School: Glenrock
Nickname: Herders
Colors: purple and gray
Stadium: Sheldon Henderson Stadium
State championships: 1958, 1960, 1977, 2002, 2003 and 2008
Times worth remembering: From 1964 to 1972, the Herders never had more than one loss in any given season. At one point, Glenrock won 22 consecutive games and went 26 games in a row without a loss. For those nine years, the Herders posted a 72-5-2 record; perhaps even more impressive, Glenrock didn’t post a losing record in any season for 21 years from 1960-80.
Times worth forgetting: The early 1990s were a struggle for Glenrock. Back-to-back 0-7 seasons in 1991 and 1992 were the start of a stretch of four consecutive losing seasons. The 1991 and 1992 seasons were part of an 0-18 stretch for the Herders, who didn’t post a winning season until 1995.
Best team: There are plenty of options — the Herders have had seven undefeated seasons in school history — but two teams more than any others stand out. The 1977 team, which went 9-0 and beat Evanston 39-14 for the state title, stands out because the Herders went unbeaten only four years after joining the Class A ranks. The 2008 team, too, stands out as the best because of who they beat. Not only did Glenrock mow through the playoffs (combined scoring margin of 122-8) on its way to the Class 3A title, the Herders also beat the two teams that ended up playing in the 2008 Class 4A title game in Buffalo and Douglas. Honorable mention to the 1972 team, which gave up only 12 points all season on its way to a 9-0 record.
Biggest win: It didn’t take long for Glenrock to establish credibility after its move from Class B to Class A before the 1974 season — but winning a championship took a bit longer. After three consecutive six-win seasons, the Herders finally copped a Class A title behind a talented group of players in 1977. That season was capped with a 39-14 win over Evanston in the championship game, but the win before that, a 14-7 road victory over Torrington on the regular-season finale, is what truly vaulted the Herders into a championship-caliber team. Joe Jackson scored both touchdowns for Glenrock, a one-yard sneak in the third quarter and the game-winning 21-yard run in the fourth quarter, as the Herders rallied from a 7-0 halftime deficit to prove their mettle and come into the championship game on an emotional high.
Heartbreaker: Losing in overtime is tough. Losing in overtime in the playoffs is doubly tough. Losing in overtime in the playoffs when you’ve got a team that had the potential to win it all – and after you’ve rallied from a 27-0 first-half deficit to force overtime – is heartbreaking. But that’s what happened to the Herders in 2001, who lost a 34-33 thriller to Big Piney in the 3A semifinals, where a missed extra point by the Herders in overtime was the difference. However, the core of that Glenrock team went on to win 3A titles in 2002 and 2003.
Cody-Jackson recap (Cody Enterprise).
Evanston establishes itself (Casper Star-Tribune). … Powell-Star Valley recap (Star Valley Independent).
–patrick
I wanted to point out a column written by CST editor Chad Baldwin today about new high schools. Baldwin, my former boss and the guy who, in the end, allows me to continue working for the Star-Tribune on a freelance basis, scratches the surface of the issue well… but I disagree with him on one point:
There is no reason for Gillette to open a new school until Cheyenne and Casper do so first. Cheyenne did what I think was the right thing and got us halfway there; Casper, in short, messed up, not only for Casper but in part for Gillette, too.
As Baldwin’s editorial pointed out, the problems that popped up when Casper started talking about a new high school (or what ended up happening, a new building that holds all the programs the other schools can’t or won’t take…) basically crushed any hope of a third comprehensive high school in the city for decades to come. Chief among those problems was the school of choice option that exists in Casper; several others, including groupthink, inter-community speculation and paranoia, administrator bonus pay, conflicting goals within the district hierarchy and a desire to maintain ultra-competitive sports programs, gave Casper a new high school building without giving it a new high school.
One of the problems with the new school setup in Casper is the way the Natrona County School District reached this point. The new campus is classic design by committee; it satisfies everyone, therefore, it satisfies no one. When (not if) this new setup creates more new problems than it answers old, no one can take the blame. I guess that’s good if you’re playing CYA, but that shouldn’t be what education is about.
Obviously, more than athletics considerations went into this decision, and I don’t pretend to be an expert on school construction, funding and budgeting. But Cheyenne made it work. Casper didn’t make anything — it ended up with something.
There are many repercussions from what has happened in Casper, and athletics — not only in Casper, but statewide — will feel those repercussions for at least the next three decades. Because of this decision, I think it will be at least that long before a third comprehensive high school opens in Casper. And even though Gillette and Casper are two distinct communities with different funding, different priorities and different goals, I now think it will be at least that long before a second full-on high school in Gillette opens.
