MEEKER | The Meeker High School track and field team had a busy stretch this past weekend, beginning with a last-minute pole vault event at home Thursday and continuing with the Clint Wells Invitational in Craig on Friday.
On Thursday, the Cowboys hosted Rangely and Soroco for a pole vault-only competition. Senior Clay Crawford led Meeker with a second-place finish, clearing 10 feet, 3 inches. Crawford credited support from the Rangely coach for helping him improve and shared what it means to compete at home for the final time.
“I have had a lot of help from the Rangely coach during pole vault meets, which has improved me so much,” Crawford said.
Also placing were Emmanuel Pinzon, who finished fourth with a mark of 8-3, and Holton Harvey, who took fifth at 7-9. On the girls’ side, junior Addie Knowles cleared 8 feet for third place and a new personal record.
“Pole vault definitely felt good,” Knowles said. “That jump helped me qualify for state.”
The next morning, Meeker traveled to Moffat County High School for the Clint Wells Invitational, where warm and windy conditions posed a challenge, but many Cowboys still achieved standout performances.
In field events, several Cowboys hit personal bests. In the triple jump, Reese Clatterbaugh (33-1.75), Hailey Schwartz (30-11.5) and Tucker Chinn (38-8.5) all set new marks. In the shot put, Ruth LeBlanc (33-1.5), Knowles (32-5) and Avarie Caulfield (22-7.75) hit PRs as well.
LeBlanc (94-11), Caulfield (63-0) and Abigail Amick (51-2) added PRs in the discus. In the high jump, Alex Garcia cleared a personal best of 5-9, and Tyler Sanders reached 5-5.
In the discus, Drew Drake (98-9), Holt Pelloni (92-0) and Jackson Elder (71-9) all posted PRs. On the track, Taylor Garcia ran 27.08 seconds in the 200 meters, Wyatt Rollins clocked 58.62 in the 400, and Keisha Kracht finished the 100 in 14.17 — all personal bests.
Leading the boys were seniors Alex Garcia and Sam Hightower, both finishing fourth in the high jump at 5-9. Alex Garcia explained how he felt about his jump that day and how he was approaching the bar. He also described how he is feeling knowing this will be his last time this upcoming weekend competing in front of his hometown crowd.
“I felt good knowing the high jump was in the morning because I could have fresh legs,” Garcia said. “The weather was also nice, so that helped a lot. Approaching the bar, I told myself to clear it on the first try to save my legs. I’m excited going into this weekend since it’s my first time competing at home.”
Hightower added a seventh-place finish in the triple jump with a 39-2.5 leap and reflected on his goal to hit 40 feet.
“I hope that competing in Meeker will push me to qualify with a better spot,” he said. “My favorite moment was getting to state last year and being the first one on the track Friday morning. The vault that morning was surreal.”
Sophomore Tucker Chinn placed in three events: ninth in the 300-meter hurdles (45.82), ninth in triple jump (38-8.5) and fifth in long jump (18-8). Chinn spoke about balancing speed and power in the long jump and how he felt about his performance that day.
“I work hard in practice to make sure my run-ups put me at my maximum speed on the board so I can jump to my best ability,” Chinn said.
In the relays, the Meeker boys placed fifth in the 4×100 (46.81), and ninth in the 4×200 (1:44.93), 4×400 (3:49.35) and 4×800 (9:57.86).
For the girls, Knowles led with a second-place finish in the discus (106-6) and was sixth in the shot put (32-5). Knowles discussed what had clicked for her this past weekend in her discus throws.
“I’ve been really trying to work on moving through the ring, and that is getting better,” she said.
LeBlanc took fifth in the discus (94-11) and third in the shot put (33-1.5). Clatterbaugh placed fifth in the long jump (13-10) and third in the triple jump (33-1.75), while Schwartz finished sixth in the triple jump (30-11.5).
Senior Taylor Garcia placed third in the 200 (27.08). She explained what was going through her mind as she crossed the finish line with a time of 27.08 and described what’s something that she’ll miss most about running for Meeker High School.
“I was excited with how I ran,” she said. “I’m going to miss my coaches who have helped me improve over the last four years — and all my teammates.”
Meeker’s girls 4×100 relay team finished second in 52.79. Senior Adi Selle, who anchored the relay, explained what made the team click that afternoon and what it means for her this upcoming weekend to step on her home track one last time in front of her friends and family.
“The key is just having a group of girls that you know are working their hardest for each other,” Selle said.
The 4×200 teams finished seventh (2:03.28) and ninth (2:08.83), and the 4×400 took fourth (4:30.04).
This weekend, Meeker High School will host its long-awaited home meet — a two-day league championship Friday and Saturday. It’s the first home meet in several years due to past weather cancellations.
“As the league championships approach, we are strategically focusing on both individual events and relays,” Brown said. “The two-day format gives us a chance to manage athlete loads better. Our boys’ relay teams are especially close to state-qualifying marks, and we’re fine-tuning our lineups to maximize those chances.”
The meet also marks a farewell for eight seniors who will be honored during the event.
“There’s a palpable sense of excitement, especially for the senior athletes,” Brown said. “They will finally have the opportunity to compete on their home turf.”
Brown praised the class for its leadership and dedication.
“They show up ready to work, lead stretches, and support their teammates on and off the track,” she said. “They’ve created a collaborative environment and have truly left their mark on the program.”
Fans are encouraged to attend and support the Cowboys. Friday’s events begin at 1 p.m., with Saturday’s starting at 10 a.m. Good luck to the Meeker Cowboys as they compete in their final home meet of the season.
