Midwest is looking for a new head football coach, a post from the school on Facebook said Wednesday:

Midwest finished 1-7 last season but had to forfeit its final four games due to low numbers.

Dean Kelly was Midwest’s coach for the 2019 season, taking on the responsibility shortly before the start of the season after former coach Ken Swieter joined the staff at Kelly Walsh.

Riverton is also seeking a new head coach for 2020. If you know of other head coaching changes statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Pat Patterson, the head football coach at Riverton the past seven seasons, has resigned as the Wolverines’ coach.

Patterson confirmed his resignation Saturday via a message with wyoming-football.com but did not respond to follow-up questions. Riverton activities director Reggie Miller also confirmed Patterson’s resignation via email Monday.

Patterson had been the Wolverines’ head coach since 2013. The team went 27-39 in that time, including a Class 3A semifinal playoff berth in 2014. Last season, the Wolverines finished 4-6 and hosted a first-round 3A playoff game.

This is the first head coaching resignation in Wyoming this offseason. If you know of other head coaching changes statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

The Wyoming High School Activities Association released the 2020 and 2021 football schedules to schools Tuesday afternoon.

Thanks to reclassification, the schedules are significantly different from the schedules used in 2018 and 2019. In all, 12 schools will play in different classifications next year, not including the teams remaining in Class 1A but shifting from 11-man to nine-man.

Although no teams moved into or out of Class 4A, Wyoming’s big schools will also have a new schedule. The traditional “rivalry week” was removed, with the Oil Bowl (Natrona-Kelly Walsh) scheduled for Week 3, the Energy Bowl (Sheridan-Campbell County) for Week 7, the Coal Bowl (Campbell County-Thunder Basin) for Week 4 and the Capital Bowl (Cheyenne Central-Cheyenne East) for Week 6.

Several non-4A schools scheduled Zero Week games against in-state opponents. Previously, Zero Week was left open by the WHSAA for non-4A schools so they could schedule their own scrimmages, jamborees or games as they wished. WHSAA Associate Commissioner Trevor Wilson said the non-4A Zero Week games on the schedule distributed by the organization did not reflect a change in WHSAA policy; he said non-4A schools who scheduled Zero Week contests for 2020 and 2021 simply had their Zero Week games added to the schedule released by the WHSAA.

Some nonconference scheduling for 1A schools was also handled by the WHSAA office, Wilson said. In 2017 and 2018, schools had made their own nonconference schedules; prior to that, the WHSAA scheduled both conference and nonconference games. This year, 3A and 2A schools met Tuesday to set their nonconference schedules, which were then released by the WHSAA office, while 1A nonconference games were set by the WHSAA, Wilson said.

A proposal to change the Class 3A conferences, as reported earlier this week, apparently did not gain approval. For 2020 and 2021, Buffalo will replace Torrington in the 3A East, but no other changes to the conference alignment will be implemented for the next two seasons, per the schedule released Tuesday.

The Class 1A six-man schedule has numerous open dates because of an unbalanced conference alignment, with six teams in the East Conference and seven in the West Conference. After Week 1, most East teams have open weeks in Week 2 and Week 3, when West Conference teams begin league play.

Locations for three out-of-state games involving Star Valley and one out-of-state game involving Lyman have not been determined.

Schedules were released much earlier than usual by the WHSAA office. Previously, schedules had been distributed during the statewide scheduling meeting in Casper in mid-November.

The 2021 schedule will be an inverse of the 2020 schedule, with locations flip-flopping for each game.

The 2020 Wyoming high school football schedule, both by week and by team, is here:

Week 0 (Friday, Aug. 28)
Class 4A

Cheyenne Central at Natrona
Cheyenne East at Thunder Basin
Cheyenne South at Kelly Walsh
Laramie at Sheridan
Rock Springs at Campbell County
Class 3A
Cody at Douglas
Riverton at Powell
Class 2A
Tongue River at Lovell
Interclass
Big Horn at Buffalo
Lander at Pinedale
Thermopolis at Worland
Wheatland at Rawlins
Interstate
Jackson at Teton, Idaho
Lead-Deadwood, S.D., at Upton-Sundance
Lyman vs. Malad, Idaho (location TBD)
Newcastle at Hot Springs, S.D.
Ogden, Utah, at Evanston
Star Valley vs. South Summit, Utah (location TBD)
Torrington at Gering, Neb.
Open: Big Piney, Burns, Cokeville, Glenrock, Kemmerer, Green River, Mountain View. All 1A nine-man and 1A six-man programs have open weeks.
 
