Winter sports start in RBC high schools

RBC | Both Rio Blanco County high school volleyball teams were playing in the 2017 Colorado State Volleyball Championships and Meeker’s football team was in the quarterfinal round of the 1A Colorado State Football Championship playoffs when practice officially started for winter sports Nov. 10, so several players weren’t available for those first practice sessions.
Although most coaches gave fall athletes extra days off after post season play, most were in their respective gyms or wrestling rooms last Monday, even though they will not start competing until December.
The Meeker girls’ basketball team will be first to open the season, hosting the annual White River Electric Cowboy Shootout starting Nov. 30 against Aspen. Meeker finished fourth in the Shootout last year and second-year coach Jamie Rogers said the bracket will include Cedaredge, Soroco, Aspen, Moffat County varsity and JV, Mesa Ridge JV and Olathe’s JV team.
“We have 23 girls out and the first week of practice was a lot of fun,” coach Rogers said. “The older girls did a great job of teaching the drills to their new teammates.”
Lori Chintala and Hallie Blunt will again assist Rogers with the coaching duties.
The Meeker wrestling team will open the season Dec. 2, competing in the Colorado Mesa University Duals and Rangely’s wrestling team will start the same weekend with a new head coach.
“We have a great group of wrestlers this year,” Meeker head coach J.C. Watt said of his team. “We have a lot of young talented kids and we should have a great mix of veteran leadership and underclassmen.”
J.C. Chumacero, who was graduated from Rangely High School in 2010, will take over the Panther wrestling program, after assisting Travis Witherell the past two years.
“I’m excited and the young guys we have out are so excited to get started, they requested we start with two-a-days,” coach Chumacero said.
The Rangely girls will start the season under head coach Jimmie Mergelman Dec. 7 against Plateau Valley, while the Panther boys’ team will play in the WREA Cowboy Shootout, as will the Cowboys.