The benefits both communities would have by opening new high schools would mostly be felt in the activities arena: more teams, more spots. Maybe, probably, this means fewer championships. That has been the sticking point in many discussions, whether it’s better to have championship-caliber teams from a deeper talent pool or competitive teams from a shallower talent pool. However, new high schools in Gillette and Casper would give most of the large high schools in the state a “pool” that’s about the same depth — something that benefits every school, not just the schools in Gillette and Casper.
I think it is tougher for a community to go from one high school to two than it is to go from two to three. In that regard, Gillette arguably has a tougher decision to add a new high school than Casper does. It makes sense for Gillette to wait for other Wyoming communities to take the lead.
Cheyenne took that lead. Casper didn’t follow. Now Gillette won’t — and probably shouldn’t — sacrifice its one-school setup.
Now, barring a sudden population surge, we’ll have to wait until 2040 to revisit this again.
And, because of how the Natrona County School District made this decision, there’s no one to thank. Or blame.
–patrick (mad props to my wife Char for the graphic)
Gillette-Cheyenne Central recap (Gillette News-Record). … Southeast undergoes resurgence and Natrona finds special players (Casper Star-Tribune).
–patrick
One point.
All that separated the contenders from the chasers on Friday night was that cruelest — or most coveted — of separations.
How does a team give up only 65 yards of total offense and lose? Ask Glenrock, which gave up just that many yards but one too many points in its 7-6 loss to Newcastle.
Now Newcastle is 3-1 in East Conference play, its only loss an overtime thriller to Wright, and in contention for a home playoff game. And Glenrock is 1-3 in the East and fighting like crazy for a playoff game of any kind.
Across the hills, it was Lovell that needed only one extra point to separate itself from Greybull by that same 7-6 margin. Again, it wasn’t much that separated the winning team from the losing one, but that margin is enough to dramatically shift the playoff picture.
Both teams are still on the inside looking out of the playoff situation as it is, with both teams sporting 3-1 records, but now Lovell owns the critical tiebreaker against Greybull — and if the playoffs were to start today, it would be Lovell, and not Greybull, that would be hosting a game in the first round.
Newcastle and Lovell did what they needed to do on Friday. They unseated teams that were chasing the exact same thing they were chasing: a secure spot in the playoff race. Because of that, they are a game closer to being at home in the first round. And that’s much more comfortable than being in the position of the teams they beat on Friday.
All because of a single point.
Staying in 3A, third mad props to Pinedale for not only beating, but shutting out, Mountain View, 20-0. With Lyman, Lovell and Greybull setting the pace, there is not much room for unnecessary losses in the 2A West. Pinedale, clearly, feels the urgency. That’s good for the Wranglers, as season-making games are upcoming against Big Piney and Lyman the next two weeks.
Fourth mad props to Green River, which finally got its first victory of the season in a not-as-close-as-it-sounds 30-21 Trona Bowl victory over Rock Springs. This victory is what Green River needed to insert itself right into the playoff discussion, especially now that the Tigers and Wolves are tied for the eighth and ninth position at 1-5 and that Green River has the tiebreaker. This is a huge victory for a program that has been on the cusp of winning for a few weeks now, and it’s the type of victory that could make the Wolves a scary team down the stretch.
Fifth mad props to Upton, which beat Hulett 38-34 in a six-man exhibition game. I still find it hard to believe that Upton, with only about 14 or 15 players this season, didn’t opt to play the six-man game for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and I wonder if having a taste of the thrill like they did on Friday might motivate the Bobcats to make the switch in time for 2013. Even so, a win is a win, and no matter who you are, you have to like going out there and winning — and maybe that will carry over for Upton as it moves ahead, not only this season but for the next couple years.
Some other stuff that caught my attention this week:
Lusk ran for 471 yards against Pine Bluffs. That’s like more than a quarter mile. Lusk=good.
Speaking of crazy yardage numbers, Gillette and Central combined for 908 in the Camels’ 28-23 come-from-behind victory. Of those, 584 were passing yards. And that only tells about one-tenth of the story of that game. What a win for the Camels — and, conversely, what a loss for the Indians.
Can we start talking Dubois-Cokeville? Who would have guessed that this game would be played between two undefeated teams? The Rams’ feel-good 2010 season just keeps getting better, but Cokeville is already pretty much to the point of making reservations for Laramie. That is, unless the Rams can put a scare into them next Friday.
Big Horn 42, Thermopolis 7. No getting around this one. Big Horn is just that good this year. Now it’s up to the rest of 2A to present a team worthy of challenging the Rams, because now we know, after Friday, that even the top-ranked defending state champions were not a match for Big Horn.
Wright is coming to life at the right time. Watch out, rest of 2A….
Douglas got a nice little scare at the hands of Wheatland. So now is anyone else looking forward to Wheatland-Buffalo next week the same way you look forward to payday? Awesome.
Got my first chance to watch Natrona County this fall. The Mustangs out-gained Cheyenne East by less than 100 yards and won by 50. How is that possible? What does it mean?
