoffs, scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Coach Coryell expressed confidence in the team’s ability to carry this momentum forward. “We’re going to enjoy this one for about a day, and then we’ll start getting ready for Faith Christian, which is one of the top teams in the state. We’ve got our work cut out for us there, but heck, we’re gonna enjoy this one first and worry about them starting Sunday,” Coryell said.
The Cowboys are eager to keep improving as they head into their next game. Coryell noted that the team still has areas to work on and would use the practice week to fine-tune their strategies. “I think the coach in me—we want to fix everything. I mean, we’re still making our fair share of mistakes. We’ve got a lot to work on come Monday,” he stated.
Next Saturday, the Cowboys will travel to take on the No. 2-seeded Forge Christian Fury. The Cowboys bring an 8-2 record into the matchup, while Forge Christian remains undefeated at 10-0, having defeated Yuma 42-0 in the first round. Forge Christian’s powerful running game, led by senior Euli Tafoya, will be a challenge for Meeker’s defense. The Cowboys will focus on containing Tafoya’s ground game to increase their chances of advancing further in the playoffs.
The game is set to kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the Cowboys are ready to fight for another week in the 1A State Playoffs. Go Cowboys!
By JARED HENDERSON