Week 1 (Friday, Sept. 4)
Class 4A

Campbell County at Laramie
Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne Central
Natrona at Cheyenne East
Sheridan at Cheyenne South
Thunder Basin at Rock Springs
Class 3A
Lander at Green River
Riverton at Cody
Powell at Worland
Class 2A
Lovell at Big Horn
Pinedale at Glenrock
Tongue River at Thermopolis
Class 1A nine-man
Greybull at Moorcroft
Lusk at St. Stephens
Riverside at Pine Bluffs
Saratoga at Wyoming Indian
Shoshoni at Southeast
Wind River at Lingle
Wright at Rocky Mountain
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Hulett
Guernsey-Sunrise at Farson
Kaycee at Dubois
Meeteetse at NSI
Midwest at Encampment
Snake River at Hanna
Interclass
Douglas at Torrington
Evanston JV at Big Piney
Kemmerer at Green River JV
Mountain View at Evanston
Newcastle at Buffalo
Rawlins at Lyman
Interstate
Burns at Mitchell, Neb.
Jackson at Bear Lake, Utah
Rich County, Utah, at Cokeville
Star Valley vs. Preston, Idaho (location TBD)
Open: Ten Sleep, Upton-Sundance, Wheatland.
 
Week 2 (Friday, Sept. 11)
Class 4A

Cheyenne Central at Sheridan
Cheyenne East at Campbell County
Cheyenne South at Thunder Basin
Laramie at Natrona
Rock Springs at Kelly Walsh
Class 3A
Buffalo at Green River
Evanston at Riverton
Lander at Powell
Worland at Cody
Class 2A
Big Piney at Thermopolis
Glenrock at Torrington
Lyman at Cokeville
Mountain View at Lovell
Pinedale at Kemmerer
Tongue River at Burns
Upton-Sundance at Newcastle
Wheatland at Big Horn
Class 1A nine-man
Lingle at Southeast
Moorcroft at Saratoga
Pine Bluffs at Lusk
Rocky Mountain at Shoshoni
St. Stephens at Riverside
Wind River at Greybull
Wyoming Indian at Wright
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Midwest
Farson at Burlington
Kaycee at NSI
Snake River at Encampment
Ten Sleep at Meeteetse
Interstate
Douglas at Belle Fourche, S.D.
Hillcrest, Idaho, at Jackson
Moffat County, Colo., at Rawlins
Star Valley vs. Sugar-Salem, Idaho (location TBD)
Open: Guernsey-Sunrise, Hanna, Hulett.
 
Week 3 (Friday, Sept. 18)
Class 4A

Campbell County at Cheyenne South
Laramie at Cheyenne East
Natrona at Kelly Walsh
Sheridan at Rock Springs
Thunder Basin at Cheyenne Central
Class 3A
Cody at Buffalo
Evanston at Lander
Green River at Worland
Jackson at Riverton
Powell at Douglas
Rawlins at Star Valley
Class 2A
Big Horn at Newcastle
Big Piney at Pinedale
Burns at Glenrock
Cokeville at Mountain View
Lovell at Lyman
Thermopolis at Kemmerer
Torrington at Tongue River
Wheatland at Upton-Sundance
Class 1A nine-man
Greybull at Wyoming Indian
Lusk at Moorcroft
Riverside at Rocky Mountain
Saratoga at Pine Bluffs
Shoshoni at St. Stephens
Southeast at Wind River
Wright at Lingle
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Snake River
Encampment at Farson
Meeteetse at Dubois
NSI at Ten Sleep
Open: Guernsey-Sunrise, Hanna, Hulett, Kaycee, Midwest.
 
Week 4 (Friday, Sept. 25)
Class 4A

Campbell County at Thunder Basin
Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne South
Cheyenne East at Sheridan
Kelly Walsh at Laramie
Rock Springs at Natrona
Class 3A
Buffalo at Rawlins
Cody at Powell
Douglas at Riverton
Green River at Evanston
Star Valley at Jackson
Worland at Lander
Class 2A
Big Horn at Burns
Glenrock at Wheatland
Kemmerer at Mountain View
Lyman at Big Piney
Newcastle at Tongue River
Pinedale at Cokeville
Thermopolis at Lovell
Upton-Sundance at Torrington
Class 1A nine-man
Lingle at Lusk
Moorcroft at Wright
Rocky Mountain at Greybull
Shoshoni at Wind River
Southeast at Pine Bluffs
St. Stephens at Saratoga
Wyoming Indian at Riverside
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Meeteetse
Farson at Ten Sleep
Hanna at Guernsey-Sunrise
Hulett at Kaycee
NSI at Midwest
Snake River at Dubois
Open: Encampment.
 
