2012 Wyoming high school football schedules

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The 2012 Wyoming high school football schedule was released today by the Wyoming High School Activities Association at the statewide scheduling meeting in Casper.

With only a couple exceptions, the 2012 schedule — as anticipated — is the 2011 schedule with locations changed. The only changes come at the Class 3A/2A levels in Week 1: Rawlins will play Wheatland rather than Sidney, Neb., Lander will play Cody rather than Wheatland, Cody will play Lander rather than Hardin, Mont., and Torrington will play Mitchell, Neb., rather than Chadron, Neb.

Dates and times have yet to be set for next year’s games and will be set by the schools. Zero Week games may be added to the schedule by Class 3A, 2A and 1A teams.

The schedules, by week and by team, are below:

By Week
Week 0 (Aug. 24)
Class 4A: Gillette at Evanston; Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne East; Laramie at Rock Springs; Natrona at Cheyenne South; Sheridan at Cheyenne Central.

Week 1 (Aug. 30-Sept. 1)
Class 4A: Cheyenne East at Laramie; Cheyenne South at Cheyenne Central; Kelly Walsh at Evanston; Natrona at Sheridan; Rock Springs at Gillette.
Class 3A: Cody at Lander; Green River at Douglas; Powell at Riverton; Worland at Buffalo.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Greybull; Lovell at Wright; Thermopolis at Glenrock; Tongue River at Lyman.
Class 1A 11-man: Lingle at Saratoga; Normative Services at Rocky Mountain; Shoshoni at Upton; Wyoming Indian at Pine Bluffs.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Midwest; Farson at Meeteetse; Guernsey at Hulett; Hanna at Kaycee; Snake River at Ten Sleep.
Interclass: Burlington at Big Piney; Kemmerer at Wind River; Lusk at Burns; Mountain View at Cokeville; Newcastle at Southeast; Riverside at Pinedale; Sundance at Moorcroft; Wheatland at Rawlins.
Interstate: Jackson at Teton, Idaho; Snake River, Idaho, at Star Valley; Torrington at Mitchell, Neb.

Week 2 (Sept. 6-8)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Natrona; Evanston at Rock Springs; Gillette at Cheyenne East; Laramie at Kelly Walsh; Sheridan at Cheyenne South.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Powell; Douglas at Cody; Jackson at Rawlins; Riverton at Green River; Star Valley at Lander; Worland at Torrington.
Class 2A: Big Piney at Thermopolis; Burns at Big Horn; Glenrock at Tongue River; Greybull at Mountain View; Lyman at Kemmerer; Moorcroft at Newcastle; Pinedale at Lovell; Wright at Wheatland.
Class 1A 11-man: Cokeville at Riverside; Pine Bluffs at Normative Services; Rocky Mountain at Wyoming Indian; Saratoga at Burlington; Southeast at Sundance; Upton at Lingle; Wind River at Shoshoni.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Snake River; Hulett at Hanna; Kaycee at Farson; Midwest at Meeteetse; Ten Sleep at Guernsey.
Interstate: Hill City, S.D., at Lusk.

Week 3 (Sept. 13-15)
Class 4A: Cheyenne East at Cheyenne Central; Cheyenne South at Laramie; Evanston at Sheridan; Kelly Walsh at Gillette; Rock Springs at Natrona.
Class 3A: Douglas at Star Valley; Green River at Buffalo; Lander at Jackson; Rawlins at Worland; Riverton at Cody; Torrington at Powell.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Wright; Kemmerer at Pinedale; Lovell at Lyman; Mountain View at Big Piney; Newcastle at Burns; Thermopolis at Greybull; Tongue River at Moorcroft; Wheatland at Glenrock.
Class 1A 11-man: Normative Services at Upton; Riverside at Rocky Mountain; Saratoga at Cokeville; Shoshoni at Burlington; Southeast at Lusk; Sundance at Pine Bluffs; Wyoming Indian at Wind River.
Class 1A six-man: Farson at Ten Sleep; Hanna at Midwest; Kaycee at Hulett; Meeteetse at Dubois; Snake River at Guernsey.
Interclass: Lingle at Cheyenne East sophs.

Week 4 (Sept. 20-22)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Evanston; Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East; Gillette at Laramie; Natrona at Kelly Walsh; Sheridan at Rock Springs.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Douglas; Cody at Green River; Lander at Torrington; Powell at Jackson; Rawlins at Riverton; Worland at Star Valley.
Class 2A: Burns at Tongue River; Glenrock at Big Horn; Greybull at Pinedale; Lyman at Big Piney; Moorcroft at Wheatland; Mountain View at Lovell; Thermopolis at Kemmerer; Wright at Newcastle.
Class 1A 11-man: Burlington at Riverside; Cokeville at Shoshoni; Lusk at Lingle; Pine Bluffs at Southeast; Upton at Sundance; Wind River at Rocky Mountain; Wyoming Indian at Saratoga.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Kaycee; Guernsey at Hanna; Hulett at Ten Sleep; Meeteetse at Snake River; Midwest at Farson.
Interclass: Big Horn JV at Normative Services.

Week 5 (Sept. 27-29)
Class 4A: Cheyenne East at Natrona; Evanston at Cheyenne South; Gillette at Sheridan; Kelly Walsh at Rock Springs; Laramie at Cheyenne Central.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Riverton; Douglas at Lander; Green River at Worland; Jackson at Cody; Star Valley at Powell; Torrington at Rawlins.
Class 2A: Big Piney at Kemmerer; Glenrock at Newcastle; Greybull at Lovell; Lyman at Thermopolis; Moorcroft at Burns; Pinedale at Mountain View; Tongue River at Wright; Wheatland at Big Horn.
Class 1A 11-man: Burlington at Wyoming Indian; Pine Bluffs at Lusk; Normative Services at Southeast; Rocky Mountain at Cokeville; Saratoga at Wind River; Shoshoni at Riverside; Sundance at Lingle.
Class 1A six-man: Farson at Guernsey; Hanna at Snake River; Kaycee at Meeteetse; Midwest at Hulett; Ten Sleep at Dubois.
Interstate: Hill City, S.D., at Upton.

Week 6 (Oct. 4-6)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Gillette; Evanston at Natrona; Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne South; Laramie at Sheridan; Rock Springs at Cheyenne East.
Class 3A: Cody at Star Valley; Douglas at Rawlins; Jackson at Green River; Lander at Buffalo; Powell at Worland; Riverton at Torrington.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Moorcroft; Big Piney at Pinedale; Burns at Wheatland; Kemmerer at Greybull; Lovell at Thermopolis; Mountain View at Lyman; Newcastle at Tongue River; Wright at Glenrock.
Class 1A 11-man: Lingle at Normative Services; Riverside at Saratoga; Rocky Mountain at Shoshoni; Sundance at Lusk; Upton at Pine Bluffs; Wind River at Burlington; Wyoming Indian at Cokeville.
Class 1A six-man: Guernsey at Midwest; Hanna at Dubois; Hulett at Farson; Meeteetse at Ten Sleep; Snake River at Kaycee.
Interstate: Southeast at Scottsbluff, Neb., JV.

Week 7 (Oct. 11-13)
Class 4A: Cheyenne East at Evanston; Cheyenne South at Gillette; Natrona at Laramie; Rock Springs at Cheyenne Central; Sheridan at Kelly Walsh.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Torrington; Powell at Cody; Rawlins at Lander; Riverton at Douglas; Star Valley at Green River; Worland at Jackson.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Tongue River; Burns at Glenrock; Greybull at Big Piney; Lovell at Kemmerer; Moorcroft at Wright; Pinedale at Lyman; Thermopolis at Mountain View; Wheatland at Newcastle.
Class 1A 11-man: Burlington at Rocky Mountain; Cokeville at Wind River; Lingle at Pine Bluffs; Lusk at Normative Services; Riverside at Wyoming Indian; Saratoga at Shoshoni; Upton at Southeast.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Hulett; Farson at Hanna; Meeteetse at Guernsey; Midwest at Snake River; Ten Sleep at Kaycee.
Interstate: Hill City, S.D., at Sundance.

Week 8 (Oct. 18-20)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Kelly Walsh; Cheyenne East at Sheridan; Cheyenne South at Rock Springs; Evanston at Laramie; Gillette at Natrona.
Class 3A: Cody at Worland; Green River at Powell; Lander at Riverton; Rawlins at Buffalo; Star Valley at Jackson; Torrington at Douglas.
Class 2A: Big Piney at Lovell; Glenrock at Moorcroft; Kemmerer at Mountain View; Lyman at Greybull; Newcastle at Big Horn; Pinedale at Thermopolis; Tongue River at Wheatland; Wright at Burns.
Class 1A 11-man: Cokeville at Burlington; Lusk at Upton; Normative Services at Sundance; Rocky Mountain at Saratoga; Shoshoni at Wyoming Indian; Southeast at Lingle; Wind River at Riverside.
Class 1A six-man: Guernsey at Dubois; Hulett at Meeteetse; Kaycee at Midwest; Snake River at Farson; Ten Sleep at Hanna.
Open: Pine Bluffs.

By Team
(Games are listed in order from Weeks 1-8; 4A games are listed in order from Weeks 0-8)
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central: vs. Sheridan; vs. Cheyenne South; at Natrona; vs. Cheyenne East; at Evanston; vs. Laramie; at Gillette; vs. Rock Springs; at Kelly Walsh.
Cheyenne East: vs. Kelly Walsh; at Laramie; vs. Gillette; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Cheyenne South; at Natrona; vs. Rock Springs; at Evanston; at Sheridan.
Cheyenne South: vs. Natrona; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Sheridan; at Laramie; at Cheyenne East; vs. Evanston; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Gillette; at Rock Springs.
Evanston: vs. Gillette; vs. Kelly Walsh; at  Rock Springs; at Sheridan; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Cheyenne South; at Natrona; vs. Cheyenne East; at Laramie.
Gillette: at Evanston; vs. Rock Springs; at Cheyenne East; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Laramie; at Sheridan; vs. Cheyenne Central; vs. Cheyenne South; at Natrona.
Kelly Walsh: at Cheyenne East; at Evanston; vs. Laramie; at Gillette; vs. Natrona; at Rock Springs; at Cheyenne South; vs. Sheridan; vs. Cheyenne Central.
Laramie: at Rock Springs; vs. Cheyenne East; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Cheyenne South; vs. Gillette; at Cheyenne Central; at Sheridan; vs. Natrona; vs. Evanston.
Natrona: at Cheyenne South; at Sheridan; vs. Cheyenne Central; vs. Rock Springs; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Cheyenne East; vs. Evanston; at Laramie; vs. Gillette.
Rock Springs: vs. Laramie; at Gillette; vs. Evanston; at Natrona; vs. Sheridan; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Cheyenne East; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Cheyenne South.
Sheridan: at Cheyenne Central; vs. Natrona; at Cheyenne South; vs. Evanston; at Rock Springs; vs. Gillette; vs. Laramie; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Cheyenne East.

