‘The Sun Rises Tomorrow’: Meeker closes season with three medalists

MEEKER |  The Meeker High School boys wrestling team wrapped up competition at the 2026 Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A State Wrestling Championships at Ball Arena in Denver this past weekend, finishing with three podium placers and several hard-fought performances on the sport’s biggest stage.

Head coach Stryker Lane said he was pleased with how his team handled the atmosphere and intensity of the state tournament.

“I was pleased with how we wrestled this weekend,” Lane said. “It is a tough and stressful environment, unlike any other tournament throughout the year. We did a good job of focusing on our matches and giving our best effort.”

Lane said the team’s character stood out most over the three days.

“The character of our kids,” he said. “They showed a lot of grit this weekend when things didn’t work out the way they wanted.”

After going 3-5 on the opening day, Meeker responded by going 9-2 on the second day in consolation matches.

“That should tell you everything you need to know about these kids’ mental toughness,” Lane said.

Resetting wrestlers after tough losses on the state stage is one of coaching’s biggest challenges, Lane added.

“Probably the toughest job in coaching,” he said. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution. I just tried to help them keep things in perspective.”

Freshman Kael Overton led the Cowboys with a fourth-place finish at 138 pounds, scoring 17 team points. Overton opened the tournament with a first-round pin before dropping a narrow 8-7 decision in the quarterfinals. He responded with an impressive run through the consolation bracket, recording a pin, two decisions — including a 6-4 win in the third consolation round — and a 16-3 major decision in the consolation semifinals to reach the third-place match. Overton ultimately fell in a tight 1-0 decision to Monty Yarnell of Olathe to finish fourth.

“It was tough. I hate losing, but that is a part of the sport,” Overton said.

After the quarterfinal setback, Overton said his approach never changed.

“Nothing changed. I just kept the same mentality throughout the whole tournament — go out there and push the pace and tempo of the match, and don’t be afraid to open up and let it fly,” he said.

Looking ahead, Overton said the experience only sharpened his focus.

“It was a good experience to have, but it just showed me that I need to put in more work, and next year I’m going for that state title,” he said. “The most important thing is that confidence and the rewards are a result of the preparation before it.”

Lane said there is no substitute for the experience gained at state.

“There is no event like the state tournament — the venue, the schedule, the fanfare,” Lane said. “It’s an experience that can’t be replicated during the season. You have to go through it.”

Senior Holton Harvey also placed fourth at 144 pounds, scoring 17.5 team points in his final state appearance. Harvey pinned his first-round opponent before falling in a 1-0 quarterfinal decision. He battled back with a technical fall and two additional victories in the wrestlebacks to earn a spot in the third-place match, where he dropped a 4-0 decision to Derick Sievertson of North Fork.

After his quarterfinal loss, Harvey said the key to his wrestleback run was simple.

“It came down to wanting it and going back to work,” he said. “I just focused on the next match and kept pushing forward.”

When Harvey walked off the mat for the final time in a Meeker singlet, the moment was filled with reflection.

“Honestly, just a lot of gratitude,” Harvey said. “I learned so much over these four years, and I’m proud of the work I put in.”

Beyond the mat, he said the lessons will stay with him.

“It taught me that hard work and determination will always put you in a good place, no matter what you’re doing,” Harvey said.

His message to younger teammates competing on the state stage was equally steady.

“Don’t focus on the results — just do your thing,” he said. “Win or lose, the sun rises tomorrow.”

Lane said Harvey’s growth over his career was significant.

“Holton has had to overcome a lot of adversity in his wrestling career,” Lane said. “This year he was able to figure out how to keep competing even after a mistake or misfortune. We will miss that example.”

After Harvey’s quarterfinal loss, Lane said he wasn’t surprised by the senior’s response.

“I was very proud, but I wasn’t surprised,” Lane said. “He really has been unflappable this year.”

At 190 pounds, Jonah Christensen capped his first wrestling season with a fifth-place finish, scoring 14 team points. After a first-round loss, Christensen won three straight matches by fall in the consolation bracket to reach the consolation semifinals. He fell by decision in that round but rebounded in the fifth-place match with a 3-2 decision over Braden Laiminger of North Fork to secure a podium spot.

Lane said Christensen’s responsiveness stood out.

“His ability to listen to coaching and respond to it immediately,” Lane said. “I was also impressed with the calmness he displayed.”

Christensen said he entered the season hopeful but focused on fundamentals rather than outcomes.

“Going into the season I had hopes of seeing the podium but refused to look that far ahead of me,” Christensen said. “I wanted to focus on learning the basics of the sport before getting big dreams.”

After dropping his opening match at state, he knew the road back would not be easy.

“When I lost in the first round, I knew I had a long road ahead of me and I was going to hit some bumps on the way,” he said. “I figured if I just pinned all of them, I’d be more fresh than the next guy.”

Christensen said the experience has fueled his motivation.

“I cannot wait for next season,” he said. “I think the mat time I have under my belt is enough for me to excel next season. In the few months I’ve been wrestling I’ve learned to love and embrace the struggle and feeling of hard work. I look forward to bringing home hardware next year.”

Junior Koy Weber (132) opened his tournament with a 37-second pin in the first round before falling in the quarterfinals. Weber’s run ended in the consolation bracket, finishing with four team points.

Lane said it is too early to fully evaluate Weber’s tournament.

“It is hard to say right now,” Lane said. “There is probably still a lot of unpacking that needs to happen in order to figure out why things went the way they did for him.”

Quoting Scripture, Lane added perspective on the unpredictable nature of the sport. “The race is not given to the swift nor the battle to the strong,” he said (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

At 165 pounds, Orion Musser rebounded from a first-round loss with a pin and a decision in the consolation rounds before being eliminated in the third consolation round, also finishing with four team points.

Looking ahead, Lane said the focus for his young team is simple.

“We are a young group, so offseason mat time,” he said.

When reflecting on the season as a whole, Lane pointed to the team’s development.

“The growth we made across the board,” he said. “That all results from buy-in from the kids and the hard work of my excellent support staff.”

Meeker’s five state qualifiers combined for multiple falls and strong wrestleback performances as the Cowboys closed out their 2026 season with three medalists and momentum heading into next year.

As Harvey reminded his teammates, “Win or lose, the sun rises tomorrow.” For Meeker wrestling, that sunrise now signals a hungry young core, a foundation built on grit and perspective, and a program continuing to build — one hard-fought match at a time.

Holton Harvey works to get to the top position during his third-place match at the Class 2A State Wrestling Championships at Ball Arena in Denver. Harvey finished fourth in his final state appearance. JARED HENDERSON PHOTO 

(Left) Jonah Christensen stands on the podium after taking fifth place at the state wrestling championships.

(Right) Kael Overton stands on the podium after taking fourth place at the state wrestling championships.

Jared Henderson PHOTO