But now, the big question: What caught YOUR attention this weekend? What teams are surging ahead like truckers on No-Doz and which ones are taking a break at the rest stop? Post your thoughts below and let’s chat about it.
This week: 26-5 (84 percent). This season: 135-37 (78 percent).
–patrick
Evanston-Kelly Walsh recap and Natrona-Cheyenne East recap (Casper Star-Tribune). … Natrona-Cheyenne East recap (Wyoming Tribune Eagle). … Sheridan-Laramie recap (Laramie Boomerang). … Torrington-Rawlins recap and Hanna-Midwest recap (Rawlins Times). … Lander-Worland and Riverside-Shoshoni recaps (Northern Wyo Daily News, click today).
–patrick
Worland’s Garza sings, too (Northern Wyo Daily news, click today). … Kelly Walsh-Evanston preview, Natrona-Cheyenne East preview and games of the week (Casper Star-Tribune). … Laramie-Sheridan preview (Laramie Boomerang). … Evanston-Kelly Walsh preview (Uinta County Herald). … Burlington-Riverside recap (Basin Republican Rustler). … Lusk-Lingle recap (Lusk Herald). … Kemmerer-Wyoming Indian recap (Kemmerer Gazette). … Lyman-Lovell recap and Mountain View-Big Piney recap (Bridger Valley Pioneer).
–patrick
It didn’t take long for Thermopolis to become the new old guard of Class 2A.
The defending state champion Bobcats have won 13 games in a row dating back to last season and have won every game this season by at least 15 points. They boast a talented offense and an overlooked defense and the momentum any coach would envy.
But being the top team in 2A means constantly defending yourself. That’s where the Bobcats are this year. They aren’t surprising or shocking underdogs anymore. This is a team that is expected to win. And, for 13 straight, that’s what Thermopolis has done.
“This year’s” Thermopolis — the team that comes in without the expectations but with just as much talent as anyone it faces — is Big Horn.
The Rams have not-so-quietly built a 4-0 record, winning each game by at least 23 points, including a 46-0 whitewash of perennial power Glenrock last week.
The two teams meet up at 1 p.m. Friday Homer Scott Field in Sheridan. The old guard against the new challenger. Expectation vs. anticipation.
Either way, no matter which team wins, you can’t ask for a much better setup. I can’t think of a place in Wyoming that will produce more tummy butterflies — or more confident thoughts — than on that field in Sheridan at about 12:59 p.m.
But, in the end, we have to remember that high school football is still a game played by children, where reckless abandon has its place and where you have to expect the unexpected.
So I’ll pick Big Horn.
Either way, I don’t think anyone will leave the field after Friday’s game feeling like the story didn’t unfold sufficiently — like the old guard didn’t honorably defend its winning streak, nor that the challenger didn’t do its best to take down the pacesetter. It sure makes for a fun story to watch unfold.
Of note: Also, I quickly want to point out that Friday’s Trona Bowl between Rock Springs and Green River, scheduled for a 7 p.m. start in Green River, will probably be the last Trona Bowl for awhile, based on how all the questions around reclassification played out this week. This is one of the most storied rivalries in Wyoming — the two squads have played each other 76 times since 1933 — but it’s also important to note that the series has had two big gaps in it, as well. The Tigers and the Wolves didn’t play each other at all in the seven-year span from 1960-66 or in the four seasons from 1971-74. So, even though Green River and Rock Springs probably will not play each other in 2011, there may be a bit of solace in knowing that the rivalry has survived such problems in the past — and likely will again. Oh, and I pick the Tigers.
Here are the rest of this week’s picks. You know how it works by now: projected winners in bold, but I don’t love the non-bold teams any less.
Friday
Class 4A
Evanston at Kelly Walsh: KW’s victory last week could be a springboard that propels the Trojans to some amazing things. The Red Devils better be ready. I think they will be, but even so…. 7 p.m.
Cheyenne Central at Gillette: Central took an entire quarter to get going against East last week. They can’t have the same thing happen against the Camels, because Gillette is much less likely to allow a comeback like the one the Indians had a week ago. 7 p.m.
Natrona at Cheyenne East: The orange and black wrecking crew will be tested a bit more than last week, but NC still gets the win on the road. 7 p.m.
Sheridan at Laramie: Laramie is showing signs of improvement, but the Broncs just have too much talent to lose this one. 6 p.m.
Class 3A
Buffalo at Riverton: The Bison rebound — although they will be tested by the improving Wolverines. 7 p.m.
Douglas at Wheatland: Wheatland is good, but Douglas is Douglas. Don’t be surprised if the Bulldogs keep it within two touchdowns, but keeping it within two touchdowns doesn’t equal a W. 7 p.m.
