On Monday, WyoFile published my story on Cokeville’s longtime coaching duo of Todd Dayton and Keith Nate. In July, I had the pleasure of going to Cokeville and meeting with the Dayton and Nate families, who were incredibly gracious with their time and thoughts. It’s one of the most ambitious stories I’ve ever taken on. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to check it out.
If you were paying reeeeally close attention, you may have noticed I was in Cokeville this summer. I can finally share why: to put together this story. https://t.co/7cTavSvgX3
Back in 2012, I wrote a blog post indicating the most-played opponents for each Wyoming high school football program.
But over the past 11 years, a ton more games have been played. Some series have been discontinued, while others have had significant additions to their lore.
A few series have even cracked 100 games, with the rivalry between Torrington and Wheatland scheduled to become the latest addition to that group this season.
Here are the most-played in-state opponents for each Wyoming high school, entering the 2023 season, with their series record in parentheses:
Class 4A Campbell County: Sheridan, 80 games (She 48-31-1) Cheyenne Central: Laramie, 138 games (CC 70-62-6) Cheyenne East: Central, 73 games (CC 43-30) Cheyenne South: Campbell County, 13 games (Cam 11-2) Kelly Walsh: Natrona, 64 games (NC 50-14) Laramie: Central, 138 games (CC 70-62-6) Natrona: Sheridan, 116 games (NC 59-51-6) Rock Springs: Green River, 96 games (RS 60-32-4) Sheridan: Natrona, 116 games (NC 59-51-6) Thunder Basin: Sheridan, 8 games (She 6-2); Natrona, 8 games (NC 5-3); Kelly Walsh, 8 games (TB 6-2); Cheyenne East, 8 games (TB 5-3); and Cheyenne Central, 8 games (TB 5-3)
Class 3A Buffalo: Douglas, 73 games (Buf 37-35-1) and Campbell County, 73 games (Buf 35-31-7) Cody: Powell, 125 games (Cody 67-54-4) Douglas: Wheatland, 96 games (Dou 57-36-3) Evanston: Green River, 100 games (GR 59-35-6) Green River: Evanston, 100 games (GR 59-35-6) Jackson: Star Valley, 87 games (SV 69-18) Lander: Riverton, 126 games (Riv 63-56-7) Powell: Cody, 125 games (Cody 67-54-4) Rawlins: Rock Springs, 78 games (RS 53-22-3) Riverton: Lander, 126 games (Riv 63-56-7) Star Valley: Evanston, 95 games (SV 55-36-4) Worland: Thermopolis, 97 games (Wor 58-34-5)
Class 2A Big Horn: Tongue River, 61 games (TR 34-26-1) Burns: Pine Bluffs, 54 games (PB 31-23) Cokeville: Big Piney, 70 games (Cok 37-32-1) Glenrock: Newcastle, 49 games (Glk 28-21) Kemmerer: Evanston, 76 games (Eva 47-27-2) Lovell: Greybull, 92 games (Lov 58-30-4) Lyman: Big Piney, 87 games (BP 48-38-1) Mountain View: Lyman, 83 games (MV 49-34) Newcastle: Buffalo, 71 games (Buf 44-26-1) Pinedale: Big Piney, 107 games (BP 61-46) Thermopolis: Worland, 97 games (Wor 58-34-5) Tongue River: Big Horn, 61 games (TR 34-26-1) Torrington: Wheatland, 99 games (Tor 78-20-1) Upton-Sundance: Pine Bluffs, 10 games (US 7-3) and Tongue River, 10 games (US 9-1) (Sundance: Upton, 75 games (Upt 38-32-5)) (Upton: Sundance, 75 games (Upt 38-32-5)) Wheatland: Torrington, 99 games (Tor 78-20-1)
Class 1A nine-man Big Piney: Pinedale, 107 games (BP 61-46) Greybull: Lovell, 92 games (Lov 58-30-4) Guernsey-Sunrise: Lingle, 52 games (Lin 27-25) Lingle: Pine Bluffs, 67 games (Lin 40-25-2) Lusk: Lingle, 60 games (Lus 45-12-3) Moorcroft: Sundance, 62 games (Mor 36-26) Pine Bluffs: Lingle, 67 games (Lin 40-25-2) Riverside: Greybull, 32 games (Gre 17-15) Rocky Mountain: Wind River, 36 games (RM 28-8) St. Stephens: Meeteetse, 13 games (Met 9-4) Saratoga: Hanna, 54 games (Sar 33-21) Shoshoni: Wind River, 59 games (Sho 30-29) Southeast: Lusk, 48 games (Lus 26-22) Wind River: Shoshoni, 59 games (Sho 30-29) Wright: Moorcroft, 31 games (Wri 20-11) Wyoming Indian: Shoshoni, 37 games (Sho 30-6-1)
Class 1A six-man Burlington: Meeteetse, 63 games (Brl 33-26-4) Dubois: Shoshoni, 40 games (Sho 25-15) Encampment: Farson, 13 games (Far 8-5) Farson: Snake River, 21 games (SR 14-7) Hanna: Saratoga, 54 games (Sar 33-21) Hulett: Midwest, 57 games (Mid 32-24-1) Kaycee: Midwest, 17 games (Kay 12-5) Meeteetse: Burlington, 63 games (Brl 33-26-4) Midwest: Upton, 57 games (Upt 33-22-2) and Hulett, 57 games (Mid 32-24-1) Snake River: Farson, 21 games (SR 14-7) Ten Sleep: Meeteetse, 58 games (Met 29-28-1)
Who will it be — Cody or Star Valley? Early advantage, Star Valley. These two programs have combined to win the past nine Class 3A championships — five for Star Valley, four for Cody — and they played against each other in last year’s 3A title game. So it makes sense that the early eyes are on the two most consistent programs. Moreover, they have proven their dominance by beating everyone but each other: Five of Cody’s six most recent losses dating back to 2018 are to Star Valley, and Star Valley’s three most recent in-state losses are all to Cody.
Does anyone else have a chance? Yes, but statistically there’s always a chance. Programs like Douglas, Buffalo and Powell have the most realistic chances of breaking through the Cody/Star Valley championship monopoly this year, in part because they’re the programs that return the most players from teams that had some success last year; Douglas and Buffalo actually lead 3A in returning all-conference players this year with four apiece.
How much will four new coaches change the look of 3A? Maybe not much in the first year, but look out long-term. Four Class 3A programs will have new head coaches, including three of the four programs that failed to make the playoffs last year. Jim Burton makes the move from Evanston to Lander, and former assistant Steve Moore takes over as Evanston’s head coach. Mark Lenhardt jumped into the open position at Riverton, leaving 4A Rock Springs to do so, and Blaine Christensen left an assistant’s spot at Rock Springs to become the head coach at Green River. Combined, those four teams were 10-26 last year, and Lander was the only one of the bunch to make the playoffs.