Week 5 (Friday, Oct. 2)
Class 4A

Cheyenne Central at Campbell County
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East
Laramie at Rock Springs
Sheridan at Natrona
Thunder Basin at Kelly Walsh
Class 3A
Evanston at Cody
Jackson at Green River
Lander at Douglas
Riverton at Buffalo
Star Valley at Powell
Worland at Rawlins
Class 2A
Burns at Wheatland
Cokeville at Thermopolis
Kemmerer at Lyman
Lovell at Big Piney
Mountain View at Pinedale
Newcastle at Glenrock
Tongue River at Upton-Sundance
Torrington at Big Horn
Class 1A nine-man
Greybull at St. Stephens
Lusk at Wright
Moorcroft at Southeast
Pine Bluffs at Shoshoni
Saratoga at Lingle
Wind River at Riverside
Wyoming Indian at Rocky Mountain
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Burlington
Farson at Kaycee
Guernsey-Sunrise at Hulett
Meeteetse at Encampment
Midwest at Hanna
Ten Sleep at Snake River
Open: NSI. 
 
Week 6 (Friday, Oct. 9)
Class 4A

Cheyenne East at Cheyenne Central
Laramie at Thunder Basin
Natrona at Campbell County
Rock Springs at Cheyenne South
Sheridan at Kelly Walsh
Class 3A
Buffalo at Worland
Cody at Star Valley
Evanston at Jackson
Lander at Riverton
Powell at Green River
Rawlins at Douglas
Class 2A
Big Horn at Glenrock
Big Piney at Mountain View
Cokeville at Kemmerer
Pinedale at Lovell
Thermopolis at Lyman
Torrington at Newcastle
Upton-Sundance at Burns
Wheatland at Tongue River
Class 1A nine-man
Lingle at Moorcroft
Riverside at Greybull
Rocky Mountain at Lusk
Shoshoni at Wyoming Indian
Southeast at Saratoga
St. Stephens at Wind River
Wright at Pine Bluffs
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Farson
Encampment at Ten Sleep
Hanna at NSI
Hulett at Midwest
Kaycee at Guernsey-Sunrise
Snake River at Meeteetse
Open: Burlington.
 
Week 7 (Friday, Oct. 16)
Class 4A

Campbell County at Sheridan
Cheyenne South at Laramie
Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne East
Thunder Basin at Natrona
Rock Springs at Cheyenne Central
Class 3A
Douglas at Buffalo
Green River at Cody
Jackson at Powell
Rawlins at Lander
Riverton at Worland
Star Valley at Evanston
Class 2A
Big Piney at Cokeville
Burns at Newcastle
Glenrock at Upton-Sundance
Lovell at Kemmerer
Lyman at Pinedale
Mountain View at Thermopolis
Tongue River at Big Horn
Wheatland at Torrington
Class 1A nine-man
Greybull at Shoshoni
Lusk at Southeast
Moorcroft at Riverside
Pine Bluffs at Lingle
St. Stephens at Wyoming Indian
Wind River at Rocky Mountain
Wright at Saratoga
Class 1A six-man
Encampment at Dubois
NSI at Guernsey-Sunrise
Hulett at Hanna
Meeteetse at Farson
Midwest at Kaycee
Ten Sleep at Burlington
Open: Snake River.
 
Week 8 (Friday, Oct. 23)
Class 4A

Cheyenne Central at Laramie
Cheyenne East at Rock Springs
Kelly Walsh at Campbell County
Natrona at Cheyenne South
Thunder Basin at Sheridan
Class 3A
Buffalo at Lander
Cody at Jackson
Green River at Star Valley
Powell at Evanston
Riverton at Rawlins
Worland at Douglas
Class 2A
Big Horn at Upton-Sundance
Cokeville at Lovell
Glenrock at Tongue River
Kemmerer at Big Piney
Lyman at Mountain View
Newcastle at Wheatland
Thermopolis at Pinedale
Torrington at Burns
Class 1A nine-man
Lingle at Greybull
Pine Bluffs at Moorcroft
Riverside at Shoshoni
Rocky Mountain at St. Stephens
Saratoga at Lusk
Southeast at Wright
Wyoming Indian at Wind River
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Encampment
Dubois at Ten Sleep
Farson at Snake River
Guernsey-Sunrise at Midwest
Hanna at Kaycee
NSI at Hulett
Open: Meeteetse.
 