Jackson at Cody: In case you’re counting — and, let’s face it, I always am — that is now three consecutive shutout victories for Cody. I’ll bet the blue-and-gold Broncs would love to see that streak continue. 7 p.m.
Lander at Worland: The Warriors’ depth issues keep showing up at the wrong time — late in the game. So even if Worland takes an early lead, the Tigers may rally late in this one. 6 p.m.
Star Valley at Powell: I’m curious to see how this one plays out, because both teams have shown potential. However, both have shown that they have some improvement to make, too. 6 p.m.
Torrington at Rawlins: The Trailblazers need a bounce-back game; the Outlaws still have a ways to go to prove themselves. 7 p.m.
Class 2A
Big Piney at Kemmerer: The Punchers have a right to be frustrated about last week’s come-from-ahead loss. The Rangers are the only thing between that frustrated feeling and Big Piney getting back on track. 4 p.m.
Glenrock at Newcastle: How will Glenrock respond after its first mercy-rule loss since 2004? Well, back in 2004, the week after Buffalo beat Glenrock by 45, Glenrock beat Newcastle by four. Sounds about right in 2010, too. 7 p.m.
Greybull at Lovell: Big game for playoff seeding. It’s the type of game Greybull has won before; I’m banking on that experience to pay off in what should be a close game. 7 p.m.
Lyman at Wyoming Indian: The Eagles are flat out rolling right now. 6 p.m.
Moorcroft at Burns: The Broncs got the win they needed to get back on track last week. At home, it should be more of the same. 7 p.m.
Pinedale at Mountain View: After several “almost”s, the Buffaloes finally broke through last week. Now that they have a bit of momentum, watch out. 3 p.m.
Tongue River at Wright: Was Tongue River’s loss last week a fluke? Was Wright’s win? I’m banking on no and no, but we’ll see for sure once this one is over. 7 p.m.
Class 1A 11-man
Burlington at Dubois: The games in the 1A West won’t get much bigger than this one this year, where the winner gains the inside edge for a home playoff game and the loser has to fight simply to stay afloat in a crowded playoff race. 2 p.m.
Hulett at Upton (six-man): This one is little more than a chance for the Bobcats to see what they’re missing by staying in 11-man. Hulett already has the experience edge, so I’ll go with the Red Devils. 7 p.m.
Pine Bluffs at Lusk: The results from last week involving these two teams surprised me a bit — I didn’t expect Pine Bluffs to lose and I didn’t expect Lusk to win by 40. 7:30 p.m.
Rocky Mountain at Cokeville: Finally, Cokeville has a true test in 1A West play. Well, maybe…. 1 p.m.
Saratoga at Wind River: The Cougars need to win — and in bunches — to keep pace out west. This game against the Panthers should help Wind River stay in that playoff race. 6 p.m.
Shoshoni at Riverside: Riverside is in a similar situation as Wind River — winnable game, but dire consequences with an upset loss. 7 p.m.
Sundance at Lingle: The Doggers got quite the shock last week against Lusk, so look for them to learn some lessons from that game, lessons they can apply against the Bulldogs. 7:30 p.m.
Class 1A six-man
Meeteetse at Kaycee: Three teams near the bottom of the six-man standings (Meeteetse, Farson and Guernsey) line Kaycee’s schedule for the next three weeks. Complacency is a bit of a worry when you stare down a schedule like that. But since when is Kaycee complacent? 4 p.m.
Midwest at Hanna: You sort of get the feeling that the top four teams in six-man have started to pull away from the pack. Midwest can make it the top five if they can somehow find a way to upset the Miners… but I’ll count on Hanna at home. 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
Class 1A 11-man
Normative Services vs. Southeast: The Cyclones jumped right back into the playoff race with their big victory last week. They’ll want to keep that momentum going against the struggling Wolves. At Casper (NCHS), 3 p.m.
Class 1A six-man
Farson at Guernsey-Sunrise: Somebody will get off the winless roll in this one. I’m just going with the home team for a game that feels like I should buy four oxen and a spare wagon tongue to attend. 2 p.m.
Ten Sleep at Snake River: Game of the week in six-man. Can the Rattlers keep up their blistering pace against the up-and-coming Pioneers? 1 p.m.
Yep, there it is. Week 5. Another biggie for several teams; another chance for playoff races to become a bit clearer (or a ton more confusing). What games are you watching this week? Post a comment below and let me know how you think the week might play out, or where you think my view of how the week might play out looks like it’s written by a clueless Bolivian.
–patrick
CST midseason report and WHSAA rumbles (see notes near bottom) (Casper Star-Tribune). … South’s reaction to heading to 4A (Wyoming Tribune Eagle). … Natrona-Green River recap and Trona Bowl changes (Green River Star). … Wheatland-Torrington recap (Platte County Record Times). … Star Valley-Worland recap (Star Valley Independent). … Sundance-Upton recap (Sundance Times).
–patrick