MEEKER | The Meeker High School girls basketball team opened its 2025–26 season with a statement, going 3–0 to win the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout under first-year head coach Eric Hamilton — the program’s first tournament title in 12 years.
Meeker had a bye on Thursday after a team dropped out, delaying its tournament debut until Friday. The Cowboys opened with an exhibition game against Middle Park, rolling to a 60–21 win behind senior Rylee Sullivan’s 18 points and Addie Knowles’ 15.
Later that evening, Meeker entered the championship bracket for its semifinal against Soroco. The Cowboys controlled the game from start to finish, fueled by high defensive pressure Hamilton said has become the team’s early identity. Sullivan scored 23 points and Knowles added 20. Freshman Cienna Rogers contributed 16, freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh added 12 and Haigen Harrison finished with six in a 77–45 win.
Hamilton said he felt nerves heading into his first true tournament game at Meeker, but praised the girls for their energy, effort and teamwork. He said the depth showed as Meeker rotated heavily, giving bench players valuable early-season minutes.
The championship game on Saturday proved far more dramatic. Facing Plateau Valley, Meeker traded leads throughout a tight matchup that came down to the final possession. After fouling with eight seconds left, the Cowboys trailed by two with no timeouts remaining. Hamilton said he tried to communicate time-and-score details from the sideline as Plateau Valley missed all three free-throw attempts, including one following a lane violation.
Clatterbaugh grabbed the rebound, and Meeker had to go the full length of the floor. Hamilton said two freshmen made “really wise decisions” in the final seconds, moving the ball upcourt before kicking it out to Knowles, who drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 56–55 win.
The play sealed Meeker’s first Cowboy Shootout championship since 2013.
Hamilton said the weekend was important for the team’s confidence and chemistry, especially with several players battling injuries. He praised the group’s defensive intensity, ball movement and outside shooting, adding that the girls “feed off each other” and bring high energy despite still learning their roles early in the season.
Meeker has this coming weekend off before preparing for the Windsor Charter Showcase. Hamilton said the Cowboys plan to reset with focused practices and will not let the fast start lead to complacency.
“We’re not going to be satisfied,” he said. “It’s a long season, and we need to keep getting better every night.”
For a program aiming to reestablish itself among Colorado’s small-school contenders, the weekend felt like a turning point. The Cowboys left their home floor with a championship, a 3–0 record and the belief that they can compete with anyone on their schedule. As Hamilton begins his first season at the helm, Meeker will try to carry that spark into the months ahead.
From left: Assistant coach Karen Dinwiddie, Mia Hernandez (10), Cienna Rogers (22), Shailee Rundberg (4), Addie Knowles (12), Rylee Sullivan (5), Raegan Clatterbaugh (25), Berkli Harvey (0), Julie Kracht (21), Josey McClain (2), Haigen Harrison (33) and Kayla Castillo (1) and Head Coach Eric Hamilton pose after winning the White River Electric Cowboy Shootout championship. Players in the center hold the tournament trophy. BOBBY G’s MEMORIES PHOTO