By team
Class 4A
Campbell County
: vs. Rock Springs; at Laramie; vs. Cheyenne East; at Cheyenne South; at Thunder Basin; vs. Cheyenne Central; vs. Natrona; at Sheridan; vs. Kelly Walsh.
Cheyenne Central: at Natrona; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Sheridan; vs. Thunder Basin; at Cheyenne South; at Campbell County; vs. Cheyenne East; vs. Rock Springs; at Laramie.
Cheyenne East: at Thunder Basin; vs. Natrona; at Campbell County; vs. Laramie; at Sheridan; vs. Cheyenne South; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Rock Springs.
Cheyenne South: at Kelly Walsh; vs. Sheridan; at Thunder Basin; vs. Campbell County; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Cheyenne East; vs. Rock Springs; at Laramie; vs. Natrona.
Kelly Walsh: vs. Cheyenne South; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Rock Springs; vs. Natrona; at Laramie; vs. Thunder Basin; vs. Sheridan; at Cheyenne East; at Campbell County.
Laramie: at Sheridan; vs. Campbell County; at Natrona; at Cheyenne East; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Rock Springs; at Thunder Basin; vs. Cheyenne South; vs. Cheyenne Central.
Natrona: vs. Cheyenne Central; at Cheyenne East; vs. Laramie; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Rock Springs; vs. Sheridan; at Campbell County; vs. Thunder Basin; at Cheyenne South.
Rock Springs: at Campbell County; vs. Thunder Basin; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Sheridan; at Natrona; vs. Laramie; at Cheyenne South; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Cheyenne East.
Sheridan: vs. Laramie; at Cheyenne South; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Rock Springs; vs. Cheyenne East; at Natrona; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Campbell County; vs. Thunder Basin.
Thunder Basin: vs. Cheyenne East; at Rock Springs; vs. Cheyenne South; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Campbell County; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Laramie; at Natrona; at Sheridan.

Class 3A East
Buffalo
: vs. Big Horn; vs. Newcastle; at Green River; vs. Cody; at Rawlins; vs. Riverton; at Worland; vs. Douglas; at Lander.
Douglas: vs. Cody; at Torrington; at Belle Fourche, S.D.; vs. Powell; at Riverton; vs. Lander; vs. Rawlins; at Buffalo; vs. Worland.
Lander: at Pinedale; at Green River; at Powell; vs. Evanston; vs. Worland; at Douglas; at Riverton; vs. Rawlins; vs. Buffalo.
Rawlins: vs. Wheatland; at Lyman; vs. Moffat County, Colo.; at Star Valley; vs. Buffalo; vs. Worland; at Douglas; at Lander; vs. Riverton.
Riverton: at Powell; at Cody; vs. Evanston; vs. Jackson; vs. Douglas; at Buffalo; vs. Lander; at Worland; at Rawlins.
Worland: vs. Thermopolis; vs. Powell; at Cody; vs. Green River; at Lander; at Rawlins; vs. Buffalo; vs. Riverton; at Douglas.
Class 3A West
Cody
: at Douglas; vs. Riverton; vs. Worland; at Buffalo; at Powell; vs. Evanston; at Star Valley; vs. Green River; at Jackson.
Evanston: vs. Ogden, Utah; vs. Mountain View; at Riverton; at Lander; vs. Green River; at Cody; at Jackson; vs. Star Valley; vs. Powell.
Green River: Open, vs. Lander; vs. Buffalo; at Worland; at Evanston; vs. Jackson; vs. Powell; at Cody; at Star Valley.
Jackson: at Teton, Idaho; at Bear Lake, Utah; vs. Hillcrest, Idaho; at Riverton; vs. Star Valley; at Green River; vs. Evanston; at Powell; vs. Cody.
Powell: vs. Riverton; at Worland; vs. Lander; at Douglas; vs. Cody; vs. Star Valley; at Green River; vs. Jackson; at Evanston.
Star Valley: vs. South Summit, Utah (location TBD); vs. Preston, Idaho (location TBD); vs. Sugar-Salem, Idaho (location TBD); vs. Rawlins; at Jackson; at Powell; vs. Cody; at Evanston; vs. Green River.

Class 2A East
Big Horn
: at Buffalo; vs. Lovell; vs. Wheatland; at Newcastle; at Burns; vs. Torrington; at Glenrock; vs. Tongue River; at Upton-Sundance.
Burns: Open; at Mitchell, Neb.; vs. Tongue River; at Glenrock; vs. Big Horn; at Wheatland; vs. Upton-Sundance; at Newcastle; vs. Torrington.
Glenrock: Open; vs. Pinedale; at Torrington; vs. Burns; at Wheatland; vs. Newcastle; vs. Big Horn; at Upton-Sundance; at Tongue River.
Newcastle: at Hot Springs, S.D.; at Buffalo; vs. Upton-Sundance; vs. Big Horn; at Tongue River; at Glenrock; vs. Torrington; vs. Burns; at Wheatland.
Tongue River: at Lovell; at Thermopolis; at Burns; vs. Torrington; vs. Newcastle; at Upton-Sundance; vs. Wheatland; at Big Horn; vs. Glenrock.
Torrington: at Gering, Neb.; vs. Douglas; vs. Glenrock; at Tongue River; vs. Upton-Sundance; at Big Horn; at Newcastle; vs. Wheatland; at Burns.
Upton-Sundance: vs. Lead, S.D.; Open; at Newcastle; vs. Wheatland; at Torrington; vs. Tongue River; at Burns; vs. Glenrock; vs. Big Horn.
Wheatland: at Rawlins; Open; at Big Horn; at Upton-Sundance; vs. Glenrock; vs. Burns; at Tongue River; at Torrington; vs. Newcastle.
Class 2A West
Big Piney
: Open; vs. Evanston JV; at Thermopolis; at Pinedale; vs. Lyman; vs. Lovell; at Mountain View; at Cokeville; vs. Kemmerer.
Cokeville: Open; vs. Rich County, Utah; vs. Lyman; at Mountain View; vs. Pinedale; at Thermopolis; at Kemmerer; vs. Big Piney; at Lovell.
Kemmerer: Open; at Green River JV; vs. Pinedale; vs. Thermopolis; at Mountain View; at Lyman; vs. Cokeville; vs. Lovell; at Big Piney.
Lovell: vs. Tongue River; at Big Horn; vs. Mountain View; at Lyman; vs. Thermopolis; at Big Piney; vs. Pinedale; at Kemmerer; vs. Cokeville.
Lyman: vs. Malad, Idaho (location TBD); vs. Rawlins; at Cokeville; vs. Lovell; at Big Piney; vs. Kemmerer; vs. Thermopolis; at Pinedale; at Mountain View.
Mountain View: Open; at Evanston; at Lovell; vs. Cokeville; vs. Kemmerer; at Pinedale; vs. Big Piney; at Thermopolis; vs. Lyman.
Pinedale: vs. Lander; at Glenrock; at Kemmerer; vs. Big Piney; at Cokeville; vs. Mountain View; at Lovell; vs. Lyman; vs. Thermopolis.
Thermopolis: at Worland; vs. Tongue River; vs. Big Piney; at Kemmerer; at Lovell; vs. Cokeville; at Lyman; vs. Mountain View; at Pinedale.

