RBC | The Meeker Stampede organization brought three teams down to the round robin tournament in Grand Junction this past weekend, June 10-12. The age groups included the 12U team, 14U team and 16U team totaling 43 girls and 18 games in all.
Top to bottom are the Meeker Stampede 12U, 14U and 16U teams who played in a round robin tournament in Grand Junction this past weekend. 43 girls played 18 games. | COURTESY PHOTOS
The 12U team had a great experience with the majority of the players getting their first ever games under their belt. The team showed great sportsmanship and toughness battling opponents in 103 degree heat. This weekend, the 12U team included Gracelynn Vierra, Mia Hernandez, Riley Thompson, Iris Holmes, Adailin Esquivel, Sienna Rolen, Iris Gianinetti, Kinnley Smith, Maite Camargo, Hannah Coryell, Grayson Coryell, Mackenzie Denney, Aly Healy, Norah Loar and Aislyn Murphy. This team, full of eager competitors, is headed by Ivy Coryell and Pedro Hernandez who both show great passion for the girls and the game itself. The team competed in four games over the two day tournament and scored a bunch of runs, got more comfortable with defense and their positions, and had a blast playing together. The team will get another two weeks of practice before heading to Greeley for their second tournament of the summer season. We are very excited for this group of girls and can’t wait to see how they perform and work hard together these next few weeks.
The 14U team, headed by Erik Brown and Michael Herrera, tackled seven games over a three-day span. This specific tournament combined the 14U and 16U teams together in the tournament which created stiff competition across the board. This team showed great perseverance and determination competing against teams with four to five tournaments under their belt already. Each girl was able to play numerous positions and develop more skills by gaining more game experience. It is great to see such a large turnout of players in this age range with a handful of girls coming from slow pitch in Craig, girls who have played for numerous years here in Meeker in this organization, and also a handful of girls experiencing their first ever year of softball. They were able to come together as a team and learn from one another and get better with each game. The amount of talent on this team makes us coaches very excited, we have very high hopes for this group of girls. This weekend the team included Sawyer May, Aurora Stallings, Autumn Stallings, Jaicee Simmons, Kai Watson, Kayla Castillo, Liliana Hernandez Pena, Skylar Grimes and Norah Loar from Meeker; Joslyn Curtis, Teryn Carter, Brooklyn Garcia and Vanessa Herrera from Craig; and Gracie Varner from Rangely.
The 16U team, headed up by Kendal Bergman and Crandal Mergelman, also battled in the heat against strong competition in seven games over three days. With spring high school sports, college visits, trips and jobs, this was the first time the entire team of 14 girls stepped on the dirt together. After getting rid of the “first game jitters,” the team came together and showed great improvement over the weekend. Multiple girls were getting experience at new positions and gaining more and more confidence with each inning. The team included Emma Bauer, Vivian Brown, Brea Garcia, Rylee Sullivan, Kassidy Wille, Addie Knowles, Hailey Knowles, Daya Richardson, and Aaliyah Castillo from Meeker; Kastyn Dembowski, Ryann Mergelman and Jade Miller from Rangely; and Dylan Herndon and Josefina Kuberry from Craig. It is very exciting to see the amount of skill and softball smarts on this team which will be crucial in the games to come. The team will only continue to improve with more game experience and practice time together. We cannot wait to see how this team develops and grows together throughout the rest of the season and bring their confidence into the high school season this fall.
HOPEWEST PRESS RELEASE | Special to the Herald Times