And how’s the rest of the classification looking? Better than usual. To be honest, conversations with basically every 3A coach this summer left me feeling like every one of them was a darkhorse to do some damage in the standings this season. The bottom half of 3A could make some significant strides this year, and several teams — including all the teams with first-year coaches, as well as Jackson, Rawlins and a handful of others, could be teams that give the top-tier teams true challenges this fall.
Preseason class MVP
Tegen Seeds, Douglas. It’s not often that a lineman earns this spot, but Seeds’ play demands this kind of attention. The Class 3A East lineman of the year last year as a junior has been tearing it up on both sides of the ball for a while now. His defensive statistics — 59.5 tackles and a team-high three sacks — put him among Douglas’ top defenders last year, and his prowess as an offensive linemen is already well-known by opposing coaches.
Preseason class breakout player
Daniel Lopez, Worland. Lopez split time between Worland and Colorado last year and only got to play about half his sophomore year with the Warriors. But he made an immediate impact on Worland’s offensive and defensive lines, and he could be the team’s most formidable big man as a junior.
Other players to watch
Trey Stenerson, Powell.Class 3A’s top returning receiver isn’t just an offensive threat. Sure, he can frustrate an opposing defensive backfield — his 54 catches for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns shows that — but he also caused chaos on defense as well. He was one of Powell’s most opportunistic defenders, with three interceptions and six pass break-ups, a pair of fumble recoveries and 24.5 tackles.
Jayden Crook, Star Valley. On a Star Valley defense that returns just four of its top 15 tacklers from last year’s championship team, Crook will be the focus. He was third on the team in 2022 with 65.5 tackles and had a team-high five interceptions. He’s also Star Valley’s top returning receiver, although those numbers (three catches, 63 yards) aren’t quite as impressive.
Trey Rinn, Douglas. No other returning 3A quarterback threw for more yards (1,789) or touchdowns (23) as Rinn did last season. He also added 543 rushing yards and leads Douglas’ returners in that category, as well. His ability to make plays in a variety of ways will make him tough for opposing defenses to stop.
Cohen Morrow and Brady Roberts, Evanston. For a team constantly trying to earn its place in a tough 3A West, the backfield pairing of Morrow and Roberts gives the Red Devils a fighting chance. They combined for 1,126 rushing yards (Roberts 650 from the running back spot, Morrow 526 at quarterback) and 137 tackles (Morrow 81, Roberts 56). They’re key pieces of what could be 3A’s most improved team this fall.
Four key games
Lander at Evanston, Sept. 15. Don’t call it the “Burton Bowl” just yet, but it will be interesting to see how coach Jim Burton’s new team, Lander, matches up against his team from last year, Evanston, in Uinta County.
Riverton at Star Valley, Sept. 15. New Riverton coach Mark Lenhardt starts his Wolverine tenure with a murderer’s row of West Conference opponents — Powell, Cody, Evanston and Star Valley — in the first four weeks. The last of those games, against the defending state champions in Afton, will say a lot about how the Wolverines might fare in the East Conference race in Lenhardt’s first year.
Buffalo at Douglas, Sept. 29. All signs point to this game being the one that will eventually decide the East Conference title. And although four other teams will have a say in that presumption, that doesn’t make this one any less valuable of a victory for both teams.
Star Valley at Cody, Oct. 6. I mean, come on.
Predicted order of finish
East Conference: Douglas; Buffalo; Worland; Riverton; Lander; Rawlins.
West Conference: Star Valley; Cody; Powell; Evanston; Jackson; Green River.
Preseason top five: 1. Star Valley; 2. Douglas; 3. Cody; 4. Powell; 5. Buffalo.
Way-too-early title game score prediction
Star Valley 28, Douglas 20. The Braves’ depth is a feature not many 3A teams can match. Though many of the challengers (Douglas, Buffalo, Cody, Powell) are on the same step, the Braves still stand a smidge taller than the field.
Is Class 3A the purview of old favorites, or is this the year somebody breaks up the Cody/Star Valley bi-opoly? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.
The two things we all could use more of are time and money.
And if I had both of those things in an unlimited supply, I would use it to venture around the state, catching football game after football game.
Work through the scheduling and travel logistics, and I could make it to 31 games over the nine regular-season weeks of the year. And, after consulting the 2023 schedule, here’s what I’d hit up, when I’d hit it up and why I’d hit it up to enjoy the season without time or money worries:
Week 0 Thursday, Aug. 24: Kemmerer at Cokeville scrimmage, 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25: Malad, Idaho, at Lyman, 3 p.m.; Kelly Walsh at Rock Springs, 6 p.m. The only Zero Week Thursday action is in Lincoln County, so a Southwest swing makes the most sense. Picking up the Eagles in some interstate action, plus a 4A game to cap the weekend, is a good way to start a busy season.
Week 1 Tuesday, Aug. 29: Casper Christian at Meeteetse, 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31: Shoshoni at Pine Bluffs, 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1: Riverside at Southeast, 2 p.m.; St. Stephens at Lingle, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2: Burlington JV at Casper Christian, 1 p.m. The only Tuesday game of the year is one of the Week 1 highlights. The Thursday game between Shoshoni and Pine Bluffs, a rematch of last year’s 1A nine-man title game, is the can’t miss game of the week, but seeing the two Goshen County nine-man teams is also an opportunity that’s not worth missing. The only in-state game on Saturday is Casper Christian, again, so we’ll see the Mountaineers, Wyoming’s newest football program, twice in a week.
Week 2 Friday, Sept. 8: Lovell at Cokeville, 1 p.m.; Sugar-Salem, Idaho, at Star Valley, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9: Dubois at Snake River, 2 p.m. Lincoln County gives us two of what might be the best games of Week 2, so it made sense to hit up both of them. It’s a long drive from Afton to Baggs on Saturday morning, but worth it to see what might be the most important six-man game of the year.
Week 3 Thursday, Sept. 14: Rocky Mountain at Wyoming Indian, 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15: Ten Sleep at Kaycee, 2 p.m.; Kelly Walsh at Natrona, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16: Farson at Casper Christian, noon; Burlington at Midwest, 5 p.m. We’re a little all over the place, but that’s OK — in the middle of everything is the Oil Bowl, and that should make it all worth it. Saturday’s schedule allows us to pick up two more six-man games in Natrona County, so why not?
Week 4 Thursday, Sept. 21: Big Piney at Wind River, 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22: Meeteetse at Burlington, 2 p.m.; Douglas at Worland, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23: Shoshoni at Rocky Mountain, 2 p.m. The 1A nine-man West Conference should be crazy this year, and no two games personify that better than the Thursday and Saturday games in Week 4. In between are two more Bighorn Basin games that should be worth the admission price.
