MEEKER | The Meeker High School girls basketball team returned to the court after their holiday break with a pair of road wins to start the new year.
On Friday, the Cowboys visited Grand Valley High School in Parachute for their first game of 2026. Last season, Meeker fell to the Cardinals 37-35 on the road. This time, the Cowboys avenged that loss with a 61-23 victory behind balanced scoring and strong ball movement.
Freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh led Meeker with 14 points, adding eight rebounds and seven assists to control the game’s tempo. Fellow freshman Cienna Rogers also scored 14 points, knocking down four 3-pointers to stretch the defense.
Senior Addie Knowles contributed six points while dishing out a team-high seven assists and pulling down six rebounds. Meeker shared the ball effectively, recording 19 assists as a team, and used its depth to maintain pressure throughout the contest. The Cowboys outrebounded Grand Valley 31-18 and relied on defensive pressure to create transition opportunities. Senior Rylee Sullivan added seven rebounds and four assists, while Shailee Rundberg chipped in 11 points on efficient shooting.
The following day, Meeker traveled to Cedaredge for a league matchup against the Bruins. The Cowboys had lost to Cedaredge 44-27 at home last season, but they left town with a 37-21 win to complete the weekend sweep.
Meeker limited Cedaredge to 21 points, forcing turnovers and controlling the glass to disrupt the Bruins’ offense. Knowles led the Cowboys with 13 points, scoring efficiently inside and converting all three of her free throws. Clatterbaugh finished with eight rebounds and five assists, helping Meeker maintain control of possession and tempo. Defensively, the Cowboys were relentless. Knowles and Rogers each recorded four steals, with Meeker finishing the game with 15 total steals and holding Cedaredge to single-digit shooting percentages from the field.
“We weren’t really concerned about returning to play, more just excited to get some games going,” said first-year head coach Eric Hamilton. “We had really sharp practices after the break and everyone was pumped to start our league games. I thought our defense played aggressively, with lots of hustle plays, and we shot the ball pretty well for our first games back. Defensively, I’m just very happy with our effort and intensity. We still have a lot of work to do, but they are starting to play great team defense. We know how tough our league is — and even tougher on the road. Starting off 2-0 is great, but we need to keep moving forward. Our team has a lot of players that can step up and score points on any given night, so we aren’t relying on one or two girls every game. Being 6-0 is great and really fun, but this is a very competitive league, and we need to prepare for every game against tough opponents.”
Rogers added, “Offensively, my team has a whole bunch of offensive weapons, and we are really starting to build great chemistry and feed off each other. Our team works super hard in practice and we are super disciplined, so that when we get on the court we have a lot of confidence and trust in each other. Defense creates offense, so our team focuses on putting a lot of pressure on the opponent and trying to create as many transitions as possible.”
Harrison reflected on her development as a freshman. “On the court, I tend to work super hard to be a great defender and rebounder. When I’m not scoring, I try to set my teammates up to score or else make a move. I feel like defense and rebounds are so important and can change the outcome in a hurry. Coach Hamilton and Coach Kay always tell me to hustle, follow my shot, and give 110%. Playing with the seniors has taught me that even the best make mistakes, but your attitude after is what matters. Starting 2-0 motivates me to push harder than ever because it will only get harder. We just need to work even harder, keep improving, and build something great together.”
Sullivan reflected on the importance of the league wins. “Cedaredge and Grand Valley were both important wins as they were our first league games. It was hard at times in the games to stay disciplined and patient, specifically when we weren’t performing at our max level or when the game wasn’t going in our favor. As we have a fairly young team, everyone has embraced their roles well. The freshmen through seniors have capitalized on their roles and abilities. The team has grown exponentially since winter break. We have come together as a team and each individual has grown on their own. It makes me happy and proud to have the younger girls stepping up in league play and embracing what they have been gifted.”
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.
Hamilton said he’s looking forward to the home environment. “We are really looking forward to playing at home, expecting a rowdy home crowd. Rangely is a heck of a team and so well-coached. It’s going to be a great challenge for us. This is a big three-game week, so we need to buckle down, perform at home, and be ready for our long road trip weekend — three practices, three games. How fun is that? What a week.”
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.
Meeker freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh shoots a free throw Friday night during the Cowboys’ road win against Grand Valley in Parachute. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO