Cowboys close 2025 with historic achievements and milestones
MEEKER | As the year 2025 comes to a close, the Meeker High School athletics program reflects on a historic year of accomplishments, milestones and personal bests across multiple sports. From wrestling, basketball, golf and track and field, Meeker athletes have made their mark on the state stage, setting records and breaking new ground for the community.
MHS football in 2025 came away with an 8-3 season finish, ending in a the quarterfinal round of the Class 1A playoffs against the Buena Vista Demons.
In the final game, junior quarterback Cade Mills led the Meeker offense with 115 total yards and a rushing touchdown, while junior running back Tucker Chinn added 67 yards on the ground, averaging more than eight yards per carry. Junior Said Rodriguez scored Meeker’s other touchdown and finished with 74 all-purpose yards. Freshman Lawson Anderson led the team in receiving and also handled kickoff duties. On defense, senior linebacker Tristin Rollins paced the Cowboys with nine tackles, including a tackle for loss.
The Meeker boys wrestling team enjoyed a standout year. Senior Cade Blunt captured his second consecutive state championship at 175 pounds, finishing the season with a 49‑1 record. Sophomore Koy Weber advanced to the state finals at 126 pounds and finished as the runner-up, a historic performance that highlighted his growth and competitive grit. Senior Clay Crawford placed third at 138 pounds. Freshman Eli Rundberg and junior Drake Jones gained valuable experience against top state competition. Head coach Stryker Lane praised their hard work and leadership, saying Blunt, Weber and Crawford helped elevate the program’s stature across Colorado.
The Meeker girls basketball team concluded its 2024‑25 season with a playoff loss to the Strasburg Indians, falling 54‑46 on the road in the CHSAA Class 3A state playoffs. The No. 24-seeded Cowboys kept the game competitive but could not overcome issues with offensive rebounds. Head coach Megan Kuper completed her first season with an 11‑13 record and expressed pride in the team’s growth, resilience and the way veteran players welcomed new teammates. Senior Taylor Garcia, who graduated last spring, was recognized for her four years of dedication to the program.
2025 was also a historic year for Meeker girls wrestling. The team became the first in school history to compete at the state level. Sophomore Ruth LeBlanc made history by placing fourth at 170 pounds, the first Lady Cowboy to earn a podium finish at state. Junior Emma Ford (130 pounds) and freshman Abigail Amick (145 pounds), along with sophomore Aurora Stallings (235 pounds), also represented the program at state. Head coach Barny LeBlanc praised the team’s rapid development, dedication and the inspiration they have provided for future female wrestlers.
Earlier in the season, the Lady Cowboys sent four wrestlers to state after strong performances at regionals and recorded the team’s first-ever dual meet victory against Rifle High School. They also competed in the Girls Tournament of Champions in Vernal, Utah, with five wrestlers placing in the top eight.
The Meeker girls golf team concluded its season with the first regional tournament experience for four players at the Class 2A Region 4 regional tournament at RainDance National in Windsor. Representing Meeker were sophomores Sawyer May and Kailynn Watson and seniors Mia Pinzon and Joelle Soler, with senior team manager Eduardo Cordova supporting the team. Watson led the Cowboys with a 129 (+57), while Soler and May each posted 135 (+63). Pinzon closed her high school career with a 165 (+93). Meeker finished eighth out of 10 schools with a combined score of 399 (+183). Head coach Amanda Back praised the team’s camaraderie and eagerness to learn. Three seniors — Pinzon, Soler and Cordova — graduated this spring.
The 2025 Meeker baseball season featured notable individual milestones. Senior pitcher Carson Klinzmann reached the 200‑strikeout mark, a rare achievement highlighting his impact on the mound. The Cowboys picked up key road victories, including a 4‑0 win over the Grand Valley Cardinals in which Klinzmann struck out 10 batters. At the final home game of the season, Meeker honored six seniors — Klinzmann, Skylar Browning, Alan Rivera, Cooper Arnold, Finley Deming and Wil Schwartz — for their contributions to the program.
The Meeker High School softball team made it to the playoffs this year under new coach Megan Kuper. Despite losing in the first round of the playoffs, the game marked major progress for the Cowboys, who finished the season 6-16 overall and 4-8 in league play.
The track and field team capped its 2025 season at the Colorado State Track and Field Championships in Denver. Seniors Sam Hightower, Adi Selle, Reese Clatterbaugh and Taylor Garcia led the team, joined by junior Addie Knowles and sophomores Tucker Chinn and Ruth LeBlanc. Hightower placed third in the pole vault with a school-record 13‑9, while Selle finished fourth in the 300-meter hurdles. Knowles earned a personal best in discus, and Chinn placed in the top 10 of the 300-meter hurdles. The relay teams also had strong showings, with the girls’ 4×100 relay finishing seventh and the girls’ 4×200 relay placing 10th. Head coach Jordan Brown, in her first year, praised the team for its dedication and resilience.
Sophomore Bradley Conrado advanced to the Colorado 2A State Championships after placing ninth at the Region 5 Championships in Delta with a time of 18:21. His performance helped the Cowboys finish fifth as a team. Other top runners included Ryan Hanberg, Landon Damitz, Cameron Hanberg, Jackson Steele, and senior Remy Broussard. On the girls’ side, senior Haylee Steele led Meeker with a 36th-place finish at regionals. Head coach Marty Casey praised Conrado’s focus and the team’s growth and confidence throughout the season.
As 2025 comes to an end, Meeker High School celebrates a year defined by record-breaking performances, historic firsts and individual triumphs across multiple sports. Seniors graduating this spring will leave behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration for younger athletes.
Head coaches across the programs emphasized that beyond medals and personal bests, the year’s experiences built resilience, confidence and camaraderie — qualities that will carry into 2026 and beyond.
Graduated senior Cade Blunt breaks down his opponent during the final match of his high school wrestling career at the 2025 Colorado State Wrestling Championships. Blunt capped his high school career by winning his second consecutive state title, finishing the season with a 49–1 record. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
Meeker High School softball team members pose for a photo following the 2025 season. Seniors Emma Bauer, Addie Knowles, Jewell McPherson and Autumn Stallings led the team, joined by juniors Aurora Stallings, Kayla Castillo, Kailynn Watson and Rachel Elder; sophomores Sienna Rolen, Avarie Caulfield, Iris Holmes and Abigail Amick; and freshmen Haigen Harrison, Sophia Moody, Mackenzie Denney and Kylee Barrios. BOBBY G’S MEMORIES PHOTO
Ruth LeBlanc (Meeker) squares up against her opponent during her fourth-place match at the Colorado State Wrestling Tournament earlier this year. LeBlanc went on to finish fourth at 170 pounds, becoming the first Lady Cowboy to place at the state tournament. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
Tristin Rollins (Sr.) celebrates in the end zone after scoring a touchdown during Meeker’s 46-34 victory over North Fork. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
Graduated senior Sam Hightower stands next to the pole vault sign at the Colorado State Track and Field Championships after setting a new Meeker High School record with a 13‑9 clearance. Hightower finished third in the event during the 2025 state meet. JIM COOK PHOTO
Graduated senior Taylor Garcia wrapped up her four-year varsity career in 2025, serving as a leader for the Cowboys throughout the year. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
Graduated senior Carson Klinzmann delivers a pitch during a Meeker baseball game this spring. The senior reached the 200-strikeout milestone in 2025, cementing his place among the program’s top pitchers. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
Sophomore Sam Conrado (Meeker) runs during the Colorado State Cross Country Championships, capping a strong 2025 season after advancing to state from the Region 5 Championships.