Week 5 Friday, Sept. 29: Sheridan at Cheyenne East, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30: Midwest at Hanna, noon. Other options could have gotten me more games, but there’s absolutely no way I’m missing the Sheridan-East game, a rematch of last year’s 4A championship game. So with that game the priority, others had to fall by the wayside — except Hanna.
Week 6 Thursday, Oct. 5: Ten Sleep at Meeteetse, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6: Star Valley at Cody, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7: Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens, noon. Again, other ways could have landed more games, but Star Valley-Cody was must-see football last season and could be again this season. I’m not taking the risk of missing it.
Week 7 Thursday, Oct. 12: Rocky Mountain at St. Stephens, noon. Friday, Oct. 13: Big Horn at Tongue River, 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14: Kaycee at Hulett, 11 a.m. For the third straight week, I’m taking quality over quantity and finally making my way up to the far Northeast corner. The Thunder Bowl between Big Horn and Tongue River will be huge this year, at least on paper, and I wouldn’t want to miss it.
Week 8 Thursday, Oct. 19: Cokeville at Lyman, 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20: Douglas at Lander, 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21: Burlington at Dubois, 1:30 p.m. The Week 8 schedule is heavy on Friday night games, and with a Thursday schedule that’s heavily skewed toward teams on the west side of the state, this schedule will do quite nicely.
What’s your can’t-miss game of the 2023 season, at least before the season starts? Leave a comment below.
Does Class 2A have a clear-cut favorite? Absolutely not. Class 2A may give us one of the most even title races in recent memory. Several teams are legitimate title contenders, among them Big Horn, Tongue River, Lovell, Lyman, Mountain View, Cokeville, Torrington… the list goes on and on. Two teams that got bumped in the quarterfinals last year (Tongue River and Mountain View) have drawn a lot of attention due to their returning talent, but they, along with Big Horn and Lyman, all have two returning all-state selections apiece.
So, quit playing, who’s it really going to be? Probably somebody from Uinta or Sheridan counties. The four teams getting the most attention from coaches this offseason are the two Uinta schools (Lyman and Mountain View) and the two Sheridan schools (Tongue River and Big Horn). Mountain View and Tongue River have the most returning talent from quarterfinal-exit finishes last year, while Lyman and Big Horn have the pedigree from recent championships, Lyman in 2020 and 2021 and Big Horn in 2022, to drive preseason respect.
And what about Lovell? Hmmm. Well, the Bulldogs — runners-up in 2A each of the past two season — present an interesting conundrum. They clearly know how to develop success, and they have a large senior class. But they also lost five all-staters to graduation, a loss that’s going to be difficult to overcome. At least the Bulldogs have a chance to prove themselves right out of the gate, by hosting defending champ Big Horn in Week 1 and 2020/2021 champ Lyman in Week 3 with a trip to Cokeville sandwiched between. If Lovell survives that, watch out.
Anyone else a threat? No, but it’s going to be fun to see how programs develop. Wheatland, Glenrock and Thermopolis all have new head coaches, while coaches in Burns, Pinedale and Cokeville are in their second years. Cokeville and Burns were playoff qualifiers last year, and it will be interesting to see if they can keep that momentum rolling.
Preseason class MVP
Colter Hanft, Tongue River.Not too many players lead their teams in both receiving and tackles, but that’s exactly what Hanft did last season — as a junior, no less. His 29 catches for 481 yards led all of Tongue River’s receivers, and his exactly 100 tackles also put him at the head of the Eagles’ lists, too. Among those tackles? Seven sacks.
Preseason class breakout player
Justus Platts, Mountain View. Never heard of him? That’s OK. Platts is a sophomore who’s never taken a snap for the Buffalos. A transfer from Texas, Platts has the potential — always a dangerous word — to take over as Mountain View’s quarterback this season. Coach Brent Walk came away impressed, though, after seeing Platts work with the returning Buffs at summer camps.
Other players to watch
Carter Bradshaw, Lyman. The Eagles’ option offense is predicated heavily on decisions made by the quarterback, and Bradshaw proved to be an effective decision-maker last season in season-long relief. He carried 241 times for 1,013 yards and scored 11 touchdowns and also chipped in 23 pass completions for 248 yards for an offense that doesn’t throw much.
Jayce Schultz, Mountain View. Schultz was the Buffalos’ top rusher and tackler in 2022, carrying for 901 yards and seven TDs while notching 87 tackles and four sacks on defense. On a defense that returns 12 of its top 14 tacklers, Schultz remains the leader of the unit ready for big strides this season.
Kiefer Dunham, Big Horn. The defending state champs have a leader on the line in Dunham. An all-state pick last year, Dunham is Big Horn’s top returning tackler, and it’s not really that close. He was a half-tackle shy of 100 last year and had 11.5 tackles for loss. He will be paramount in the Rams’ attempt at a title defense.
Ty Bennick, Torrington. Speaking of linemen, the Trailblazers have a good one in Bennick, who led the team in defensive points last season. He had 72 tackles last year, four of those sacks, and was Torrington’s only all-state selection last season. He also leads the ‘Blazers’ offensive line — no small role on a team that likes to run.
Four key games
Lovell at Cokeville, Sept. 8. The Bulldogs unceremoniously dumped the Panthers out of the playoffs last year in the semifinals, and Cokeville — in the conference opener for both teams — would love to get their revenge early in the season. A loss for either team so early in the conference schedule could be devastating to conference title hopes.
Mountain View at Lyman, Sept. 22. The Bridger Valley rivalry is always important, but in 2023 it could be the game that decides the West Conference in addition to regional bragging rights. And don’t think the fact that Lyman has won the last three in the series isn’t on the Buffalos’ minds.
Big Horn at Tongue River, Oct. 13. The Thunder Bowl, in Week 7 this year, might just lead to an attendance overflow in Walt Gray Field in Dayton. In a year where the Rams and Eagles — despite plenty of threats — could be the best two teams in the East, this rivalry game could be the game that ultimately decides it all.
Newcastle at Torrington, Oct. 20. These two bypassed each other in the East Conference standings last year — Newcastle ascending, Torrington descending. And if the rest of the conference comes together in the way that last year did, this one could be critical for postseason momentum. Or postseason access.
Predicted order of finish
East Conference: Tongue River; Big Horn; Torrington; Upton-Sundance; Newcastle; Wheatland; Burns; Glenrock.
West Conference: Lyman; Mountain View; Lovell; Cokeville; Thermopolis; Kemmerer; Pinedale.
Preseason top five: 1. Lyman; 2. Mountain View; 3. Tongue River; 4. Big Horn; 5. Lovell.
Way-too-early title game score prediction
Lyman 20, Mountain View 14. Sure, a Uinta County title showdown would be epic. But in 2A this year, any of the top six or seven teams are true contenders. Don’t be surprised if other teams emerge by November.
