I finally tracked down enough schedules to post a complete schedule of the 2010 season, complete with dates, start times and Zero Week plans. Click here to check it out. I will be posting scores and, maybe, standings on this page as the season progresses, so be sure to check it out throughout the season to see the changes.
–patrick
Laramie finishes up at Camp Guernsey (Laramie Boomerang). … Evanston plays in scrimmage (Uinta County Herald). … Star Valley leans on athleticism this fall (Star Valley Independent).
–patrick
The Wyoming High School Activities Association this week posted the ADM figures for the next round of reclassification — decisions the group will make this fall to start in the fall of 2011. Click here to see them (Adobe Acrobat required).
Obviously, the ramifications of reclassification, and the new ADMs, go beyond football. The big change for fall 2011 will be the addition of Cheyenne South, which adds one more school into the jumble and presents some interesting new questions. I wrote at this time last year that the WHSAA has some tough decisions to make when it comes to South’s addition to football. The new numbers make it even more so….
Reclassification always causes some hang-ups along the line. This cycle, with South, makes it especially interesting.
For now, 4A football and conferences for the other 4A sports appear to be the most contentious subjects of reclassification this year.
In a nutshell, the WHSAA needs to decide on a number for 4A football, and every other classification decision can cascade down from there. Will 4A have 10 teams in it, like now, with South in 4A and Green River (now 12th in ADMs) bumped to 3A? Or will it have 11 — with Riverton (ADM 11th) forced in, or with Green River possibly opting up? Or will it have 12 with BOTH Riverton and Green River?
From there, deciding on the number of teams for 3A, 2A and 1A divisions will become much easier. Until then, we can’t really speculate on which teams will be in which classifications…
Oh, and one extra wrench for the WHSAA to deal with: South is not anticipating a varsity schedule in 2011, the first year of the new reclassification cycle.
This year is also the opportunity for 1A teams to decide if they want to play six-man or 11-man. Has anyone heard anything about current 11-man teams prepping for a move to six-man? Or vice-versa? Those decisions, too, will help guide the WHSAA’s decision-making for both classifications and conferences.
As for 4A conference divisions — something that has dogged the WHSAA for the past four years, even though they try to stay out of it as much as possible and technically don’t even set conferences, only regions for regional tournaments — that gets fun with South coming in and Star Valley (ADM 13th) likely leaving to go back to 3A. It’s either really easy (Evanston, Riverton, Green River, Rock Springs and the two Casper schools in the West, Gillette, Sheridan, Laramie and the three Cheyenne schools in the East) or it’s really hard. Knowing how those discussions have gone over the past four years, it’ll be really hard.
Otherwise, everything else looks pretty straightforward for all sports except football. Star Valley with ADM 13 appears headed back to 3A for everything but football; Thermopolis, ranked 31st, will head back to 2A; and Lingle, hanging out in the 49th spot, will go to 1A for all except football.
For football, as explained earlier, the speculations about which teams might end up in which classifications is a little premature. But IF the WHSAA sticks with its 10-12-16 split for 4A, 3A and 2A, and IF no teams opt up or down, then it looks like Green River will move to 3A, Wheatland will go to 2A and Wyoming Indian will head to 1A.
(If you don’t know what ADM is, it stands for Average Daily Membership and it’s based on projected enrollment numbers. Check out the WHSAA front page to read up on that.)
