The Meeker Cowboys Class of 2024 was a force on this year’s football team. Seventeen boys from the class led the team to a 2023 semifinal showing, a feat that had not been accomplished for Meeker since 2016 and only one of the two times since the inception of MaxPreps in the 2004-2005 season.
The team finishes the year 7-4, the top team on the western slope and top four in the state.
The Cowboys were led by co-captains quarterback Ryan Sullivan and middle linebacker Judd Harvey.
“If I could give the younger boys on the team one piece of advice it would be to not take the time you get for granted; it’ll be over before you know it,” commented Sullivan.
Sullivan finished the year with an amazing 60% completion rate throwing 969 yards for ten touchdowns, and that included four yards right back to himself during the Aspen game.
Harvey, who finished his career as a three year starter on the offensive line, took up the position of middle linebacker for 2023. He was in on each play offensively and defensively with the exception of special teams, he finished with 126 tackles, nine tackles for loss, all of which places him tied for third place in the state.
“My advice to the younger guys is to stay in the weight room as much as you can, keep your grades up and always stay off of low and failing, and ask questions,” commented Harvey.
Defensive lineman Hayden Shults echoes Harvey, “my wish for the younger guys would be to work hard and do every rep like it’s your last.”
Shults ended the year with 25 yards rushing, 86 tackles and three sacks.
Jace Mobley wants the younger guys to remember to not only work but have fun he said. Mobley finished the year leading the team with 474 yards receiving and defensively 38 tackles and four interceptions.
The team’s loss to Gunnison knocked them down to a rank that placed them on the same side of the bracket as the Limon Badgers. They worked their way efficiently and effectively through Highland and Buena Vista in the opening round of playoffs and the quarterfinals, only to face, for a second time this year, the Badgers in the semifinals.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys the game ended in the same way as all of the previous matchups, but the heart of the game and the play of the game looked much different. The Badgers have been known to mercy rule the Cowboys or shut them out and instead the two teams went to half time tied.
Just as early in this year, Limon capitalized on turnovers, had a couple break away touchdowns that swayed the momentum and the Cowboys were unable to gain steam.
“The momentum shift is my biggest regret for our game, I feel if we could have kept it going we could have won,” commented Harvey, “the coaches this year increased the intensity of the practices throughout the season and I think that has made a difference.”
“I wish I could have been a better leader along with other seniors during the Limon game,” said Shults. “I think if we could have come back the second half better than what we did the first, we could’ve given a better game to the Meeker community that has been supporting us since Mustangs.”
Coach Andy Coryell told the Herald, “I was very proud of how the guys played the other day, I was really proud of how they fought for four quarters, just like all season. We’re really going to miss this big group of seniors, but are excited to see what next season brings.”
This year’s team was coached by Coryell, Matt Scott, Matt Dupire, Darby Finley and Pete Doan.
“I appreciate all the time the coaches put in and the effort they provided to make us the best we could possibly be,” commented Sullivan. “They made sure we all knew that we meant something to the team. One of the most down to earth and understanding coaching staff there could be.”
“I think if I could tell my coaches anything I would say thank you,” began Mobley. “Thank you for pushing me to be the best I am, thank you for helping me with school when I needed it, and thank you for helping me grow as a person.”
“If I could tell my coaches something it would just be thank you,” said Brendan Clatterbaugh; “as I got older I realized the time and sacrifice they made for us as a team.”
Clatterbaugh led the team with 138 tackles, which places him firmly in second place in the state for tackles for this year.
The gratitude for the coaches continues with Harvey who wants the coaches to know he appreciates them for “always pushing me along and making me better.”
Shults wraps up the messages by saying, “even though I wasn’t the best listener, thank you for all the fun memories and advice.”
The team will leave this year with many memories and having accomplished something that only four teams in the state go to do, play in the semifinals.
“Hanging out with the team before the games is probably my best memory,” commented Harvey.
“I would probably say getting a sack against Teton is my best memory,” commented Shults; “other than dislocating my knee stretching”.
For Clatterbaugh his best memory was “running out to tackle a kid and having Judd shout ‘ Get him Buzz, get him’.”
Harvey, Sullivan, Clatterbaugh, Shults and Mobley were five of the 17 seniors that included Jake Blazon, Jacob Simonsen, Wyatt Powers, Dawson Willey, Tate Kerchel, Noah LeBlanc, Teagan Sheridan, Gage Hicks, Xavier Leblanc, Colton Newman, Ethan Quinn and Cooper Michels.
Two juniors cannot go unmentioned along with the class of 2024 and that is Clay Crawford and Cade Blunt. Crawford led the team with 89.4 rushing yards per game, for a total of 983 yards and 13 touchdowns; plus 51 yards receiving and 35 tackles. Blunt led the team in receiving touchdowns with four and his annual stats were 464 yards rushing, 205 yards receiving, and 100 tackles.