Who’s the team you see emerging from a muddled mix of favorites in Class 2A this year? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.
The Wyoming high school football preview magazine — which I write every summer — mentions several hundred Wyoming high school football players before each season.
Every once in a while, though, somebody who should be a part of their team’s story that year isn’t there.
Sometimes, the reasons are explainable, and some reasons more common than others. Moved away. Ineligible. Transferred. Decided to focus on another sport. Had a falling out with a coach. Incarcerated.
In a dozen years of preview magazines, and almost 20 years of covering high school football in the Equality State, I’ve heard all of these.
But sometimes, when I ask the question “What about ____?”, I can hear an audible sigh from the coach, followed by silence on the other end of the line.
I know what’s coming.
That teenager is dead.
Usually, the coach fills me in on the details. I’ve talked to coaches that have had players who have died in car crashes, drowned on rafting trips, been accidentally shot, and more.
But the hardest reason to hear, by far: He killed himself.
I can’t help but feel my heart break harder for those deaths than the others. And I know why — it’s because that could have been me.
+++
During my freshman and sophomore years in high school, depression manifested in me in the kinds of changes that few people could notice. Even I struggled to see it in the moment. In retrospect — through both individual introspection and therapy — I see it much more clearly, though. Specifically for me, my depression came out in small bits of anger and frustration that grew increasingly more frequent as I got older. By the time I turned 16, right at the start of my sophomore year, I had mastered the “non-response.” If someone said something that brought out my ever-more-frequent feelings of anger or frustration, I stared daggers, but my face didn’t change and my voice stayed silent.
What people didn’t see was how often I turned those daggers inward, beating myself up for my perceived shortcomings. As those moments became more and more frequent, they slowly became tied to thoughts of suicidal ideation.
From an outside perspective, my depression could have simply looked like basic teenager stuff. What teenager doesn’t occasionally come off like a jerk? That’s part of growing up; not every jerk is depressed, and not every depressed person is a jerk. In fact, on a traditional depression checklist, I didn’t hit many of the key indicators that would normally indicate clinical depression.
No matter what, though, the idea of not being there was hard for me to escape.
I didn’t realize that I was struggling as hard as I was until I had an epiphany during my sophomore year. In an instant, I realized something wasn’t right. I asked my parents for help, and fortunately they listened and acted. I started taking antidepressants and going to therapy.
The brain chemistry started changing, slowly at first, although a higher dose of Prozac accelerated the good changes. Therapy gave me more tools to handle my daggers and keep them from stabbing me.
Recovery was proof: I wasn’t broken. I was sick.
Today, more than 20 years later, the sickness still lingers. But now I know how to keep that sickness from killing me.
Unfortunately, not everyone receives that help.
+++
The coaches I talk to always struggle to find the words. Their words represent the same words uttered by family, friends, mentors, community members. We’re never ready for it. Why him? Why now?
I think the surprise is misplaced. In Wyoming, we should be ready for it. And that sucks.
Wyoming ranked first — or last, depending on how you want to look at it — in per capita suicides in 2021, with a rate of 32.3 suicide deaths per 100,000 people, in the last full year that CDC data is available. Wyoming also led the country in per capita suicides in 2020. And 2019. And 2018.
Suicide is the No. 2 cause of death in Wyoming for people from ages 10-44. Men die more often than women, and in Wyoming, 75% of suicide deaths involve a firearm.
But that’s in the aggregate. The individual suicides remain — holes in families, communities, schools and teams that will remain unfilled.
That’s why we have to talk about it.
I believe the only reason I’m alive is that I felt comfortable talking about my emotional darkness with someone I trusted. Maybe most importantly, I had engaged in difficult, emotional, vulnerable conversations already with people that I trusted, and they had shown me they were ready to handle them. Friendship and rapport are a start; love, trust and vulnerability are even better.
Conversation isn’t the sole solution. Even the most trusting and open relationship may not be enough to save someone. But it’s a start.
From the Wyoming Department of Health: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of harming themselves, please call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988or text “WYO” to 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line.
What’s the biggest change to 1A nine-man this year? The lack of deep, experienced and talented senior classes. Last year, several teams were legitimate state championship threats thanks to senior classes just like that; place any one of those teams into the mix this year and they would be the automatic favorites this year. However, graduation decimated almost all of those programs. Look at it this way: Last year, 20 all-state players returned across the classification. This year, between transfers and attrition, it’s slated to be as few as four all-staters coming back.
Who’s survived the purge? Big Piney and Wind River. The Punchers were junior-heavy last year but kept up with the West Conference’s best, training that will set them up well for 2023. Meanwhile, Wind River graduated a ton but has the benefit of back-to-back big classes and will be a senior-heavy team, a rarity in 1A nine-man this season.
How different will the East Conference look this year? Quite a bit. Three East Conference programs — Wright, Saratoga and Guernsey — will have new coaches. All three teams missed the playoffs last year, but Todd Weber in Saratoga, Neal Hughes in Guernsey and Larry Yeradi in Wright, who takes back the head coaching duties after a year away, will be in positions to change the trajectories of those programs.
What about Pine Bluffs? Oh yeah. I’m not sure how we’ve made it this far without talking about the literal defending champions of the classification. The Hornets won’t be overrun with talent this year but have a system and a set of expectations in place. And they haven’t lost a conference game in two years. Cliche as it is, until someone proves they can beat Pine Bluffs, the Hornets are the team everyone else has to chase.
Preseason class MVP
Cooper Frederick, Wind River. The only two-time all-state selection playing this season at any level above six-man in the state, Frederick has proven his worth time and again to the Cougars’ fortunes. When he does well, so do the Cougars; witness his 1,919 rushing yards in Wind River’s 7-3 season in 2022. A year older, Frederick will be a handful to stop, especially for nine-man’s defenses this year that lack the experience of last year’s units.
Preseason class breakout player
Brenner Moore, Rocky Mountain. Moore was just about the only underclassmen who cracked the Grizzlies’ lineup last year. He put up solid numbers — 26 tackles, a couple pass deflections, 113 receiving yards — but will be much more of a leader on both sides of the ball for a Grizzly team that may need a minute to find itself.
Other players to watch
Louden Bremer, Lingle.As a sophomore, Bremer had a huge influence on the Doggers, leading them in receiving (25 catches for 482 yards) and tackles (71). As a junior, Bremer will play just as critical of a role as the Doggers look for their first home playoff game since 2015.
Karsyn Gurr and Ruben Stoutenberg, Big Piney. Two of Big Piney’s biggest offensive weapons are also threats elsewhere. Stoutenberg carried for 327 yards and had 184 receiving yards, but was also valuable on defense where he led the Punchers with 72 tackles. Gurr led Big Piney in receiving with 363 yards and six TDs but was also the West Conference’s special teams player of the year in 2022 thanks to his kick return abilities.
