Moorcroft names Santistevan head coach

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Moorcroft will have a new head coach this fall in Travis Santistevan.

Santistevan, a native of Lusk, has been teaching and coaching at Britton-Hecla school in Britton, South Dakota. He was the school’s head junior high football coach, assisted with the high school football program for three years and was also the head coach for the high school boys basketball team for six years. Santistevan also spent four years as a volunteer assistant at Lusk while in college.

Santistevan replaces Dusty Petz, who led the Wolves during the 2014-15 and 2017 seasons; he took off the 2016 season for health reasons. He finished a combined 7-17 in his three years leading Moorcroft.

Both Petz and Santistevan confirmed the changes via email to wyoming-football.com on Monday.

Santistevan will also take over as Moorcroft’s head boys basketball coach and will teach industrial arts and technology at the school, he said.

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Green River, Lander, Powell and Rawlins, Class 2A Greybull, Lovell and Wheatland and Class 1A 11-man Big Horn. If you know of other coaching hirings or resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Bohlander named new head coach at Wheatland

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Former Douglas standout Cody Bohlander has been named the head coach at Wheatland.

Bohlander confirmed his hiring via email to wyoming-football.com on Monday. He has been an assistant coach with the Bulldogs for the past three years.

He takes over for Tom Waring, who resigned at the end of last season.

The Bulldogs went 5-5 last season, advancing to the Class 2A semifinals. Wheatland won the Class 2A title in 2015 in Bohlander’s first year as an assistant.

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Green River, Lander, Powelland Rawlins, Class 2A Greybull and Lovell and Class 1A 11-man Big Horn. If you know of other coaching hirings or resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Big Horn promotes McLaughlin to head coach’s spot

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Just days after former Big Horn coach Michael McGuire left to take a college coaching job in North Dakota, assistant coach Kirk McLaughlin was promoted to take over as the Rams’ head coach.

The Sheridan Press first reported the hiring Friday on Twitter.

In a Twitter direct message Friday, McLaughlin confirmed his hiring with wyoming-football.com.

McLaughlin has been an assistant coach for Big Horn the past six years. Prior to that, he coached in Delta, Colorado, for eight years, including two years (2007 and 2008) as the head football coach at Delta High School.

Big Horn won Class 2A titles in 2013 and 2016 and finished as Class 1A 11-man runners-up last year. The Rams have six returning all-state players.

“I am very excited to be taking over at Big Horn,” McLaughlin wrote. “Coach McGuire handed me the keys to a Cadillac and I have some big shoes to fill. I have great assistant coaches and great group of kids going into next year, it will be an exciting challenge.”

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Green River, Lander, Powell and Rawlins, and Class 2A Greybull, Lovell and Wheatland. If you know of other coaching hirings or resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Powell hires Papich to fill football head coaching vacancy

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Aaron Papich, who was previously the head coach in Burlington and was most recently an assistant with the Riverton football program, has been hired as Powell’s next head coach.

The Casper Star-Tribune reported the hiring Wednesday.

Papich has been on staff at Riverton the past two years. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Burlington in 2015, a season in which the Huskies made the transition from 11-man to six-man play due to a lack of players; the Huskies went 4-2 in six-man exhibition games that season. He had coached in Casper, as well as in Great Falls, Mont., and Bozeman, Mont., prior to that.

Papich replaces Chanler Buck, who resigned after four seasons to become an assistant principal and athletic director at Powell’s middle school.

Powell went 1-7 last year.

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Green River, Lander and Rawlins, Class 2A Greybull, Lovell and Wheatland and Class 1A 11-man Big Horn. If you know of other coaching hirings or resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Big Horn’s McGuire moves to college ranks, steps down as coach of Rams

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Big Horn head coach Michael McGuire has resigned to take on the role of offensive coordinator at Dickinson (N.D.) State University.

The school announced the hiring in a press release Tuesday, and McGuire acknowledged the move on Twitter.