Class 3A
East Conference
Buffalo: vs. Worland; at Powell; vs. Green River; at Douglas; at Riverton; vs. Lander; at Torrington; vs. Rawlins.
Douglas: vs. Green River; at Cody; at Star Valley; vs. Buffalo; at Lander; at Rawlins; vs. Riverton; vs. Torrington.
Lander: vs. Cody; vs. Star Valley; at Jackson; at Torrington; vs. Douglas; at Buffalo; vs. Rawlins; at Riverton.
Rawlins: vs. Wheatland; vs. Jackson; at Worland; at Riverton; vs. Torrington; vs. Douglas; at Lander; at Buffalo.
Riverton: vs. Powell; at Green River; at Cody; vs. Rawlins; vs. Buffalo; at Torrington; at Douglas; vs. Lander.
Torrington: at Mitchell, Neb.; vs. Worland; at Powell; vs. Lander; at Rawlins; vs. Riverton; vs. Buffalo; at Douglas.
West Conference
Cody: at Lander; vs. Douglas; vs. Riverton; at Green River; vs. Jackson; at Star Valley; vs. Powell; at Worland.
Green River: at Douglas; vs. Riverton; at Buffalo; vs. Cody; at Worland; vs. Jackson; vs. Star Valley; at Powell.
Jackson: at Teton, Idaho; at Rawlins; vs. Lander; vs. Powell; at Cody; at Green River; vs. Worland; vs. Star Valley.
Powell: at Riverton; vs. Buffalo; vs. Torrington; at Jackson; vs. Star Valley; at Worland; at Cody; vs. Green River.
Star Valley: vs. Snake River, Idaho; at Lander; vs. Douglas; vs. Worland; at Powell; vs. Cody; at Green River; at Jackson.
Worland: at Buffalo; at Torrington; vs. Rawlins; at Star Valley; vs. Green River; vs. Powell; at Jackson; vs. Cody.

Class 2A
East Conference
Big Horn: at Greybull; vs. Burns; at Wright; vs. Glenrock; vs. Wheatland; at Moorcroft; at Tongue River; vs. Newcastle.
Burns: vs. Lusk; at Big Horn; vs. Newcastle; at Tongue River; vs. Moorcroft; at Wheatland; at Glenrock; vs. Wright.
Glenrock: vs. Thermopolis; at Tongue River; vs. Wheatland; at Big Horn; at Newcastle; vs. Wright; vs. Burns; at Moorcroft.
Moorcroft: vs. Sundance; at Newcastle; vs. Tongue River; at Wheatland; at Burns; vs. Big Horn; at Wright; vs. Glenrock.
Newcastle: at Southeast; vs. Moorcroft; at Burns; vs. Wright; vs. Glenrock; at Tongue River; vs. Wheatland; at Big Horn.
Tongue River: at Lyman; vs. Glenrock; at Moorcroft; vs. Burns; at Wright; vs. Newcastle; vs. Big Horn; at Wheatland.
Wheatland: at Rawlins; vs. Wright; at Glenrock; vs. Moorcroft; at Big Horn; vs. Burns; at Newcastle; vs. Tongue River.
Wright: vs. Lovell; at Wheatland; vs. Big Horn; at Newcastle; vs. Tongue River; at Glenrock; vs. Moorcroft; at Burns.
West Conference
Big Piney: vs. Burlington; at Thermopolis; vs. Mountain View; vs. Lyman; at Kemmerer; at Pinedale; vs. Greybull; at Lovell.
Greybull: vs. Big Horn; at Mountain View; vs. Thermopolis; at Pinedale; at Lovell; vs. Kemmerer; at Big Piney; vs. Lyman.
Kemmerer: at Wind River; vs. Lyman; at Pinedale; vs. Thermopolis; vs. Big Piney; at Greybull; vs. Lovell; at Mountain View.
Lovell: at Wright; vs. Pinedale; at Lyman; vs. Mountain View; vs. Greybull; at Thermopolis; at Kemmerer; vs. Big Piney.
Lyman: vs. Tongue River; at Kemmerer; vs. Lovell; at Big Piney; at Thermopolis; vs. Mountain View; vs. Pinedale; at Greybull.
Mountain View: at Cokeville; vs. Greybull; at Big Piney; at Lovell; vs. Pinedale; at Lyman; vs. Thermopolis; vs. Kemmerer.
Pinedale: vs. Riverside; at Lovell; vs. Kemmerer; vs. Greybull; at Mountain View; vs. Big Piney; at Lyman; at Thermopolis.
Thermopolis: at Glenrock; vs. Big Piney; at Greybull; at Kemmerer; vs. Lyman; vs. Lovell; at Mountain View; vs. Pinedale.

Class 1A 11-man
East Conference
Lingle: at Saratoga; vs. Upton; at Cheyenne East sophs; vs. Lusk; vs. Sundance; at Normative Services; at Pine Bluffs; vs. Southeast.
Lusk: at Burns; vs. Hill City, S.D.; vs. Southeast; at Lingle; vs. Pine Bluffs; vs. Sundance; at Normative Services; at Upton.
Normative Services: at Rocky Mountain; vs. Pine Bluffs; at Upton; vs. Big Horn JV; at Southeast; vs. Lingle; vs. Lusk; at Sundance.
Pine Bluffs: vs. Wyoming Indian; at Normative Services; vs. Sundance; at Southeast; at Lusk; vs. Upton; vs. Lingle; Open.
Southeast: vs. Newcastle; at Sundance; at Lusk; vs. Pine Bluffs; vs. Normative Services; at Scottsbluff, Neb., JV; vs. Upton; at Lingle.
Sundance: at Moorcroft; vs. Southeast; at Pine Bluffs; vs. Upton; at Lingle; at Lusk; vs. Hill City, S.D.; vs. Normative Services.
Upton: vs. Shoshoni; at Lingle; vs. Normative Services; at Sundance; vs. Hill City, S.D.; at Pine Bluffs; at Southeast; vs. Lusk.
West Conference
Burlington: at Big Piney; vs. Saratoga; vs. Shoshoni; at Riverside; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Wind River; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Cokeville.
Cokeville: vs. Mountain View; at Riverside; vs. Saratoga; at Shoshoni; vs. Rocky Mountain; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Wind River; at Burlington.
Riverside: at Pinedale; vs. Cokeville; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Burlington; vs. Shoshoni; at Saratoga; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Wind River.
Rocky Mountain: vs. Normative Services; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Riverside; vs. Wind River; at Cokeville; at Shoshoni; vs. Burlington; at Saratoga.
Saratoga: vs. Lingle; at Burlington; at Cokeville; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Wind River; vs. Riverside; at Shoshoni; vs. Rocky Mountain.
Shoshoni: at Upton; vs. Wind River; at Burlington; vs. Cokeville; at Riverside; vs. Rocky Mountain; vs. Saratoga; at Wyoming Indian.
Wind River: vs. Kemmerer; at Shoshoni; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Saratoga; at Burlington; vs. Cokeville; at Riverside.
Wyoming Indian: at Pine Bluffs; vs. Rocky Mountain; at Wind River; at Saratoga; vs. Burlington; at Cokeville; vs. Riverside; vs. Shoshoni.

Class 1A six-man
North Conference
Dubois: at Midwest; at Snake River; vs. Meeteetse; at Kaycee; vs. Ten Sleep; vs. Hanna; at Hulett; vs. Guernsey.
Hulett: vs. Guernsey; at Hanna; vs. Kaycee; at Ten Sleep; vs. Midwest; at Farson; vs. Dubois; at Meeteetse.
Kaycee: vs. Hanna; at Farson; at Hulett; vs. Dubois; at Meeteetse; vs. Snake River; vs. Ten Sleep; at Midwest.
Meeteetse: vs. Farson; vs. Midwest; at Dubois; at Snake River; vs. Kaycee; at Ten Sleep; at Guernsey; vs. Hulett.
Ten Sleep: vs. Snake River; at Guernsey; vs. Farson; vs. Hulett; at Dubois; vs. Meeteetse; at Kaycee; at Hanna.
South Conference
Farson: at Meeteetse; vs. Kaycee; at Ten Sleep; vs. Midwest; at Guernsey; vs. Hulett; at Hanna; vs. Snake River.
Guernsey: at Hulett; vs. Ten Sleep; vs. Snake River; at Hanna; vs. Farson; at Midwest; vs. Meeteetse; at Dubois.
Hanna: at Kaycee; vs. Hulett; at Midwest; vs. Guernsey; at Snake River; at Dubois; vs. Farson; vs. Ten Sleep.
Midwest: vs. Dubois; at Meeteetse; vs. Hanna; at Farson; at Hulett; vs. Guernsey; at Snake River; vs. Kaycee.
Snake River: at Ten Sleep; vs. Dubois; at Guernsey; vs. Meeteetse; vs. Hanna; at Kaycee; vs. Midwest; at Farson.

–patrick

Semifinal Humble Pie: Control, drama and a blatant disregard for technique

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Cheyenne East was facing a team that had allowed it to score just six points in their past two meetings combined.

Powell was facing a team that obliterated it just 14 days ago.

But football is a fun and funny game. The past means nothing once toe meets ball and the game starts.

On Friday, both Cheyenne East and Powell reminded us why we love football so much. We don’t love football because it is rote and predictable; we love it because we never can tell what might happen over the next minute, much less the following 47.

Cheyenne East shook off a 26-3 loss to Natrona on Sept. 30 in Cheyenne and beat the previously unbeaten Mustangs 24-19 in Casper, while Powell scored in the waning seconds to beat Green River — a team it had lost to 38-14 just 14 days ago on the same field — and end the Wolves’ season with a 23-21 victory.

Maybe no one other than the most faithful and romantic of fans actually believed either upset could happen. Maybe the players themselves still can’t believe what they’ve accomplished.

Doesn’t matter now. Both the Panthers and the Thunderbirds are headed to War Memorial Stadium for the state championship games.

East controlled Natrona from the start, building a 21-7 lead before relying on its defense to bring home the victory. Even that wasn’t assured until late, until after Natrona scored in the final two minutes but could not recover an onside kick.

Powell’s victory was a bit more dramatic.

The Panthers rallied from a 14-3 halftime deficit and scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. However, after Green River scored with 41 seconds remaining to take a 21-17 lead, Powell had to summon all of its gusto to come back — and did so by scoring with 12 seconds to go to take the lead.

The only other road team to win on Friday was Lyman, which beat Glenrock 22-14 in a game that got really, really good in the fourth quarter. I was fortunate enough to be at this game and I was having a lot of trouble just keeping up with all the action in the fourth quarter: three turnovers, two goal-line stands, a missed field goal. It was a great end to what, up until that point, had been a less-than-memorable game. But, again, it’s supposed to be a fun and funny game. Lyman-Glenrock was both.

Douglas (20-14 over Buffalo) and Lovell (23-20 over Newcastle) also eked out too close for comfort victories on Friday, too. Douglas staved off Buffalo in what was a typical Douglas-Buffalo game, both in the score and, recently, in the victor. Lovell, however, led 23-6 before the upstart Dogies came roaring back and very nearly pulled of what would have been an upset for all time. Instead, it’s just another close call for the undefeated Bulldogs.

The other games were less intense. Sheridan, Cokeville, Southeast, Snake River and Dubois all won with relative ease when compared to the other five games on Friday. Nevertheless, these five teams, at this point in the season, aren’t really sweating the method too much — they’re just happy to survive and move on to Laramie.

So what did you see on Friday that drew your attention? Comment below with your thoughts and let’s start talking semifinals, Laramie, fun and funny.

This week: 8-2 (80 percent). This season: 249-50 (83 percent).

–patrick

Semifinal playoff picks

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You know how I do this by now. Let’s get right into it:

1. Which road team do you think is most likely to win this weekend? (My answer: Lyman. The Eagles have been one of the most consistent teams in 2A this year, with their only loss coming against top-ranked Lovell in Lovell. The only question that remains is how Lyman will play with the added pressure of a state championship game berth on the line. The last three times Lyman has made it to the semifinals (2000, 2004, 2006), the Eagles have lost.)

2. Which bracket is most likely to see BOTH road teams win? (My answer: The Class 4A bracket. And it’s not because the top seeds, Natrona and Sheridan, are primed for upsets. Neither one of those squads has shown that. Instead, I base this answer on the fact that, in the 4A playoffs, you can’t take anything for granted. The two road teams in this semifinal round, Gillette and Cheyenne East, have proven capable of beating anyone, anywhere. If the ball bounces a bit weird, if turnovers go the wrong way, if the focus is on War Memorial and not on the semifinals… we could see a couple upsets. By the way, did you notice that both 4A games this week are rematches from Week 5? Weird.)

3. Which top seed is likely to have the toughest time winning this weekend? (My answer: In addition to Glenrock, which I have already mentioned, I think Douglas will get a tremendous challenge from Buffalo. Douglas won the regular-season meeting by the skin of its teeth — 27-21 — and should get the same sort of challenge from the Bison this time around, too. Also, Buffalo has already proven it can go on the road in the playoffs and win.)

4. Which regular-season rematch is the most intriguing game of the postseason? (My answer: Midwest-Dubois. The regular-season meeting wasn’t all that close — Dubois won 49-20 — but that was also in Week 1. Since that time, Midwest has improved tremendously, particularly on offense; the Oilers have scored at least 52 points in every game since, and the 52-spot was put up in a loss to top-ranked Snake River. Of course, since a Week 2 loss to Snake River, Dubois has scored at least 50 points in every game….)

5. If you could attend any of these 10 games, which one would you go to? (My answer: Lusk-Cokeville. The rematch of last year’s 1A 11-man title game should be a good one. Lusk’s defense has allowed just 47 points all season, while Cokeville has given up just 32. With points likely at a premium, the game will come down to the fundamentals — protecting the ball, converting third downs, kicking. Whichever team can do the fundamentals the best will win. And that can be really fun to watch, because the margin between victory and defeat is so small.)

Onto the picks, with projected winners in bold:

Friday
Class 4A
(4) Cheyenne East at (1) Natrona: The Mustangs are undefeated and may be playing their best football of the season. Dangerous combo. 6 p.m. (NC 37-15)
(3) Gillette at (2) Sheridan: I’m still impressed with how easily Sheridan dispatched Gillette in the Energy Bowl. I anticipate a closer game the second time around, but the game is still Sheridan’s to lose. 6 p.m. (She 39-26-1)
Class 3A
(3E) Buffalo at (1E) Douglas: This might be the game of the week. Douglas won the regular-season game 27-21; since then, both teams have shown their ability to win some big ones. This one might be even closer than the regular-season game. 7 p.m. (Buf 34-26)
(3W) Powell at (1W) Green River: Speaking of “should be closer than the regular-season game,” this one between the Panthers and Wolves meets that criteria, too. The Wolves blasted the Panthers two weeks ago and are the favorites to win here, too, but I would anticipate a better challenge from Powell the second time around. 7 p.m. (tied 5-5)
Class 2A
(2W) Lyman at (1E) Glenrock: Lyman is the only road team I am picking this week. The Eagles have been my No. 2 team in 2A most of the season (behind Lovell), and I think their depth will help see them through a long road trip. 7 p.m. (Glk 2-1)
(2E) Newcastle at (1W) Lovell: The Dogies showed last week that they’re no slouch. And they’ll push Lovell. But week in and week out, Lovell has taken the best shots from numerous teams and has always been up to the challenge. 7 p.m. (Lov 10-4)
Class 1A 11-man
(2E) Lusk at (1W) Cokeville: Like I mentioned above, points may be at a premium in this one. Having the home field will definitely help the Panthers in this one. 1 p.m. (Cok 2-0)
(2W) Riverside at (1E) Southeast: We all knew the Cyclones were good. After the way they demolished Shoshoni in the quarterfinals, I now say the Cyclones are officially scary. 6 p.m. (SE 2-0)
Class 1A six-man
(2N) Kaycee at (1S) Snake River: One number to remember for this game: 60. That’s how many points Snake River beat Kaycee by in the regular season (66-6). Noon. (SR 3-1)
(2S) Midwest at (1N) Dubois: As I mentioned above, Midwest will push Dubois harder than it did in Week 1, and points may be a little bit easier to come by than they were back in early September. A fourth-quarter defensive stand may decide this one. 2 p.m. (tied 5-5)

Semifinal picks, in the books. What are your picks for the second-to-last week of the season? Feel free to comment below with your thoughts about who might be going to Laramie and who might be staying home.

–patrick

Report: Big Horn fires coaching staff

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Sheridanmedia.com has reported the Big Horn football coaching staff has been fired. The move includes head coach Bert Dow, the site reported.

Big Horn finished 4-5 this season, losing to Lyman 54-0 in the Class 2A quarterfinals last week. Sheridanmedia.com’s report said Dow and his staff were notified of the termination prior to the Lyman game.

Dow coached Big Horn for four years and compiled a 29-11 record with the Rams. Big Horn reached the state title game under Dow in both 2008 and 2010. Dow was also the head coach at Sheridan from 1994-2001 and went 32-41 with the Broncs. Overall, Dow was a combined 61-52 in his two head coaching stints.

Big Horn combined its program with Tongue River this season when the Eagles failed to have enough players come out to form a team.

Click here to read more.

–patrick

Gonzales resigns as Mountain View coach

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After 22 years of coaching at Mountain View, including nine as head coach, Tim Gonzales has resigned.

In an email Tuesday, Gonzales said he no longer had “the energy that it takes to compete at a high level and it would not be fair to the players my staff and the community of Mtn. View for me to continue.”