The ADMs, with two-year averages (of course, you can click here and see the full numbers all pretty-like):
1. Gillette, 2,216
2. Natrona, 2,023
3. East, 1,556
4. Kelly Walsh, 1,447
5. Rock Springs, 1,397
6. Central, 1,352
7. Laramie, 1,040
8. Sheridan, 922
9. South, 910
10. Evanston, 900
11. Riverton, 777
12. Green River, 767
13. Star Valley, 734
14. Cody, 690
15. Jackson, 654
16. Lander, 502
17. Douglas, 500
18. Powell, 480
19. Rawlins, 478
20. Torrington, 389
21. Worland, 378
22. Buffalo, 345
23. Pinedale, 310
24. Wheatland, 286
25. Newcastle, 248
26. Mountain View, 226
27. Lyman, 225
28. Glenrock, 219
29. Lovell, 214
30. Big Piney, 203
31. Thermopolis, 201
32. Kemmerer, 183
33. Burns, 183
34. Wright, 178
35. Greybull, 167
36. Moorcroft, 163
37. Tongue River, 145
38. Big Horn, 140
39. Wind River, 132
40. Wyoming Indian, 124
41. Rocky Mountain, 117
42. Southeast, 117
43. Sundance, 113
44. Lusk, 113
45. Pine Bluffs, 109
46. Shoshoni, 103
47. Riverside, 97
48. Saratoga, 97
49. Lingle, 92
50. Upton, 85
51. Burlington, 80
52. Snake River, 71
53. Hanna, 71
54. St. Stephens, 70
55. Fort Washakie Charter, 65
56. Hulett, 64
57. Guernsey-Sunrise, 64
58. Cokeville, 63
59. Farson, 61
60. Normative Services, 60
61. Dubois, 58
62. Midwest, 55
63. Kaycee, 51
64. Arapaho Charter, 51
65. Ten Sleep, 39
66. Encampment, 36
67. Rock River, 33
68. Meeteetse, 33
69. Arvada-Clearmont, 33
70. Glendo, 20
71. Chugwater, 18
I love seeing the enrollment figures come out every two years — partly because where these numbers fall have a huge influence on what schools do for two years, partly because I’m a reclass nerd. Granted, enrollment numbers aren’t everything, as success is also determined by hard work, attitude, community support, etc., etc., blah blah blah. But they’re a big piece of the puzzle.
Thoughts? Ideas? Concerns? Questions? Post ’em below. I’m always down for a reclass chat.
–patrick
Cody installs new artificial surface on football field (Cody Enterprise). … Saratoga players go Down Under (Saratoga Sun). … Powell starts practice with about 55 (Powell Tribune).
–patrick
Three preseason Wyoming football rankings are now out: the Massey Ratings (via highschoolsports.net), the Maxpreps.com ratings and the Wyopreps.com coaches and media poll. Massey and Maxpreps use computers to rank their teams regardless of classification, while Wyopreps uses votes from coaches and media (including me) to put together a top five in each class.
The Cliff Notes version: Both Massey and Maxpreps have Douglas in the top spot. Massey has Sheridan, Glenrock, Cheyenne Central and Gillette (in that order) rounding out the top five, while Maxpreps has Sheridan, Gillette, Thermopolis and Cheyenne Central in spots 2-5, respectively.
The top five in each 11-man class, in order, from Massey:
4A: Sheridan, Cheyenne Central, Gillette, Kelly Walsh, Green River
3A: Douglas, Buffalo, Cody, Lander, Worland
2A: Glenrock, Thermopolis, Kemmerer, Big Horn, Greybull
1A 11-man: Southeast, Lingle, Cokeville, Lusk, Wind River
Now the same from Maxpreps:
4A: Sheridan, Gillette, Cheyenne Central, Kelly Walsh, Green River
3A: Douglas, Buffalo, Cody, Worland, Torrington
2A: Thermopolis, Glenrock, Greybull, Kemmerer, Big Horn
1A 11-man: Southeast, Lingle, Cokeville, Wind River, Lusk
Obviously, last year’s final finishes have a lot to do with where a team starts ranked in the preseason, especially when a computer is involved. The humans involved in the Wyopreps poll had this to say:
4A: Natrona, Sheridan, Cheyenne East, Gillette, Cheyenne Central
3A: Douglas, Buffalo, Cody, Star Valley, Powell
2A: Thermopolis, Glenrock, Greybull, Big Horn, Kemmerer
1A 11-man: Southeast and Cokeville (tie), Lusk, Lingle, Wind River
1A six-man: Kaycee, Guernsey, Hanna, Midwest, Ten Sleep
Of course, I already made my choices.
Granted, these preseason rankings don’t mean much. They’re either based too much in the past (most computer rankings) or based too much in speculation (most human rankings). But these rankings are also part of what makes it so much fun to actually strap on the pads and prove just how good your team really is. That’s why I get a kick out of these rankings — they’re fun to talk about because we haven’t actually had anyone put their hands in the dirt just yet and truly figure out who is the best.
Can’t wait for Aug. 27! Fewer than 10 days now until that first whistle sounds….
–patrick
School: Laramie
Nickname: Plainsmen
Colors: maroon and yellow
Stadium: Deti Stadium
State championships: 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1984 and 1994
Times worth remembering: The entire 1960s. The Plainsmen went undefeated six times in 10 years and won mythical state titles six times. It also housed Laramie’s legendary 34-game winning streak (from 1959-63). In the sixties, Laramie went 78-12-1; half of those losses came in a 3-6 1966 season.
Times worth forgetting: In the three-year period from 2002-04, the Plainsmen won just one game — a sharp downfall for the once-proud program. The only win in that span was in the 2003 season opener, a 20-17 victory over Evanston; at one point, the Plainsmen lost 18 consecutive games.
Best team: Take your pick. Laramie has had eight undefeated teams since 1951. For one to stand out, though, it’s the 1964 team. Led by all-staters Jim House, Wes Ackerson, Lew Roney and Charlie Sanchez (and six others either on second team or honorable mention), the Plainsmen were rarely challenged, posting six shutouts on their way to a 9-0 record. Laramie outscored its opponents 306-33 — an average of 34-4. The Plainsmen garnered every first-place vote in the final UPI poll and were ranked first for eight consecutive weeks.
Biggest win: With so many state championships in tow, Laramie has a ton of memorable victories from which to choose. But the 1984 title-game win, a 57-18 thumping of Cody, has extra-special meaning. It was the first title for John R. Deti, who had taken over for his father John E. Deti before the 1977 season. John R. had huge shoes to fill, and with the win in ’84, he helped cement his place, separate from his father’s, among Wyoming’s top coaches.
Heartbreaker: Conversely, John E. Deti’s last game as coach is one that, if the coach hadn’t made his retirement intentions known before the game, might have been enough to make him quit altogether anyway. The game was the 1976 AA championship, won by Cody 41-40 in triple overtime — a game full of many big plays, twists and missed opportunities. One last championship for the “Gray Fox” was denied by a missed extra point in the third OT.
I consulted one of my old, favorite sources to fill in three games I had missing for Evanston: George B. Felt’s A Century of Utah High School Football. Thanks to it, I have updated the Red Devils’ records with scores for three games:
A 12-0 loss to Morgan, Utah, on Oct. 1, 1943
An 18-13 victory over Heber City, Utah, on Oct. 28, 1938
A 19-0 victory over Heber City, Utah, on Oct. 8, 1937
All the updates have been made on all the relevant pages.
–patrick
Gillette’s defense dominates offense in first scrimmage (Gillette News-Record).
–patrick
No need for superfluous introductions: Here are some predictions for the 2010 football season.
Class 4A
The overview: It’s not very often that two teams that finished with four combined victories the previous season are the odds-on favorites. But that’s the case this year with Natrona and East. The Mustangs were 2-8 last year and the Thunderbirds 2-7, but both teams relied heavily on underclass players to fill key roles on the varsity. That means this year, seemingly everyone is picking one of these two teams as a preseason Cinderella. And what a fairy-tale story it would be if these two teams could end up playing each other in Laramie in November.
But let’s slow down. There are eight other teams in this classification, including defending champ Sheridan, defending runner-up Central, fast-rising Kelly Walsh, scary Green River and always tough Gillette. Those are teams that finished with winning records last season, and while all five lost some talented players, all five also have enough talent returning to give any team a fight.
The picks: Right now, Cinderella is too pretty to ignore. You can’t deny that, on paper, Natrona and East have the most talented teams. Remember, East beat Central in the Capital Bowl last year, and Natrona lost six of its eight games by seven points or less. Despite the final records, these two teams were close to the top teams in the classification. Look for one of these two teams to turn it all around and win the title in November — and look for the other to come up a few points short. For now, I like East with its dangerous aerial combination of QB Trevon Hinker and WR Jeremiah Hunter.
The wyoming-football.com preseason top five: 1. East; 2. Natrona; 3. Central; 4. Gillette; 5. Sheridan.
Class 3A
The overview: In a word: Douglas. Winners of state titles in 2008 and 2009, the Bearcats are loaded again for 2010. Everyone else is chasing them. That’s really all you need to know. (Although 3A gets all kinds of fun after that, as Buffalo, Cody, Star Valley, Powell, Wheatland and Worland all appear to have the ability to be the team to face Douglas in Laramie in November.)
The picks: With the tradition behind them and the talent in the locker room, Douglas has to be the favorite in 3A. Behind them, teams are lining up for their chance. That’s the tough part about being on top — everyone is gunning for you every time you step on the field. Of course, the Bearcats have taken everyone’s best shot for the past 20 games and haven’t lost yet…. So the question now becomes who Douglas will play in the title game. In August, I can’t help but look to Buffalo; the Bison have some tradition, too, and some talented players return from last year’s semifinal team.