Shawn Shmidl, Pine Bluffs. Maybe this statistic, more than any, represents the value Shmidl, a junior, brings to the defending state champs: Only one player who had more than 20 tackles last year is expected back for the Hornets in 2023. Shmidl had 54. A cornerstone around which a young defense can build, Shmidl will have to transform from role player to leader to keep the Hornets’ momentum rolling.
Ty Strohschein, Riverside. The Rebels are a significantly better team with Strohschein in the lineup. His experience running the ball (684 yards, six TDs last year) and, maybe even more so, on defense (77.5 tackles, more than double any other returner for Riverside) will be key in a suddenly wide-open West Conference championship and playoff race.
Four key games
Big Piney at Wind River, Sept. 21. Big Piney has the challenge of playing the West Conference’s other three playoff qualifiers from 2022 — Rocky Mountain, Wind River and Shoshoni — all on the road this year. This one against the Cougars in Pavillion could be the biggest test for the Punchers, who play those three games in a span of five weeks to start conference play.
Shoshoni at Rocky Mountain, Sept. 23. After the past two seasons, how could we not include this one? Even though both teams will bring inexperienced rosters to the field in 2023, the advantage is that so does pretty much everyone else. And the stakes could be just as high as usual if these program’s young players have developed quickly.
Southeast at Lingle, Oct. 6. Southeast’s 36-35 victory last season against its longtime Goshen County rival was the margin by which second and third places were decided in the East Conference. With both teams in the championship discussion this fall, the stakes this year could be even higher than just a home playoff game.
Pine Bluffs at Southeast, Oct. 20. The regular-season finale for both teams will likely have some high stakes, just as it did in 2022. Chances are good, though, that the Cyclones will be much more competitive than they were last year, a game that ended 63-6 in the Hornets’ favor on their march toward an undefeated state championship.
Predicted order of finish
East Conference: Pine Bluffs; Southeast; Lingle; Saratoga; Lusk; Wright; Moorcroft; Guernsey.
West Conference: Big Piney; Wind River; Shoshoni; Riverside; Rocky Mountain; Greybull; Wyoming Indian; St. Stephens.
Preseason top five: 1. Pine Bluffs; 2. Big Piney; 3. Wind River; 4. Southeast; 5. Lingle.
Way-too-early title game score prediction
Pine Bluffs 30, Big Piney 28. Right now, the Hornets are the team to take down, but the upsides of programs like the others in the top five are ignored only by the foolhardy. The football may not be as strong as last year, but the race might be even more exciting because of that.
Who do you see taking home the title in a depleted, but incredibly competitive, classification this year? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.
Since the institution of overtime in 1975, Wyoming high school football has had 283 games go into overtime. Some of those games came in the most high-stakes situations — games that decided conference titles, playoff appearances, playoff games or even state championships.
From that group of 283, here are the top 10 overtime games in state history, followed by the “next 10” and then 26 others I found fascinating in their own right.
The top 10
N7/2014 Campbell County 34 Cheyenne East 31 4A SF-2OT: The only OT game of 2014 season gave the Camels a spot in the 4A championship game. Talon Nelson’s 20-yard TD catch in the second overtime boosted the Camels past the Thunderbirds after East could only notch a field goal in that session. Gillette rallied from a 21-7 fourth-quarter deficit with two touchdowns to force overtime.
N15/2013 Powell 19 Douglas 13 3A Championship-at Laramie-OT: In a battle of undefeated teams, Powell survived thanks to Hayden Cragoe’s 1-yard run in overtime and won its third consecutive state championship. Powell’s defense had two interceptions, a blocked extra point and a stuff of Douglas’ fourth-and-1 run in OT, all in advance of Cragoe’s score.
S18/2009 Kelly Walsh 28 Natrona 27 2OT: The Trojans rallied from a 21-0 third-quarter deficit thanks to three touchdowns and an interception on defense from Lucas Nolan. Then, after a scoreless first overtime, the Trojans got a score from Riley Moore to take the lead. A Clay Brownell touchdown pulled Natrona within one, but Cormick Eaton stopped Brownell on the 2-point conversion attempt to give KW the Oil Bowl victory.
N4/2005 Cheyenne Central 23 Natrona 20 5A SF-OT: The Indians rallied from a 17-3 third-quarter deficit to force overtime and upset the Mustangs. The game-tying touchdown from Corey Wheeler in the final minute pushed the game to extra time. Bryan Hill’s 1-yard run sealed the game after Natrona had to settle for a field goal on its OT possession. The Indians beat East in the 5A championship the next week.
O26/2001 Glenrock 33 Big Piney 34 3A SF-OT: Big Piney survived this semifinal thriller only after squandering a 27-0 first-quarter lead. Glenrock rallied to score 27 points of its own in the second and third quarters, setting up overtime. Glenrock’s missed extra point in OT was the difference. Big Piney won the 3A championship the next week.
N3/1990 Rawlins 0 Torrington 6 3A SF-OT: Rawlins, which entered the game at 3-5, nearly pulled off the upset of the century against the undefeated Trailblazers. The only points of the game came on the final play, when Jory Kaufman caught a 7-yard pass from Lance Petsch. Torrington won the 3A title the next week.
O17/1986 Midwest 14 Big Horn 21 OT: Top-ranked Big Horn beat second-ranked Midwest in a game that decided a playoff spot, as the 7-1 Oilers stayed home for the postseason. Peter Pelissier scored the game-winning touchdown and also recovered a Midwest fumble in overtime. But getting to OT was tough for Big Horn, which rallied from a 14-0 deficit with 14 fourth-quarter points. Cecil Garland’s 84-yard touchdown catch with 40 seconds remaining, and Rich Garber’s conversion run, tied the game at 14 and sent it to overtime – that is, after a Midwest touchdown pass with 8 seconds remaining was called back by a penalty.
N5/1983 Buffalo 13 Evanston 12 3A Championship-OT: Evanston missed two chances to win the Class 3A championship – one a field goal on the final play of regulation, the other a 2-point conversion attempt that ended with Buffalo tackling David Petersen just short of the end zone. Steve Pabst scored the game-winner for Buffalo, and Eric Thompson provided the extra point; Brent Sanders brought Evanston within one before opportunity slipped by, again.
O23/1982 Saratoga 28 Moorcroft 20 B SF-OT: Despite trailing 20-0 early in the third quarter, Saratoga rallied and scored the game’s final 28 points, including three touchdowns by David Jones (who ran for 214 yards) and the OT winner from Rob Pigg. The victory sent Saratoga to the Class B championship.
