MEEKER | The Meeker High School girls wrestling team continued its strong start to the season this past weekend at the Warrior Classic. Competing on the road Saturday, the Cowboys faced tough competition from across the region.
Freshman Maite Camargo, wrestling at 110 pounds, showed flashes of dominance with multiple pins, including victories over Tinzley Peters of Bear River and Perla Chavez of Battle Mountain, before falling in the quarterfinals and finishing just outside the top six.
At 115 pounds, sophomore Lorilei Davis picked up a pin over Jaime Helm of Montezuma-Cortez in the consolation rounds, though she faced early losses in the championship bracket.
Freshman Jenna Pelloni, wrestling at 125 pounds, received a first-round bye before falling to Aleia Fenberg of Durango in the championship round and Hadley Mattice of Mountain Vista in consolation.
Senior Emma Ford continued her strong start to the season at 130 pounds, recording two early pins before bowing out in the quarterfinals and consolation rounds.
Senior Gracie Varner of Rangely, wrestling at 145 pounds, battled back through the consolation bracket after an early loss, winning multiple matches to finish sixth overall.
Sophomore Ellie Ford, at 155 pounds, lost both her matches, while sophomore Abigail Amick at 190 pounds battled hard but fell in the consolation rounds.
Assistant coach Clea Steerman, who guided the team in the absence of head coach Barny LeBlanc, said the Cowboys approached each match with determination. “The team did a great job and faced tough competition. Really proud of each of them. Each girl approached each match with a positive attitude and never gave up. We will keep working on wrestling to the next position for our upcoming tournament in West Grand,” she said.
Despite some tough results, the tournament provided the Cowboys with valuable experience and opportunities to identify areas for improvement. The team now turns its attention to its next tournament at West Grand on Jan. 3, aiming to sharpen skills and build confidence heading into the second half of the season.
Gracie Varner of Rangely, wrestling for Meeker, has her arm raised by the referee after winning her consolation semifinal match against Eva Hull of Central-GJ at the Warrior Classic, advancing to the fifth-place match. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO