MEEKER I With almost half of the varsity wrestlers taking ACT tests on Dec. 12, seven Cowboys wrestled in the Panther Invitational and three placed in the top three.
“We only took seven, but everyone won at least one match,” head coach J.C. Watt said of his depleted varsity team.
Meeker juniors Chase Rule (160) and Tyler Ilgen (285) both advanced to the championship match and finished as runners-up in their respective weights.
Junior classmate Hunter Garcia lost in the semifinals to two-time defending state champion Bo Piper of Paonia but came back to finish third in the 145-pound bracket.
Freshman Tannen Kennedy won two matches and lost two in the 120-pound bracket.
“Tannen is a freshman, still adjusting to wrestling varsity,” coach Watt said.
Christopher Strate won a match in the 126-pound bracket, Garrett Frantz won one at 132 and Caleb Bradford won one in the 220-pound bracket.
“They all wrestled well and I was also pleased with how they wrestled in close matches,” coach Watt said.
