MEEKER | Last week, the Meeker High School boys wrestling team braved winter road conditions along Highway 13 to travel to Rifle for a dual against the Bears. Despite the challenging drive, the Cowboys left with a narrow 42–39 victory on Thursday evening before heading to Vernal, Utah, for the Tournament of Champions.
Rifle jumped to an early lead with wins at 215 and 285, but Meeker quickly responded as Jackson Steele (106) earned a forfeit victory. Dylan Rundberg (113) and Cody Richardson (120) fell, giving Rifle a slim edge, but the Cowboys regained momentum in the middle weights. Corbin Grant (126), Holton Harvey (144), Cooper Maupin (150), Tristin Rollins (157) and Wyatt Ross (165) all scored victories, swinging the dual in Meeker’s favor.
Rifle fought back with a win at 175 over Drake Jones, but later victories by Jonah Christensen (190), Tanner Shults (138 extra), Preston Amick (150 extra), Bryant Turner (150 extra) and Jaxen Mills (157 extra) pushed Meeker past the Bears for the win.
The following day, the Cowboys traveled to Vernal for the Tournament of Champions, competing in their first multi-day event of 2026. Junior Koy Weber led Meeker with a fifth-place finish at 132 pounds. Senior Drake Jones placed sixth at 175, and senior Holton Harvey added a seventh-place finish at 144 pounds.
Weber said he approached the Tournament of Champions with confidence after lessons learned at the Warrior Classic. “I always have the goal of scoring points and looking for a fall along the way, just wrestling my match. After a loss, I try to brush it off my shoulders and recoup to win the next one,” Weber said the tournament also taught him about his conditioning. “I had a lot of tough, close matches I was able to grind out and win, even if it was challenging.”
Jones emphasized leadership and preparation. “I help guide the young wrestlers by showing them proper technique in the room, so they have a better time during matches, and I set examples for how they should react to outcomes,” he said.
Holton Harvey highlighted the Cowboys’ depth in the middle weights. “Wrestling alongside motivated teammates all week helped sharpen my performance,” he said. The tournament gave the Cowboys valuable experience against a highly competitive field. Meeker will return home for a dual against Glenwood Springs on Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m., then travel to Hotchkiss on Saturday, Jan. 17, for the Northfork Wrestling Tournament.
Meeker improved to 6-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, sitting alone atop the standings. The Cowboys return home Tuesday, Jan. 13, to host county rival Rangely in a midweek league matchup.
Meeker will then travel Friday, Jan. 16, to face Olathe at 5:30 p.m. and close the weekend Saturday, Jan. 17, at Gunnison at 2:30 p.m.
From left to right, Drake Jones, Koy Weber and Holton Harvey pose in front of the podium after earning top finishes at the Tournament of Champions in Vernal, Utah.