N13/1976 Laramie 40 Cody 41 AA Championship-3OT: One of the most famous championship games in state history, the Broncs beat the Plainsmen in triple overtime to win the Class AA title in Laramie coach John Deti Sr.’s final game. Cody rallied from a 20-8 halftime deficit, and Rob Russell’s extra point in overtime was the difference after the Broncs blocked Laramie’s kick in that frame. Both teams had scored 2-point conversions in the first overtime and missed conversions – Laramie a run, Cody a kick – in the second OT.
The next 10 best
S30 and O3/2022 Lander 29 Riverton 28 OT: This game was delayed in first quarter due to lightning and eventually postponed to the following Monday, but the drama more than made up for the delay. Gabe Harris’ catch on a 2-point conversion cemented the victory for the Tigers in the Fremont County rivalry game that was odder than most.
O2/2020 Sheridan 31 Natrona 38 4OT: Believe it or not, this one was 10-10 in regulation. Natrona scored TDs on all four of its overtime possessions, including three by QB Tyler Hill, and then recovered a fumble by Sheridan on the final play of the game.
N2/2007 Campbell County 34 Cheyenne East 35 5A SF-2OT: The Camels almost produced the most epic goal-line stand in state history, but Alex Stratton scored on a 1-yard plunge on fourth down, and Jeremy Kurz kicked the critical extra point, to boost East into the 5A championship. East blocked the Camels’ extra point attempt in the second OT to set up the opportunity for the final margin. East won the 5A championship a week later.
N9/2002 Star Valley 14 Worland 17 4A Championship – OT: Casey Lass’ 18-yard field goal, shorter than an extra point, was the final play of a defensively focused games where points were in short supply. Marc Bradshaw scored both of Worland’s touchdowns, as the Warriors avenged an 18-16 loss from earlier in the season and won despite being outgained by nearly 100 yards.
O30/1993 Cokeville 22 Southeast 21 1A SF-OT: The Panthers went for the win and reaped the benefits, as Rick Himmerich’s 2-point conversion gave Cokeville the victory. The Panthers led 14-0 early but Tim Williams scored three touchdowns for Southeast to keep the Cyclones in it. Cokeville won the 1A 11-man championship one week later.
N10/1990 Lovell 20 Thermopolis 21 2A Championship-OT: Richie Mitchell’s extra point in overtime gave the Bobcats the 2A title and an undefeated season. Rick McKinney scored twice for Thermopolis and Kovi Christiansen scored twice for Lovell, although the OT touchdowns went to Steve Montanez (Lovell) and Corey Wahler (Thermopolis).
O9/1987 Lovell 22 Greybull 14 OT: Three touchdowns by Steve Sessions, including the go-ahead score in overtime, was the deciding factor that got Lovell into the playoffs, and kept Greybull out, as the Bulldogs marched toward their eventual Class 2A championship. Sessions’ 4-yard score in OT held up as Greybull failed to score on its possession.
O21/1983 Laramie 3 Cheyenne Central 6 2OT: One of Wyoming’s more controversial overtime finishes, the Indians were given new life after the first overtime when their potential game-winning field goal was blocked. Laramie’s John Cowper picked up the blocked kick and ran, but officials blew the play dead. Then, in the second overtime, Laramie scored a field goal but Andre Rudolph’s touchdown ended it all. Laramie protested to the WHSAA, but to no avail. If Laramie would have won, it would have created four-way tie for first in the old EWAC; as it was, Central won outright and beat Rock Springs easily in the 4A championship game.
O3/1980 Evanston 13 Star Valley 14 OT: Star Valley’s Class A championship season never happens without this victory against the Red Devils, who were ranked No. 1 at the time and would have eventually won the conference title (and booted the Braves from the playoffs entirely) if they had gotten this victory. However, the Braves held out the Red Devils on a two-point conversion attempt, as Jamie Lowe’s 2-yard run, and Tod Spencer’s PAT kick, just moments earlier held up.
S9/1977 Newell (SD) 34 Upton 26 5OT: The Wyoming Bobcats and the South Dakota Irrigators combined for a state record for the number of overtimes. After a 14-14 regulation, neither team scored in either of the first two overtimes and then matched each other with 12 combined points in third and fourth overtimes. Brian Pope had the winning touchdown and conversion run in the fifth overtime for Newell, scores that Upton couldn’t match.
The boxscore from the Rapid City Journal for the game between Upton and Newell, S.D., from 1977.
26 others worth your time
S16/2022 Lovell 12 Lyman 6 OT: Jared Mangus’ 6-yard touchdown run on the final play dictated the champion of the 2A West and ended Lyman’s 20-game winning streak.
S13/2019 Laramie 41 Campbell County 48 OT: The victory that broke the Camels’ 21-game losing streak was a wild shootout where 35 points came in the fourth quarter alone. Kaden Race’s 12-yard run and a subsequent defensive stand gave the Camels the victory.
O28/2016 Pinedale 14 Big Horn 20 2A QF-OT: Big Horn’s march to the 2A title almost ended in the first round. The Rams were down 14-0 at half and, even after two scores from Colton Williams, still needed two interceptions in the red zone in the fourth quarter to push it to OT.
S6/2013 Cheyenne East 42 Natrona 41 3OT: The loss, punctuated by a bobbled snap on the final play of the game on an extra-point try, was a portend of things to come for snakebit NC, which lost three OT games that year and four games by one point.
O28/2011 Evanston 27 Cheyenne East 28 4A QF-OT: Jeremy Woods had three touchdowns, including East’s overtime touchdown, to send the Thunderbirds into the 4A semifinals. Extra points were the difference, as East made its kick in OT after Evanston missed its try. East rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit.
S24/2010 Campbell County 27 Sheridan 24 OT: The Camels needed 17 points in the fourth quarter just to get to overtime (an offensive explosion in a game that was 3-0 at halftime), and Jordan Rueschhoff’s two field goals – one with 28 seconds remaining, the second on the final play of the game – gave the Camels the Energy Bowl victory.
N5/2010 Buffalo 24 Cody 21 3A SF-OT: Cody went for the win, but Aaron Tyser made sure the Broncs didn’t get it. Tyser’s tackle on Brady Gulde on fourth-and-2 in overtime – when Cody could have kicked a field goal which, if good, would have prompted a second overtime – sent the Bison to the 3A championship game. Wyatt Witty’s field goal in overtime provided the winning points, which cemented Buffalo’s rally from a 14-0 deficit.
O17/2008 Buffalo 14 Douglas 21 OT CST: In a preview of the 4A championship game that came less than a month later, the Bearcats won the East Conference and secured home-field advantage for the playoffs. Douglas overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to win, with Cody Bohlander’s 10-yard run and a subsequent defensive stand did the trick.
N8/2008 Powell 27 Douglas 28 4A SF-2OT: Cody Bohlander was a busy guy. His 2-point conversion run after a Powell penalty gave the Bearcats just enough to win. Bohlander also scored a 3-yard TD with less than a minute remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime and also scored on another 3-yard run in the second overtime to set up the winning score. Douglas won the 4A title the next week.
S14/2007 Big Horn 13 Riverside 12 OT: In a preview of thriller of a title game a few weeks later, the Rams came out on top thanks to Colby Wollenman’s extra point, sealing the victory after Riverside’s 2-point conversion had failed on their preceding overtime possession. The Rebels got their revenge, though…
O29/2004 Guernsey-Sunrise 24 Burlington 21 1A SF-OT: Shawn King’s field goal in overtime was the difference for the Vikings, who won their first state title in school history the next week.
O28/2000 Cheyenne Central 21 Laramie 27 4A SF-OT: Laramie rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter and scored the game-tying points on David Milam’s 14-yard touchdown catch from Jackson Hoopes with 20 seconds remaining. James Grimes’ 10-yard run sealed the Plainsmen’s berth in the 4A championship game.
O1/1993 Cheyenne Central 20 Natrona 21 2OT: Natrona scored 14 points in the final 57 seconds of regulation on a pair of Josh Kalinowski touchdown passes to send the game to overtime. After a scoreless first overtime, Chase Anfinson’s 10-yard touchdown gave Natrona its lead. Central scored but missed its conversion.
O11/1991 Cheyenne East 21 Cheyenne Central 22 OT: In a season where neither Cheyenne team did much, Central’s victory, assured by Ty Alexander’s touchdown and subsequent 2-point conversion, was the season highlight in the Capital City.
O26/1991 Pine Bluffs 22 Moorcroft 14 1A QF-OT: Pine Bluffs had to score a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with no time remaining in the fourth quarter just to get the game to overtime – and did just that. The Hornets drove more than two-thirds of the field in the final 33 seconds; once in overtime, Duane Gilbert’s 1-yard run gave the Hornets the points they needed.
N2/1991 Star Valley 20 Torrington 13 3A SF-2 OT: In a game the Casper Star-Tribune said was played in minus-28 wind chills, the Braves’ Kade Kennington scored the only touchdown of the second OT period with a 2-yard touchdown run to send the defending state champs packing on their home field. Kennington scored twice in the game, including an 87-yard run in the first quarter.
O20/1989 Douglas 31 Glenrock 37 4OT: Mick Lehner’s final game as the head coach of the Herders was a memorable one, as the Converse County rivals went blow for blow four overtimes deep. Bruce Johnston’s 2-yard TD run sealed the game; Jake Hagar’s fumble recovery of a Bearcat bobble in the first half of the fourth OT gave the Herders the opportunity. It was the second of three consecutive overtime games over three seasons between the Herders and Bearcats.
O25/1988 Green River 0 Evanston 7 1/2 playoff-at Rock Springs OT: This victory in a half-playoff game launched Evanston into the playoffs. Then the Red Devils knocked off Laramie in Laramie in the semifinals to reach the 4A title game. Shortly after beating Riverton 6-3 in the first half of the triangular playoff, the Red Devils and Wolves played a scoreless half of football. Garth Wagstaff sealed the victory with an interception on Green River’s first play of overtime; Jason Mitchell had scored Evanston’s only touchdown of the playoff moments before.
S4/1987 Big Horn 45 Riverside 45 3OT-tie: Can’t get much weirder than this. The game should have gone into a fourth overtime, but the officials mistakenly called the game after three extra frames, resulting in a tie. Becket Hinckley scored six touchdowns for Riverside, while six different players scored touchdowns for Big Horn.
O9/1981 Moorcroft 12 Sundance 13 OT: Greg Taylor’s 10-yard touchdown catch from Corey Vail, followed by Brian McInerney’s extra point, gave the Bulldogs their first playoff berth in school history. Moorcroft’s Rock Mirich scored on Moocroft’s possession, but when the Wolves went for two, Neil Warden bobbled a potential game-winning catch. However, the Wolves needed Warden’s 84-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter just to get into overtime.
S8/1978 Lingle 12 Pine Bluffs 6 OT; S29/1978 Southeast 0 Lingle 6 OT: Lingle had to win two overtime games in September to secure the Texas Trail championship and a spot in the Class B playoffs in October, where the Doggers eventually finished as runners-up. Bruce Mowry’s 7-yard run supplied the victory against Southeast.
O7/1977 Meeteetse 32 Ten Sleep 26 2OT: Meeteetse’s TD in the second overtime gave the Longhorns the Big Horn Basin’s northern section crown and eventually a spot in the Class B playoffs. The teams matched each other score for score in a 20-20 regulation. Clair Bennion and Guy Watts each scored twice for Meeteetse.
O21/1977 Star Valley 26 Kemmerer 32 2OT: Russell Lee of Star Valley had a dynamite game, scoring on runs of 92 and 75 yards as well as a 97-yard kickoff return, but the Braves couldn’t convert on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the second overtime, opening the door for Kemmerer. Matt Fagnant scored the winner for Kemmerer, and Jim Joslin added three touchdowns of his own for the Rangers.
S11/1976 Big Piney 12 Lyman 18 4OT: In a parity-filled Southwest Conference, Lyman’s eventual Class B state championship run was almost thrown off by last-place Big Piney in early September. Clyde Gillespie’s touchdown pass to Russ Eyre in the fourth overtime was the difference.
N1/1975 Pinedale 6 Basin 0 B SF-OT: The first overtime playoff game in modern times went to the Wranglers, who won a defensive struggle behind Neil Reed’s 9-yard touchdown in the extra frame. Basin actually out-gained Pinedale 175-132 but couldn’t punch in a score. Pinedale won the Class B title the next week.
S5/1975 Basin 30 Tongue River 24 2OT: Wyoming’s first overtime game went double, as Basin ended Tongue River’s 18-game winning streak and gave the Eagles their first loss to a Wyoming team in four years. Mike Dellos scored three times for Basin, including both Basin touchdowns in overtime.
Don’t see an overtime game on these lists that you think should be on here? Let me know in the comments below! I was limited in what I could share here by what I could find online. If the game you think deserved more attention isn’t on this list, you’re probably right! I wasn’t able to find details on every single overtime game, unfortunately, and I KNOW there were other OT games that had big stakes and fascinating endings that I just couldn’t find anything about. Also, I didn’t want to touch on EVERY overtime game, which by their nature are thrilling. All 283 games could have made this list. Which one was YOUR most memorable?
Will Snake River ever lose again? Yes, but maybe not this year. The Rattlers enter 2023 on a 21-game winning streak and have had undefeated seasons in three of the past four years. The run has been dominant: Dubois was the only six-man team to stay within 45 points of Snake River last year. When a team starts that far ahead of the pack, it doesn’t really matter how many players graduate — they start at the top of the list.