Gonzales compiled a 42-44 record in his nine years as head coach. The Buffalos reached the state championship game in 2004 under him. He was also the South head coach for the 2007 Shrine Bowl and led his team to a 20-17 victory over the North team.

The Buffalos went 3-5 this season.

–patrick

 

Quarterfinal Humble Pie: Stability, ignorance and condiments

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Newcastle has been playing football since 1920.

Never, in 92 years of playing the sport, had the Dogies accomplished what they did on Saturday.

For the first time, the Dogies have won a playoff game at home. And, boy, did they do it in style.

Newcastle thumped Thermopolis 28-0 on Saturday to give the Dogies just the second playoff victory in school history. And that’s why Newcastle’s victory on Saturday means so much: history. The Dogies had an all-time playoff record of 1-18 entering this year’s bracket, with the only victory coming in 1996 on the road against Kemmerer.

The other four times the Dogies has hosted playoff games, they had lost — 20-0 to Torrington in 1955, 27-7 to Torrington in 1957, 7-7 to Douglas in 1959 (Douglas won the game in a modified overtime) and 12-6 to Big Piney in 2006.

This victory wasn’t a fluke, either. The Dogies shut down Thermopolis, the two-time defending 2A champions, and kept them off the scoreboard. Newcastle has now won six of its past seven games, the lone loss a 33-14 road slip-up at Glenrock.

Yes, Newcastle now draws undefeated and top-ranked Lovell in the semifinals, and yes, Newcastle has to make the trip to Lovell for that game.

The Dogies of old might cringe at such a challenge. It’s clear the Dogies of 2011 relish it. After all, they’re doing things no other Newcastle team has ever done. Why stop now?

Second mad props to Buffalo, which made the more-than-400-mile trip to Afton and notched a 24-13 victory — something that is not easy to do. The math seemed to add up to a Braves victory: The distance between the communities, plus the home-field advantage Star Valley usually enjoys, plus the fact that Buffalo only got about 10 minutes’ worth of football in last week, should have equaled the end of Buffalo’s season. Instead, the Bison ignored the math and concentrated on the football. That, quite simply, was the difference.

That was all the Humble Pie for the first round of the playoffs, but that’s not all there is to talk about:

The best game of the first round may have been played in Cheyenne, where East beat Evanston 28-27 in overtime. East and Evanston have a deep postseason history the past few years, and East has been the one controlling the postseason matchups: The Thunderbirds ended the Red Devils’ season in 2006, 2007, 2010 and now, 2011. …

The East-Evanston game was actually the only one in the first round decided by fewer than 10 points. And only two road teams — Powell (correction: not Lander) and Buffalo — won. Aside from the Class 3A bracket, the hierarchy was well-established entering the first round of the playoffs. That stability was remarkably well-maintained in the first round. …

Six of the 10 matchups we will see in the semifinals are rematches of regular-season games. Games in 4A, 3A and 1A six-man are all rematches; games in 2A and 1A 11-man are all new to 2011. In all six cases, the team that is hosting in the semifinals won the regular-season game against the team it is facing. …

So what did you think of the first round of the playoffs? Any thoughts to share? Post them below and show off your knowledge to the rest of the state.

This week: 18-2 (90 percent). This season: 241-48 (83 percent).

–patrick

Quarterfinal playoff picks

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Five questions worth asking before the quarterfinal round starts on Friday — and five questions I would love to see you answer in the comments section below:

1. Which road team do you think is most likely to win on Friday? (My answer: Thermopolis. After a rough start, the Bobcats have played very well — and Thermop is no stranger to winning in the postseason.)

2. Which road team in the first round has the best chance of hosting a game in the second round — or, in simpler terms, which bracket half is most likely to see BOTH road teams win? (My answer: Powell. The Panthers were solid, if unspectacular, all season long. They never got that true breakthrough victory. That might be coming against Lander on the road. Next to them on the bracket is Green River-Riverton, and although Green River is the prohibitive favorite, Riverton has given fits to enough good teams for them to be a threat in the 3A bracket, no matter their seed.)

3. Which top seed is likely to have the toughest time winning on Friday? (My answer: Lovell. I’ve mentioned before that Burns is playing really, really well right now. The Broncs will push the Bulldogs to their limits on Friday.)

4. Which regular-season rematch is the most intriguing game of the postseason? (My answer: Central-Gillette. Ha. I also said this in my 2010 quarterfinal picks post. … That said, Central beat Gillette 41-34 in the regular season, but only after the Indians almost gave away a huge lead in the second half. The Camels don’t want to fall that far behind to start; the Indians don’t want it to be as interesting as late as their last meeting was.)

5. If you could attend any of these 20 games, which one would you go to? (My answer: Thermopolis at Newcastle. Newcastle is hosting a playoff game for just the second time since 1960, and I am anticipating a loud crowd at Schoonmaker Field on Saturday. A playoff game has been a rare occurrence the Weston County seat, and with the game pushed back to Saturday to accommodate the 2A West play-in on Tuesday, everyone in Newcastle should be there taking in the contest. For a community that hasn’t had the chance to do that very often, it would be cool to see.)

