MEEKER | Last week, the Meeker High School girls basketball team began its week on the road in Wyoming, taking on the Little Snake Mustangs in the “Snake Pit.” Both teams entered the game undefeated, but only one would leave with that record intact. Unfortunately for Meeker, the Cowboys saw their unbeaten streak end with an 83-40 loss FriMeeker wrestling splits duals, takes fourth at Les Mattocks Tournamentday night.
The last time these teams met was Jan. 4, 2025, when Little Snake traveled to Meeker and won 72-49. Meeker was looking for revenge, but the Mustangs came out on top again, dropping the Cowboys to 9-1 on the season.
Despite the loss, senior Rylee Sullivan led Meeker with 23 points and four rebounds, while senior Addie Knowles added nine points and six rebounds. Freshman Haigen Harrison chipped in two points, and Raegan Clatterbaugh hauled in 13 rebounds. Junior Josey McClain contributed four rebounds, and freshman Cienna Rogers added three points and four boards.
“After losing to Little Snake River, we didn’t want that to stop our progress,” head coach Eric Hamilton said. “We talked about some mistakes we made as far as coaching and playing and moved on to the next game.”
The following day, the Cowboys stayed on the road in Colorado to face the Aspen Skiers. Last season, Meeker defeated Aspen 42-19 at home on Jan. 24, 2025. Friday evening, the result was similar, with Meeker cruising to a 62-16 win.
Sullivan again led the team with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Clatterbaugh recorded 13 points and seven rebounds, while Harrison added four points and six boards. Knowles contributed a rebound and an assist, helping facilitate the offense. Rogers scored 10 points and made contributions on both ends, while McClain and freshman Tacey Toon provided energy off the bench. Meeker’s defense forced turnovers and controlled the glass throughout.
“It was important for a big bounce back after our first loss,” Sullivan said. “It was a punch in the gut, but it was over with, and the record was going to show a loss no matter what we did. Defense has definitely won us some games this year, so it’s important to start strong on defense and let the offensive game follow. Reading the ball and what the opponents are giving helps improve my own stats. Everyone was pretty beat up after the loss, but we came together as a team and knew we had to move on. With a young team, it leaves growth for everyone. I’ve found that encouraging the girls and picking them up helps them settle into the game. Not having one scorer is highly valuable because it ensures that if one person isn’t on, someone will step up and continue scoring. Bouncing back with a win shows that we aren’t going to give up, and league play will only get harder and harder.”
“My mindset going into every game is to focus on hustling every second,” Harrison said. “I don’t feel like I bring as many skills to the table as most of the other girls, especially offensively, so I really try to focus on the things I can control. My technical abilities are definitely a work in progress, but my intensity and effort is something I can always control. My defense and rebounding are something I take pride in because they reflect both effort and teamwork. I’ve learned so much from the upperclassmen this year—they are amazing athletes, teammates, and leaders. After losing to Little Snake, it was good to rebuild our confidence against Aspen. By the end of that game, we reminded ourselves that we can do great things when we work together and believe in ourselves.”
“Friday versus Aspen, the girls played excellent,” Hamilton said. “Great varsity experience for lots of players. They played as a team and played extremely well after a tough loss. It was important for us to have a good game and be ready for the Rams on Saturday.”
The following day, the Cowboys returned home to face the undefeated Roaring Fork Rams, who entered the game 12-0. The teams last met Feb. 11, 2025, when the Rams defeated Meeker 66-52 at home. This time, the Cowboys defended their home court with a 47-40 victory, moving to 11-1 overall and 6-0 in league play, sitting in first place.
Freshman Cienna Rogers led Meeker with 18 points, all from three-pointers, in a physical, low-scoring game. Clatterbaugh dominated the boards with 19 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block, while Harrison added 13 rebounds and two steals. Sullivan anchored the defense with eight steals, five rebounds, and three assists, and Knowles chipped in six rebounds and five steals.
“Our defense was key to winning that game against Roaring Fork, but our offense really stepped up against an older, taller team,” Knowles said. “Our loss to Baggs really motivated us to step up our game against Roaring Fork. We will continue to do well if we focus on teamwork, each of us getting our job done, and taking one game at a time.”
The game stayed close throughout, but Meeker capitalized at the free-throw line late and forced key defensive stops to secure the win. The Cowboys successfully contained the Rams’ top playmakers, junior Riley Bevington — one of the state’s leading scorers — and junior Nikki Tardif, a consistent scoring and rebounding threat.
“Saturday, our team was very locked in and confident,” Hamilton said. “We knew our defense was going to have to step it up a notch for us to be in the game, and the girls just played with a lot of guts and determination throughout. Every player had key contributions in the game, a huge team victory for us. Our seniors Sullivan, Knowles, and Rundberg continue to push this team ahead with outstanding leadership. The consistency of these players is exactly what we need. I couldn’t be more proud of the team’s intensity and focus at this stage of our season.”
Meeker and Roaring Fork will meet again Feb. 10, 2026, at Roaring Fork. As of Jan. 27, 2026, the Cowboys are ranked No. 7 in the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index, down from No. 5 last week.
This week, Meeker will travel to Hotchkiss on Friday to face North Fork and return home Saturday, Jan. 31, to host the Grand Valley Cardinals, whom they defeated 61-23 on Jan. 9. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Good luck to the team this week as they continue their strong season and as always go Cowboys!
Senior Addie Knowles shoots a free throw during Meeker’s home game against Roaring Fork, helping the Cowboys maintain momentum in a tight contest. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO