MEEKER | The Meeker High School girls basketball team hosted the Roaring Fork Rams last week, looking to bounce back from a recent loss to Aspen. The Cowboys had previously faced the Rams in January, falling 72-44. Unfortunately, they were unable to secure a different outcome this time, losing 66-52.
Despite the loss, a couple of players for the Cowboys delivered notable performances that night. Junior Addie Knowles recorded a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. She also tallied at least two steals for the fourth consecutive game she played in.
Junior Kayla Castillo led the Cowboys in scoring that evening, shooting 7-for-17 on her way to an 18-point performance. She also contributed three steals. On the opposing side, sophomore Riley Bevington led the Rams with a double-double, scoring 26 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Junior Nikki Tardif added 21 points and 11 rebounds, while senior Carley Crownhart chipped in nine points and five assists.
The loss dropped Meeker to 9-10 on the season. Assistant coach Greg Cravens reflected on the team’s early struggles.
“It was three minutes into the game before we got our first points. You can’t do that with good teams,” Cravens said. “With that said, we didn’t feel like we played poorly against them. They are a good team, and we had some moments where we couldn’t find a good shot. We also gave away too many offensive rebounds.”
On Friday, the Cowboys hosted Cedaredge but came up short once again. The last time the two teams met, Meeker fell 42-30. This time, the Bruins secured a 44-27 victory.
Historically, Meeker has struggled against Cedaredge, holding a 1-9 record against them. The Cowboys, who entered the game on a three-game losing streak, were looking to turn things around. With the loss it pushed the Cowboys record to 9-11 on their season they are currently 4-8 in league play and sitting in fifth place. Cravens noted that the team played strong defense against the No. 6 team in Class 3A.
“They average 53 points a game, and we held them to 44,” Cravens said. “We had a better game rebounding but again went three minutes without scoring, this time in the third quarter.”
The Cowboys will close out their regular-season home schedule on Friday night against Olathe, marking the final home game for the team’s seniors. Meeker defeated Olathe on the road earlier this season and will look to snap a four-game losing streak while defending their home court.
The next day, Meeker will travel to Hotchkiss to take on North Fork. In their last matchup in January, the Cowboys secured a 51-43 victory. Cravens spoke about the challenges of facing both teams this weekend.
“Two tough league opponents. Our focus this week is shooting better and getting more boards,” Cravens said. “The North Fork game will be a good one. They are fourth in the league, and we are sitting fifth.”
Fans are encouraged to attend Friday’s home game against Olathe to support the team and honor the graduating seniors. The junior varsity game is scheduled for 4 p.m., with the varsity game set for 5:30 p.m.