Can anyone hang with the Rattlers this year? Yep, and Snake River won’t need to look outside its conference for some of its biggest competition. Two South Conference rivals, Encampment and Dubois, return the individual firepower to make six-man waves this fall. Meanwhile, North foe Burlington, last year’s title-game victim, continues to display the kind of depth that makes most other teams envious. Any of the top four could take it all; after that, the gap widens pretty fast.
So who’s coming out of the North then? Burlington, and can we put a pin in the rest of that? The Huskies has the early edge in the North as the team that played in War Memorial Stadium to end last season and as the team that returns the bulk of the experience. However, four of the other five teams in the North — Meeteetse, Kaycee, Hulett and Midwest — all appear to be on more or less equal footing entering 2023. The chase for the North’s four playoff spots could be one of the most exciting playoff races in the state this fall.
Will six-man’s newest team be a contender? Possibly. Casper Christian played a hodgepodge of six-man games last year against a few other varsity squads as well as Natrona’s freshmen and sophomores, finishing 1-6 but going 0-4 against the other six-man teams in the classification. This year, though, the Mountaineers return every player from last year’s team, and they have an added motivation by being playoff-eligible members of the South Conference this fall, a benefit they didn’t have last year.
Preseason class MVP
Wyatt Trembly, Dubois. Class 1A six-man’s co-offensive player of the year in 2022 should be even better as a senior — and that’s as much expectation as it is praise. Trembly’s 2022 was incomparable in six-man ranks, as his 2,502 rushing yards set a state six-man record. The expectation that 2023 could be even better, stats-wise, comes in part because of Dubois’ significant losses to graduation and the Rams’ necessity to rely on six-man’s best player even more.
Preseason class breakout player
Ethan Salzman, Meeteetse. Salzman has done double duty the past couple years, playing a season of golf with Cody’s team before joining the Longhorns for the back half of the football season. However, as a senior this year, Salzman is dedicating the fall to football alone. That stability could boost the young Longhorns to success.
Other players to watch
Quade Jordan, Encampment. As the Tiger program leaves its honeymoon stage as six-man’s newest team, Jordan’s play will be a huge reason why Encampment will be looked at as a part of a consistently successful developing program and not just a fortunate interloper. Already a two-time all-state selection, Jordan broke 1,000 yards rushing (1,084) and also had 70 tackles on defense, including 14 for loss, last season.
Joseph Pina, Meeteetse.The Longhorns’ only returning all-state player did it all last year to earn his second all-state nod. He led Meeteetse in rushing, receiving and tackles. He was a four-digit back, carrying for 1,234 yards, and a triple-digit tackler with 122. The Longhorns will be thin, but they’ll be competitive thanks to Pina.
Seth Maxson and Isaiah Skalberg, Snake River. Snake River’s recent run of dominance could continue if Maxson and Skalberg continues their successful runs. Maxson led the Rattlers in tackles and defensive points, while Skalberg was a solid pass-catcher and one of Snake’s best defensive players, as well.
Vaun Pierson, Kaycee. When you lead your team in both rushing yards and tackles, you have to be doing something right. The Buckaroos’ lone returning all-state selection, Pierson ran for 991 yards last season — while averaging 9.6 yards per carry — and led the Kaycee defense with 109 total tackles, including 15.5 for loss. He may be asked to do even more this year.
Four (OK, five) key games
Hulett at Burlington; Kaycee at Meeteetse, Sept. 8. With an unpredictable North Conference race, the opening weekend of conference play will be absolutely crucial. The Northwest teams draw home field this year, and the winners will take a temporary edge in a playoff race that could be decided by the thinnest of margins.
Dubois at Snake River, Sept. 9. The West Conference title eventually has to go through Baggs and the two-time defending champs. And what better way for a Ram team with exceptional talent but no berth in the championship game since 2014 to make a statement than right here against the Rattlers? The conference opener could be the conference decider.
Encampment at Snake River, Oct. 7. The Rattlers draw a bit of luck this year by having their two toughest opponents, on paper, come to Baggs for their games. That said, the Tigers would love to beat their Carbon County rivals — something they did in 2020 but haven’t done in four tries since — and help prove that 2023 is their year.
Burlington at Dubois, Oct. 21. This is about as big as a nonconference game can get in six-man. Last year’s regular-season game was close — Dubois won 60-52 — but the Huskies took their revenge and won by 49 in the playoff semifinals two weeks later. How will both teams respond to that history? And how crazy of a season will each team have seen before this game in Week 8?
Predicted order of finish
North Conference: Burlington; Meeteetse; Kaycee; Midwest; Hulett; Ten Sleep.
South Conference: Snake River; Encampment; Dubois; Farson; Casper Christian; Hanna.
Snake River 49, Burlington 33. The old cliche about having to beat the best to be the best is kind of lame, but I think it applies this year in six-man. With no one team emerging as a direct threat to the Rattlers, the two-time defending champs are the ones to look out for until some other team shows otherwise.
Which team has what it takes to de-fang the Rattlers’ title hopes? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.
That’s how long this site, at least in its earliest iterations, has been online.
I first posted the framework for what would become wyoming-football.com online in early 2005 and officially moved it to this URL in mid-2006.
I was just over 23 years old when I started the site. I’m now 41. And my life has changed in significant ways in the past 18 years.
When I started, wyoming-football.com was a repository of historical information. It still is, but it’s grown into much more than that.
The problem with growth is that it requires time and energy.
At 41, I no longer have the time or the energy to run the site as I have the past several years. After some serious thinking, I have decided to return wyoming-football.com to its roots as a repository.
Don’t worry: The site will stay. What will change is how much time and energy goes into doing live work on social media and on the site in real time on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the season.
Two big changes are forthcoming this fall.
First: Live updates to the site will end. Instead, the season’s scoreboard page and standings will be updated once a week, probably each Sunday during the season. Team pages will no longer be updated weekly with results. Meanwhile, one big bulk update will continue to come at the end of each season for updates to team pages, similar to what I do with champlists.com and wyoming-basketball.com.
Second: Social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook will stay, but I will not use them for live score updates during the season.
Other activity you see on the site right now will continue, albeit some things may change slightly.
On The HQ — the blog where you’re reading this right now — weekly blog posts with picks will continue during the season. I will also likely post less frequently, although hopefully more thoughtfully, during the offseason, and I will stop doing individual posts for each coaching change that takes place during the offseason.
A HUGE thank you to those of you who were willing to support me over the past 13 years when I asked for the financial support necessary to maintain this site, whether through a book purchase, a page sponsorship or a Ko-fi donation. And another huge thanks to those who have helped support the site with your time and energy researching — and sharing — details about the sport and state we all love. Page sponsorships will continue as long as the sponsors are willing.
That said, I have other things I also want to do with my life, and for the first time in 18 years, I feel ready to devote my time and energy to those things, too — at least on Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday afternoons in the fall.
