Cowboys pound Pirates 30-7, remain undefeated

MEEKER | Last year’s 1A state runners-up football team, the Meeker Cowboys, were the hosts to the Monte Vista Pirates for their 2017 Homecoming game in Starbuck Stadium and the Cowboys remain undefeated after winning 30-7. The Cowboys (4-0), are currently ranked second by Coloradopreps.com and will host the Hotchkiss Bulldogs, in a conference game in Starbuck Stadium.
Meeker lit up its new scoreboard by scoring on the first play from scrimmage, after receiving the opening kickoff, when senior quarterback Logan Hughes hit classmate Jacob Pelloni over the middle in stride. Pelloni broke two tackles and out ran other defenders to score a 76-yard touchdown, less than 30 seconds into the game. Senior Doak Mantle ran in the two point conversion and the Cowboys led 8-0, with 11:34 left to play in the first quarter.
Meeker junior Stephen Walsh intercepted a pass on Monte Vista’s first possession but the Cowboys could not advance the ball and were forced to punt. Meeker’s defense forced the Pirates to punt but Hughes threw an interception late in the first quarter.
Meeker punted twice in the second quarter and it was the Pirates’ third punt of the second quarter that senior Trapper Merrifield returned to the 15-yard line. Hughes would run in for Meeker’s second touchdown from five yards out, then connected with Merrifield for the two-point conversion, to give their team a 16-0 lead at halftime.
Neither team scored in the tired quarter but less then a minute was played in the fourth quarter, when Hughes ran in his second touchdown of the game, giving the Cowboys a 22-0 lead.
Merrifield recovered a fumble on Monte Vista’s next possession, then caught a 30-yard pass from Hughes to advance the ball to the four-yard line and where junior Tannen Kennedy ran in for Meeker’s final touchdown. Hughes connected with Eli Hanks for the two-point conversion.
The Pirates would score on a long run with less than two minutes to play to make 30-7, the final score.
Hughes would finish with 134 yards passing, completing nine of 18, including a touchdown and he ran for 59 yards and two touchdowns. Pelloni caught three passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, Merrifield caught two for 22 yards, Hanks caught two passes for six yards and Mantle caught one for a short gain of two.
Mantle carried the ball 15 times for 37 yards and Jorgen Stagg broke a long run late in the game and finished with 47 yards on three carries.
Kennedy and Tevin Pelloni led the Cowboys with 10 tackles each, Luis Villalpando had eight, Mantle seven, James Amick had five and Garrett Frantz had four. Zach McCann had the team’s only sack.
Meeker will kick off against the Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in Starbuck Stadium.