Vance settles into role at KW (Casper Star-Tribune).
Wright coach Larry Yeradi, center, poses with players Ryan Haefele, left, and Holden Fauber at Saturday's National Football Foundation Wyoming Chapter banquet in Laramie. Photo courtesy of Ernie Over.
For the first time in its 17-year history, the Wyoming Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame could not choose just one overall scholar-athlete winner.
So, on Saturday, the Wyoming Chapter announced its two scholar-athlete winners for this year.
However, the group can still say it has never chosen winners from two separate schools.
Ryan Haefele and Holden Fauber, both of Wright, were named the chapter’s two scholar-athlete scholarship award winners at Saturday’s banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie.
“As a coach, it’s just so much easier to do your job when you have kids who you tell them once and they do it,” Wright coach Larry Yeradi said after the banquet. ” … I was just fortunate to be there whey they came through the school.”
A total of $22,200 in scholarship money was awarded to 12 high school scholar-athlete finalists and two University of Wyoming winners. Each finalist was awarded a $1,200 scholarship, while Haefele and Fauber each earned an additional $1,000 scholarship for being named the chapter’s top scholar-athletes in the state.
In Saturday’s keynote address, National Football Foundation CEO Matthew Sign extolled the virtues of the game of football and noted the NFF’s national reach — 121 chapters, 47 states and $1.3 million in scholarship money.
Sign was attending his first state chapter banquet of the year.
“It doesn’t get any better than celebrating football in March,” he told the crowd.
UW offensive line coach Pete Kaligis also spoke on Saturday, emphasizing football as a metaphor for other life lessons. He also praised the crowd of more than 300 for helping the scholar-athletes reach their goals.
“This is what Wyoming’s all about,” he said. ” … The family atmosphere, the love, that’s what this is all about.”
Six other special awards were given on Saturday (see list below). Of the special award winners, it was Clyde and Joan Cundall of Glendo who brought the crowd to its feet. Married for 73 years and devoted fans of football, Joan Cundall said the experience of traveling roads and watching games together over a 62-year span was worth it.
“If we could do it all over again, we certainly would,” Joan Cundall told the crowd. “We’ve enjoyed the ride.”
Saturday’s award winners included the following:
SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS
Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football: Frank Gambino, Casper.
Greatest UW Football Fans: Paul Rechard, Laramie, and Doug Campbell, Saratoga.
Greatest High School Football Fans: Rita Moore, Evanston, and Clyde and Joan Cundall, Douglas.
Ox Zellner Football Official Career Achievement: John Bard, Laramie.
Football Coach Career Achievement: Jim Wiseman, Torrington (posthumous).
Keith & Joyce Bloom Scholar-Athlete Courage Award: Jacob Hepp, Buffalo, and Derek Bacon, Pine Bluffs.
President’s Chapter Award: Wendy Sweeny, Worland.
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE FINALISTS
University of Wyoming: Chris Prosinski and Dax Crum.
High school: Sean Rietveld, Snake River; Shawn Straub, Kaycee; Jessee Wilson, Rocky Mountain; Beau Petersen, Cokeville; Holden Fauber, Wright; Ryan Haefele, Wright; Trent Boner, Douglas; Hayden Barker, Douglas; Mitch Espeland, Douglas; Lucas Rowley, Natrona County; Dawson Osborn, Sheridan; Jim Shellenberger, Natrona County.
–patrick
National Football Foundation Wyoming Chapter scholar-athlete finalists and courage award winners pose for a group picture after Saturday's banquet in Laramie. Finalists include, bottom row, from left, Dawson Osborn, Sheridan; Jim Shellenberger, Natrona; Lucas Rowley, Natrona; Holden Fauber, Wright; Ryan Haefele, Wright; Hayden Barker, Douglas; Trent Boner, Douglas; top row, from left, Chris Prosinski, University of Wyoming; Shawn Straub, Kaycee; Jacob Hepp, Buffalo; Sean Rietveld, Snake River; Derek Bacon, Pine Bluffs; Beau Petersen, Cokeville; Jessee Wilson, Rocky Mountain; and Dax Crum, University of Wyoming. Not pictured is Mitch Espeland, Douglas. Photo courtesy Ernie Over.
Assistant coach Jon Vance has been promoted to fill the vacant head coaching position at Kelly Walsh. Click here for video of Vance’s press conference Tuesday. (Casper Star-Tribune)
Update: The full story from the CST.
–patrick
John Cundall has resigned as the head football coach at Greybull.
Cundall had been at Greybull since 2004, compiling a 31-35 record in his seven years leading the Buffs. His last two were his best, as he led Greybull to a 9-2 record in 2009 and an 8-3 record in 2010 and semifinal playoff appearances in both years.
Before moving to Greybull, Cundall was the head coach in Gillette, where he went 21-12 in three years (2001-03) with the Camels.
Cundall will be the head coach for the North team in this June’s Shrine Bowl.
Cundall is the fourth Wyoming coach to resign this year, joining Torrington’s Brian Harms, Rock Springs’ Tony Yerkovich and Kelly Walsh’s Jim Horne.
Cundall verified his resignation in an e-mail Saturday.
Greybull Standard story.
–patrick
WHSAA votes to keep title games at UW…. but there is still work to do (Casper Star-Tribune).
–patrick
WHSAA tables decision (Casper Star-Tribune).
By now, though, the decision has been made: The state championships will be at UW the next three years (thanks to CST reporter Clint Robus’ Twitter feed).
What do you think? The move is not all that surprising, and it gives Laramie three years to gain some consistency with the event rather than playing this year-to-year game that’s gone on for the past three years…. Thoughts?
–patrick
Sheridan, Laramie both bid for football championships (Casper Star-Tribune).
In sum, Sheridan has submitted a bid to host the football championships in 2011 and 2012. Laramie’s bid is to host in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The WHSAA can accept one bid or the other, or reject both and go back to having title games at host sites.
–patrick
Greybull’s Brett Keisel will play in the Pro Bowl, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Saturday. Keisel is believed to be only the second former Wyoming high school football player to reach the Pro Bowl, joining former Cheyenne Central/Green Bay Packers receiver Boyd Dowler.
Congratulations to the former Buffalo on the honor!
–patrick
Torrington coach Brian Harms resigns (Torrington Telegram). Coach Harms went 11-23 in four seasons as head coach, including playoff appearances in 2008 and 2009.
Harms is the third coach to resign in Wyoming since the end of the season, joining Rock Springs’ Tony Yerkovich and Kelly Walsh’s Jim Horne. Anyone else hear of any other coaching changes? Leave a comment below or e-mail me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.
–patrick
UW keeps losing money on football championships (Wyoming Tribune Eagle).