A couple other random thoughts worth mentioning before I get into the picks:

In the 1A six-man bracket, three of the four games are matchups that did not occur during the regular season. In a classification where schools play eight of the nine opponents possible, the fact that three of the four first-round playoff games pit teams that haven’t played each other yet this season is really odd. …

I just realized no school that starts with a W has a team in the playoffs this year. Wheatland, Wind River, Worland, Wright and Wyoming Indian all missed the postseason this year. …

OK, onto the picks. Projected winners in bold, seeds in parentheses, series records — including 2011 games where applicable — at the end of each pick:

Friday
Class 4A
(8) Laramie at (1) Natrona: Natrona has been unbeatable all season long and pretty much dominated the Plainsmen the last time they saw each other. 7 p.m. (NC 44-34-1)
(5) Evanston at (4) Cheyenne East: Don’t know who to pick in this one, but I’ll take East because (1) the Thunderbirds are at home and (2) the T-Birds have already beaten Evanston once this season at home. Of course, we all remember what happened in last year’s East-Evanston playoff game…. Regular-season results don’t mean much. 6 p.m. (CE 15-9)
(6) Cheyenne Central at (3) Gillette: This may have been the worst possible draw for Gillette in the first round of the playoffs. The Indians have already beaten the Camels this season, so Central’s confidence won’t be a question. However, I think Gillette will make the right adjustments to not fall behind big early like they did in Cheyenne a few weeks ago. 7 p.m. (CC 24-22)
(7) Rock Springs at (2) Sheridan: Quite honestly, the most dangerous team in the bracket might be the Tigers because of just how unpredictable they can be. Don’t think that Sheridan isn’t aware of that. 6 p.m. (She 13-4-2)
Class 3A
(4W) Cody at (1E) Douglas: Douglas already has a victory over Cody this season. And it was pretty decisive. 7 p.m. (Dou 2-0)
(3E) Buffalo at (2W) Star Valley: This is one of the most intriguing games of any bracket. I’ve mentioned it on this blog before, but the difference in this game might be the fact that the Braves are playing in Afton, and they always seem to play better at home. 6 p.m. (Buf 3-2)
(3W) Powell at (2E) Lander: This may be the hardest game of the week to pick. I love what Lander has done this season and I think they’ve got a great shot to win at home. But there’s something about the Panthers that can’t let me give up on them yet. 6 p.m. (Pow 35-27)
(4E) Riverton at (1W) Green River: The Wolves are red hot right now. The Wolverines will be game but I don’t think anyone can stop Green River right now. 7 p.m. (GR 20-10)
Class 2A
(3E) Big Horn at (2W) Lyman: Don’t overlook the Eagles — they’ve quietly been one of the most consistent teams in the classification this year. 2 p.m. (First meeting)
(4E) Burns at (1W) Lovell: I mentioned this last week and I still think it’s true: The only team in the 2A bracket hotter than Burns is Lovell. 7 p.m. (Lov 1-0)
Class 1A 11-man
(4W) Shoshoni at (1E) Southeast: Both squads had fast starts to their seasons. The Cyclones’ finish has been a bit stronger than the Wranglers’, though. 6 p.m. (First meeting)
(3W) Saratoga at (2E) Lusk: The Tigers’ recent shutout streak has been impressive, but don’t overlook the fact that Lusk’s offense has averaged 40 points per game in that five-game stretch, too. 6 p.m. (Lus 8-2)
Class 1A six-man
(4S) Farson at (1N) Dubois: Dubois is a long ways from everywhere, so home-field advantage will definitely be a huge part of the Rams’ postseason success this year. 2 p.m. (Dub 4-0)
(3N) Ten Sleep at (2S) Midwest: The Pioneers have what it takes to push the Oilers a bit in this one, but Midwest’s offense has been on fire lately. 6 p.m. (TS 10-5)
(3S) Hanna at (2N) Kaycee: This is the only six-man playoff game that is a rematch of a regular-season meeting — and Kaycee won that game by 30. 1 p.m. (tied 1-1)
(4N) Hulett at (1S) Snake River: The real question in the six-man bracket this year is if any team can actually play a close game with the Rattlers. Noon. (First meeting)

Saturday
Class 2A
(4W) Kemmerer at (1E) Glenrock: If the Herders have not yet recovered from their Burns hangover, the Rangers have what it takes to make this one close. 1 p.m. (Kem 6-4)
(3W) Thermopolis at (2E) Newcastle: Game of the week in the 2A bracket. Thermopolis’ postseason experience, coupled with the momentum built from Tuesday’s play-in victories, has me leaning toward the Bobcats. 1 p.m. (The 16-7)
Class 1A 11-man
(3E) Sundance at (2W) Riverside: This one may end up close, but the Rebels have shown all season long they know how to win the close ones. 1 p.m. (Rsd 1-0)
(4E) Lingle at (1W) Cokeville: Right now, the only ones that can stop the Panthers are the Panthers. 1 p.m. (Cok 5-1)

Thoughts? Want to try to answer the questions I posed above? Chip in your $.02 worth below.

–patrick

A quick look back at the triangular playoffs of the past

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This Tuesday, we will have two versions of one of the rarer happenings in Wyoming high school football — a triangular playoff. It has been 13 years since one has been played in the state (thanks mostly to power ratings dominating playoff qualification during that time), but the three-way playoff has been a part of Wyoming’s prep football scene for more than 75 years. Here is a quick look back at the state’s first 10 triangular playoffs:

Nov. 16, 1935: The first triangular tiebreaker was touted by the Laramie Republican-Boomerang as “the most unusual football game ever played in Wyoming.” With Casper, Cheyenne and Laramie all tied for the Southeast region’s playoff spot, the three teams met in Laramie to attempt to break the tie. Six quarters were played, with Natrona winning one of its halves, 7-0 over Cheyenne, and tying Laramie 6-6 in the other. Natrona’s spot in the playoffs was assured when Cheyenne beat Laramie 19-6 in their half of football. Natrona lost 19-7 to Rock Springs in the state semifinals the following week.

Oct. 30, 1953: The second three-way playoff pitted six-man teams Pinedale, Cokeville and Hanna, who had all tied for the Southwest region’s top spot and the league’s berth in the state playoffs. The three teams met in Rock Springs, and Cokeville ruled the day — the Panthers beat Hanna 27-6 in one half and Pinedale 14-6 in the other half. Pinedale beat Hanna 19-6 in its half of football. Cokeville lost 32-19 to Glenrock in the state semifinals the following week.

