MEEKER | On the road yet again, the Meeker Cowboys wrestling team traveled to Grand Junction on Tuesday, originally scheduled to take on both Grand Junction and Fruita. Plans changed and they only dualed the Tigers at the varsity level. The team, not full, for all of the 2021 reasons, had a lot of open weights and was unable to come away with a win.
Friday, the Cowboys took on the Bulldogs and Mavericks of Norwood in Hotchkiss.
The Bulldogs matched up against the Cowboys first, winning 54-18, Meeker came away with another win.
Winning by pin was Ty Goedert 120 pounds, Kaden Franklin (138), Tyson Portwood (145), Brendan Clatterbaugh over the number one ranked 170, 2A wrestler in the state, Dax Sheridan (182), and Judd Harvey (220).
“The kids are wrestling really, really well,” said head coach JC Watt, “They have improved tons and have a lot of confidence.”
Next the team took on the Mavericks, the final score 60-6, the team saw another first for this season, Coy Richardson (113), freshman, came away with his first ever varsity win.
Norwood was only able to fill half the weights, but the Cowboys that wrestled twice and won twice last Friday were Goedert, Clatterbaugh, and Sheridan.
“I think we will have everyone healed up and very close to being fully back this weekend,” said Watt.
This Thursday the Cowboys host their first Tri against Grand Valley and Moffat County Wrestling to begin at 5 p.m. Then Saturday they travel to Cedaredge to meet a couple of the toughest teams in the regions, Cedaredge and Buena Vista at 11 a.m.
Regionals this year will be hosted in Meeker on March 5-6. Each day will feature specific weights and the state qualifiers will be determined that day. This year regionals will have 16 man brackets, like normal, but the first two rounds will be single elimination. Typically, even if the first round is lost, the wrestler can work his way through the losers bracket and still get third, maybe even second with wrestle backs. This year, placing will be everything, and those wrestlers with little to determine placing may not get great seeding. Stay tuned for more information and details about regionals.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
