MEEKER | Last weekend, the Meeker High School cross country team wrapped up its regular season on the road in Craig, Colorado, at the Whistle Pig Invitational, earning a fourth-place team finish with 117 points and a combined team time of 1 hour, 39 minutes, 9 seconds. It was a cool morning for racing, and once again, the Cowboys posted strong results.
Sophomore Bradley Conrado led the Cowboys, placing 14th overall in 18 minutes, 51 seconds. Freshman Landon Damitz finished 21st in 19:10, followed closely by sophomore Ryan Hanberg in 19:25 for 22nd place and senior Cameron Hanberg in 19:25.9 for 23rd. Sophomore Ashton Tapia rounded out Meeker’s scoring five with a 47th-place finish in 22:17.
Senior Remy Broussard also competed for the Cowboys, clocking 26:02.8, while senior Haylee Steele ran a strong race, finishing 43rd in 26:19.3.
Head Coach Marty Casey said she was pleased with the team’s consistency and pack running to close out the regular season.
“Everyone ran well this week,” Casey said. “It was a new version of the Loudy-Simpson course, but still very flat. There was less than 40 seconds between our first and fourth runner — great pack running, which is what we are looking for at Regionals as well.”
The Cowboys now turn their attention to the regional championships in Delta this Thursday, Oct. 23, starting at 3 p.m., where they’ll compete for a chance to qualify for state.
“We’ll be working to keep the competitive juices flowing and have everyone fresh for racing,” Casey said. “Only our freshmen have not run at Confluence Park. The course has been corrected for a true 5K distance but is still fairly flat and should be fast.”
Casey added that the team’s steady improvement and work ethic have been key to their late-season success.
“The work ethic this year has been excellent, and the confidence gained throughout this season should be of great help,” she said. “Qualifying the team has been a goal for these boys all year. We have individual pace goals for each runner toward that end. Everyone has truly put in the work, and the times and team placings in recent weeks are a direct result of that effort.”
With the regular season complete, the Cowboys are hoping to carry their momentum into Regionals as they chase a state-qualifying finish. Good luck to the team this week as they head to Delta to compete in the regional race — go Cowboys!
Sophomore Ashton Tapia pushes through the course during the Whistle Pig Invitational in Craig, contributing to Meeker High School’s fourth-place team finish. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO
