MEEKER | This Friday a new high school football season will begin for the Meeker Cowboys. After months of anticipation, the smell of freshly cut grass on Friday night will fill the air as the team opens the season on the road against the Centauri Falcons.
Head coach Andy Coryell said the team is excited to get back on the field. “We’re excited to be back. We had a lot of guys participate in our offseason programs, and they’re ready to play real football for a change,” he said.
The Cowboys hosted the Rangely Panthers in a scrimmage last weekend at Starbucks Stadium. Coryell said he was encouraged by the performance of young players stepping into new positions. “I thought we had a productive scrimmage on Friday. We got to see a lot of young guys in new spots and were encouraged by how they played,” he said.
Meeker will be led by nine seniors: Sam Conrado, Auggie Halstead, Holton Harvey, Ty Ivy, Drake Jones, Eric Petrocco, Dillon Pretti, Tristan Rollins and Quintin Simpson. Coryell noted that most of them have significant playing experience. The team also returns several juniors, including quarterback Cade Mills and running back Said Rodriguez, who saw substantial playing time last season.
Friday’s opener is a rematch of last year’s season opener, in which Centauri defeated Meeker 33-6 at home. Coryell said facing a strong opponent early will provide a good benchmark for his team. “This Friday we go to Centauri to see a really good team. We’ll get to see how we measure up against one of the better teams in the state right away,” he said.
The Cowboys will look to start the season strong as they hit the road Friday. With experienced seniors leading the way and a mix of juniors and younger players stepping into bigger roles, Meeker will look to build momentum and develop cohesion throughout the season. Every game will provide opportunities to sharpen their skills, improve teamwork, and set the tone for the rest of the year as they aim to compete at a high level and challenge some of the top programs in the state.