Oct. 29, 1985: It was 32 years before another triangular playoff was staged. This time, it was the Class 2A teams in the southeast corner that met for the league’s one spot in the playoffs. Lusk, Pine Bluffs and Seton had all tied for the conference title. Lusk eliminated Pine Bluffs by beating the Hornets 19-0 in the first half, but Seton was up to the task in the second half and shut out the Tigers 14-0 to advance to the playoffs. Seton beat Moorcroft 7-6 in the state semifinals before losing to Shoshoni 18-7 in the state championship.

Oct. 25, 1988: Three teams tied for the second seed from the 4A West Conference at the conclusion of the 1988 regular season. With just one spot available, those three teams — Evanston, Green River and Riverton — met in Rock Springs to settle their differences. Evanston won both halves, topping Riverton 6-3 and Green River 7-0 in overtime to advance into the playoffs. Once there, the Red Devils made the most of their second chance. Evanston beat Laramie 21-14 in the state semifinals before losing to Cheyenne Central 26-9 in the state championship.

Oct. 22, 1991: It was a big, muddled mess in the middle of the 2A Northeast Conference standings in 1991. Three teams were left chasing conference champion Moorcroft and couldn’t resolve their tie in the regular season. So Upton, Wright and Sundance met in Gillette to play for the league’s No. 2 seed. Upton beat Wright 7-0 in the first half, but fell 21-0 to Sundance in the second half. Sundance lost to Cokeville 32-8 in the state quarterfinals later that week.

Oct. 29, 1991: One week later, three more teams met on the same field to resolve the differences of another conference. This time, it was the 1A nine-man East that had trouble deciding its playoff representatives. The conference’s three members — Big Horn, Hulett and Midwest — had all gone 1-1 against each other. In the playoff, Hulett lost its two halves, 10-0 to Midwest and 22-0 to Big Horn. Midwest earned the higher seed in the playoffs by virtue of its regular-season victory over Big Horn. Both the Rams and the Oilers hashed out that discrepancy later in the playoff bracket: Midwest beat Burlington 8-0 and Big Horn beat Dubois 37-14 in the state semifinals later that week, and Midwest beat Big Horn 6-0 for the championship two weeks later.

Oct. 24, 1995: Three teams, Lander, Cody and Star Valley, tied for top honors in the 3A West in 1995, and with two playoff spots on the line, they met in Riverton to play a triangular. Lander eliminated Cody 13-10 in overtime in the first half, while Star Valley knocked off Lander in the second half to take the conference’s top seed. It was not the last time they met. Star Valley beat Torrington 13-7 and Lander beat Riverton 35-28 in the state semifinals later that week; Star Valley beat Lander 32-14 for the championship two weeks later.

Oct. 29, 1996: The following season, there was another tie atop a 3A conference. This time, the tie came in the East, where Douglas, Riverton and Torrington all tied for the top honors. Playing in Casper, Riverton eliminated Douglas by beating the Bearcats 19-6 in the first half; Torrington took the top seed by beating Riverton 12-6 in the second half. Torrington beat Cody 19-7 and Riverton lost to Star Valley 28-0 in the state semifinals later that week; Star Valley beat Torrington 35-0 for the championship.

Oct. 19, 1998: Three teams posted 1-2 conference records in the Class 1A-Division II Northeast Conference in 1998, setting up a three-way playoff in Gillette for the conference’s second seed in the playoffs. Hulett won both halves it played to take that honor, topping Big Horn 12-0 in the first half and Midwest 11-6 in the second half. Hulett lost to Southeast 56-8 in the state quarterfinals later that week. (I played for Midwest in this playoff.)

Oct. 18, 1999: It was a bit different one year later, when three teams in the Class 1A-Division I Northeast tied for the conference championship. With three teams tied for two playoff spots, Tongue River, Sundance and Moorcroft met in Gillette to break the tie. Tongue River won its two halves of football, beating Sundance 14-6 and Moorcroft 14-0, while Moorcroft beat Sundance 24-0 to earn the conference’s second seed. Tongue River beat Wind River 43-27 and Moorcroft lost to Rocky Mountain 35-20 in the state quarterfinals later that week; Tongue River lost to Lusk 49-7 the next week in the state semifinals.

The short history of triangular playoffs will be added to on Tuesday, when for the first time we will have two triangular playoffs on the same day. Thermopolis, Greybull and Kemmerer will meet at 6 p.m. in Riverton to break the tie for two remaining playoff spots out of the 2A West, while Lingle, Pine Bluffs and Sundance will meet at 6 p.m. in Douglas to play off for two playoff spots from the 1A 11-man East.

Love it or hate it, there’s no ignoring that three-way playoffs have influenced playoff brackets. We’ve even had two state champions emerge from such play-in contests — Midwest in 1991 and Star Valley in 1995. With four teams advancing from Tuesday’s contests, 2011’s playoff brackets may be the most ever influenced by the triangular play-in.

–patrick

1A East play-in contest switches times

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The Class 1A 11-man East Conference play-in contest has been moved from 6 p.m. to noon on Tuesday. The possibility of a snowstorm hitting the area has prompted the move. The contest will still take place in Douglas; the coin flip will take place at 10:30 a.m.

Lingle, Pine Bluffs and Sundance are playing for two playoff spots from the East.

–patrick

2A West play-in set

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The Class 2A West Conference play-in contest will be Tuesday in Riverton. The coin flip will be at 4:30 p.m. with the first half starting at 6 p.m.

Greybull, Kemmerer and Thermopolis are playing for two slots in the playoffs. The winner of the play-in will earn the No. 3 seed and go to Newcastle in the quarterfinals; the second-place team in the play-in earns the No. 4 seed and goes to Glenrock.

–patrick