The wyoming-football.com preseason top five: 1. Douglas; 2. Buffalo; 3. Cody; 4. Star Valley; 5. Powell.
Class 2A
The overview: For the first time since 1999, a team not named “Big Piney,” “Glenrock” or “Kemmerer” won the state’s third division, as Thermopolis basically came out of nowhere with a wide-open offense (well, as wide open as you can be in 2A) and an underrated but incredibly tough defense to win it all. This year, Thermopolis has its QB back in Mitch Syverson, which helps give the Bobcats an early edge in what is — for the first time in years — a wide-open classification.
That’s not to say that the Bobcats will just walk down to Laramie and win it all again. Thermopolis lost a ton of talented players and needs some of last year’s reserves to step up quickly. If they don’t, several teams — including Greybull, Glenrock and Big Horn — have the capability to knock them off and be this year’s out-of-nowhere team.
The picks: This isn’t as easy as it used to be. For the past few years, all I’ve had to do here is say “Kemmerer vs. Glenrock,” and chances are that I’d be pretty safe. Actually, that’s not a bad pick this year, either, but it’s no certainty, either. I think Thermopolis and Greybull have, on paper, the most talent. I think Glenrock is always tough and always seems to find players to fit its unique offense. I think Big Horn could be incredibly tough to stop. I think Kemmerer is being overlooked. I think Big Piney, Lovell and Wright are all worthy of preseason mention. I think I don’t know who to pick….
For now, let’s say Thermopolis vs. Greybull in the title game. Just let me adjust my picks every week between now and then.
The wyoming-football.com preseason top five: 1. Thermopolis; 2. Greybull; 3. Glenrock; 4. Big Horn; 5. Kemmerer.
Class 1A 11-man
The overview: You can’t mention this division without mentioning Southeast. The Cyclones have won four consecutive state championships. But, man, oh, man, will they have a tough time making it five. Cokeville, Lusk and Lingle will make sure of that.
If the boys from Yoder want to make it five straight, they will need to put together their best effort to do so, as this classification is STACKED on the top side. Cokeville has some amazing talent coming back. Lusk has been pointing to 2010 for a long time and is poised for a playoff breakthrough. Lingle has some solid returners on both sides of the ball and now has experience and confidence going for it, too.
The picks: My goodness, the playoffs are going to be fun. For now, I think Cokeville — on paper — has 1A’s most talent, including RB Chance Maddock. I think Southeast has earned the title of perennial favorite. For now, I’ll go with those two teams. But, wow, Lusk and Lingle… how can you NOT like either of those teams to win it all, as well? I can’t wait for the first weekend in November and the semifinals.
The wyoming-football.com preseason top five: 1. Cokeville; 2. Southeast; 3. Lusk; 4. Lingle; 5. Ummm….. Burlington? Why not.
Class 1A six-man
The overview: No team will dominate the division the way Guernsey did last fall — and that’s a good thing. Teams like Ten Sleep, Midwest, Kaycee and Hanna all have to be considered in the preseason discussion. As the playoffs proved last year, six-man is anything but predictable, especially with the wide-open play and the loads of talent that seemingly each team carries. With the division moving to a one-conference format for playoff seeding this year, every game in weeks 1-7 will be a conference game, so that should create some interesting matchups in the postseason.
The picks: Although you have to respect Guernsey and what the Vikings accomplished last fall, I also think you have to realize that this division is no longer a one-team show. Kaycee and Ten Sleep, especially, have the talent and athleticism to make a run at the title this fall. I think this classification is the least predictable of them all, as teams are still working to establish their identities, but I also think that makes it fun. Right now, I’ll lean toward another Guernsey-Kaycee title game, with Kaycee winning it this time thanks to an athletic group led by back Shawn Straub.
But don’t be surprised to see some other teams step up and challenge that. And don’t be surprised if the team that wins it all come November has two or three losses along the way. I think there’s that much parity at the top.
The wyoming-football.com preseason top five: 1. Kaycee; 2. Guernsey; 3. Ten Sleep; 4. Hanna; 5. Midwest.
So, what do you think? Which teams will still be standing in November? Who are some of the top players? Which teams have the ability to come out of nowhere and win a title? Which favorites will capitalize on their expectations? Leave a comment below and let’s get this discussion started!
–patrick
Torrington wants to capitalize on potential (Scottsbluff Star-Herald). … Douglas again shapes up strong (Douglas Budget).
–patrick