MEEKER | Last Friday, the Meeker High School girls basketball team hosted the Aspen Skiers. The Cowboys entered the game with a 6-5 record after a loss to the Gunnison Cowboys, while the Skiers held a 1-7 record, most recently falling to the Roaring Fork Rams. Meeker had dominated their matchups with Aspen in recent years, winning the last six meetings.
On Friday, the Cowboys extended their streak against the Skiers to seven with a decisive 42-19 victory.
“I was proud of the team on Friday for coming out and beating Aspen,” said Head Coach Megan Shelton said. “I was glad we were able to allow our bench to play the fourth quarter and get some more varsity experience.”
Junior Addie Knowles led Meeker with 13 points, adding seven rebounds and six steals. She attributed her performance to the team’s improved offense.
“We had been working on a new offense that opened up great opportunities,” Knowles said. “Our teamwork was strong, and we really started to see each other on the court.”
The win improved Meeker’s record to 7-5 for the season.
The following day, the Cowboys traveled to face the Roaring Fork Rams. In their previous matchup, the Rams defeated Meeker 64-48. The rematch saw a similar outcome, with the Rams winning the game on Saturday afternoon 72-44.
Knowles delivered another strong performance for the Cowboys, achieving a double-double with 17 points which was a new career high for her, and 12 rebounds. Junior Rylee Sullivan also added 17 points, shooting 8-for-13 from the field.
However, Meeker struggled to contain Roaring Fork’s key players. Coach Shelton reflected on what changed after a strong first quarter, where the Cowboys scored 27 points. “As the game went on, we were scrambling on offense and defense, causing us to come up short,” Shelton said. The loss dropped Meeker’s record to 7-6 on the season.
The Cowboys will aim to rebound on Friday when they host the North Fork Miners. Both teams share identical 7-6 records, with Meeker sitting fourth in league standings at 3-3, while the Miners are fifth at 3-4.
“I hope we overcome North Fork as we have similar records, and it will be a good matchup,” Shelton said.
On Saturday, Meeker travels to Parachute to face the Grand Valley Cardinals. The Cowboys defeated the Cardinals 37-19 earlier this season, but Coach Shelton emphasized the importance of maintaining focus.
“While we have already beaten Grand Valley once, as a team we will stay focused and not overlook them,” Shelton said. “Beating a team twice is important as we can learn and grow from the last time we played them.”
Fans are encouraged to attend Friday’s game against the North Fork Miners. The JV game is set for 4 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 5:30 p.m.