McGuire took over a Big Horn program that was successful prior to his arrival and turned it into a juggernaut. The Rams went 56-8 in McGuire’s six years, winning Class 2A titles in 2013 and 2016; they also finished as 2A runners-up in 2014 and as Class 1A 11-man runners-up last season.

McGuire was also the head coach at Riverside from 2006-09, winning the Class 2A title in 2007 and finishing as runner-up in 2006.

In all, McGuire was 84-21 in 10 years as a Wyoming head coach. In between his stints at Riverside and Big Horn, he was an assistant coach at Sheridan.

The Rams finished 9-2 last season and will return all six of their all-state selections from 2017 this fall. A replacement for McGuire at Big Horn has not yet been named.

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Green River, Lander, Powell and Rawlins, and Class 2A Greybull, Lovell and Wheatland. If you know of other coaching hirings or resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Rawlins coach Wheeler resigns after four seasons

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The Rawlins Daily Times has reported that Corey Wheeler has resigned after four seasons as head coach of the Rawlins football program.

The Outlaws finished 7-3 last year, their first winning season since 2000. Wheeler, in his four years, went 17-19 with the Outlaws, taking the team to the Class 3A playoffs in 2014 and 2017.

A replacement has not yet been named, the Times reported.

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Green River, Lander and Powell, and Class 2A Greybull, Lovell and Wheatland. If you know of other coaching resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Where Taven Bryan’s draft choice ranks in Wyoming high school football annals

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Here’s a quick breakdown of former Natrona football player Taven Bryan’s selection in Thursday’s NFL draft, courtesy of the @wyomingfootball Twitter feed:

–patrick

Pair of 3A West players join Shrine Bowl rosters

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Two players from the Class 3A West Conference have been added to the Wyoming Shrine Bowl all-star football game rosters for this year’s game.

Powell’s Brooks Asher and Star Valley’s Noah Hutchinson have been named to the North and South squads, respectively, executive director John Cundall announced via email Thursday.

Asher will replace Rocky Mountain’s Lathan May, while Hutchinson will replace Star Valley teammate Cosmo Morgan.

The game will be June 9 in Casper.

–patrick

Wrage makes coaching move from Greybull to Green River

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Marty Wrage, who helped lead Greybull to the brink of a championship, will move to Green River to take over the Wolves’ program.

The Radio Network and KUGR on Facebook first reported Wrage’s change. Additional information on the change is available from a Casper Star-Tribune story.

Wrage was 27-12 as Greybull’s head coach, leading the Buffaloes to a Class 2A runner-up finish in 2016. The Buffs made the playoffs in each of Wrage’s four seasons as head coach.

In Green River, he replaces Don Maggi, who resigned after seven seasons. Green River went 7-3 last season, bowing out of the Class 3A playoffs in a 17-13 semifinal loss to Torrington.

Previously, Wrage was the head football coach in Ogallala, Nebraska. He will teach physical education in Green River.

Other Wyoming schools with new head coaches, or with vacant head coaching spots, include Class 4A Cheyenne Central and Sheridan, Class 3A Lander and Powell, and Class 2A Lovell and Wheatland. If you know of other coaching resignations statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Powell’s Buck resigns head coaching position to take administration spot

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The Powell Tribune reported on Tuesday that Powell coach Chanler Buck has resigned after four years as the Panthers’ head coach.

Buck will stay in Powell and will be an assistant principal and the athletics director at Powell’s middle school, the Tribune reported.

Buck went 18-22 in his four years leading the Panthers. The team’s best finish came in 2016, when Powell finished as the Class 3A runner-up to Star Valley.

“The timing was a little sooner than I anticipated, but it was a great opportunity for us to jump in,” Buck told the Tribune about moving from coaching and teaching to administration.

A replacement has not yet been named. At least two other Class 3A programs, Lander and Green River, will also have new coaches in 2018.

For more on the changeover in Powell, read the Powell Tribune’s story.

–patrick