Class 1A nine-man East (no Zero Week scheduled)
Lingle
: vs. Wind River; at Southeast; vs. Wright; at Lusk; vs. Saratoga; at Moorcroft; vs. Pine Bluffs; at Greybull.
Moorcroft: vs. Greybull; at Saratoga; vs. Lusk; at Wright; at Southeast; vs. Lingle; at Riverside; vs. Pine Bluffs.
Lusk: at St. Stephens; vs. Pine Bluffs; at Moorcroft; vs. Lingle; at Wright; vs. Rocky Mountain; at Southeast; vs. Saratoga. 
Pine Bluffs: vs. Riverside; at Lusk; vs. Saratoga; vs. Southeast; at Shoshoni; vs. Wright; at Lingle; at Moorcroft. 
Saratoga: at Wyoming Indian; vs. Moorcroft; at Pine Bluffs; vs. St. Stephens; at Lingle; vs. Southeast; vs. Wright; at Lusk.
Southeast: vs. Shoshoni; vs. Lingle; at Wind River; at Pine Bluffs; vs. Moorcroft; at Saratoga; vs. Lusk; at Wright. 
Wright: at Rocky Mountain; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Lingle; vs. Moorcroft; vs. Lusk; at Pine Bluffs; at Saratoga; vs. Southeast. 
Class 1A nine-man West (no Zero Week scheduled)
Greybull
: at Moorcroft; vs. Wind River; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Rocky Mountain; at St. Stephens; vs. Riverside; at Shoshoni; vs. Lingle. 
Riverside: at Pine Bluffs; vs. St. Stephens; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Wyoming Indian; vs. Wind River; at Greybull; vs. Moorcroft; at Shoshoni.
Rocky Mountain: vs. Wright; at Shoshoni; vs. Riverside; at Greybull; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Lusk; vs. Wind River; at St. Stephens. 
Shoshoni: at Southeast; vs. Rocky Mountain; at St. Stephens; at Wind River; vs. Pine Bluffs; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Greybull; vs. Riverside. 
St. Stephens: vs. Lusk; at Riverside; vs. Shoshoni; at Saratoga; vs. Greybull; at Wind River; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Rocky Mountain. 
Wind River: at Lingle; at Greybull; vs. Southeast; vs. Shoshoni; at Riverside; vs. St. Stephens; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Wyoming Indian. 
Wyoming Indian: vs. Saratoga; at Wright; vs. Greybull; at Riverside; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Shoshoni; vs. St. Stephens; at Wind River. 

Class 1A six-man East (no Zero Week scheduled)
Guernsey-Sunrise
: at Farson; Open; Open; vs. Hanna; at Hulett; vs. Kaycee; vs. NSI; at Midwest.
Hanna: vs. Snake River; Open; Open; at Guernsey-Sunrise; vs. Midwest; at NSI; vs. Hulett; at Kaycee. 
Hulett: vs. Burlington; Open; Open; at Kaycee; vs. Guernsey-Sunrise; at Midwest; at Hanna; vs. NSI.
Kaycee: at Dubois; at NSI; Open; vs. Hulett; vs. Farson; at Guernsey-Sunrise; vs. Midwest; vs. Hanna.
Midwest: at Encampment; vs. Dubois; Open; vs. NSI; at Hanna; vs. Hulett; at Kaycee; vs. Guernsey-Sunrise. 
NSI: vs. Meeteetse; vs. Kaycee; at Ten Sleep; at Midwest; Open; vs. Hanna; at Guernsey-Sunrise; at Hulett.
Class 1A six-man West (no Zero Week scheduled)
Burlington
: at Hulett; vs. Farson; at Snake River; at Meeteetse; vs. Dubois; Open; vs. Ten Sleep; at Encampment.
Dubois: vs. Kaycee; at Midwest; vs. Meeteetse; vs. Snake River; at Burlington; at Farson; vs. Encampment; at Ten Sleep.
Encampment: vs. Midwest; vs. Snake River; at Farson; Open; vs. Meeteetse; at Ten Sleep; at Dubois; vs. Burlington. 
Farson: vs. Guernsey-Sunrise; at Burlington; vs. Encampment; at Ten Sleep; at Kaycee; vs. Dubois; vs. Meeteetse; at Snake River.
Meeteetse: at NSI; vs. Ten Sleep; at Dubois; vs. Burlington; at Encampment; vs. Snake River; at Farson; Open. 
Snake River: at Hanna; at Encampment; vs. Burlington; at Dubois; vs. Ten Sleep; at Meeteetse; Open; vs. Farson.
Ten Sleep: Open; at Meeteetse; vs. NSI; vs. Farson; at Snake River; vs. Encampment; at Burlington; vs. Dubois.

This post was updated at 7:37 p.m. MDT Oct. 31 to reflect a new game in Week 5 between Kaycee and Farson and the moving of the Kaycee-NSI game from Week 5 to Week 2.

This post was updated at 10:37 a.m. MST Nov. 24 to correct an error in the Week 4 listings for the 1A nine-man West.

–patrick

Class 3A could see a shift in its football conference alignments for 2020 and 2021, with Powell and Cody switching places with Rawlins and Lander.

Such a move would lower overall travel but would put Fremont County rivals Riverton and Lander in separate conferences.

The proposed conference alignment would have Rawlins and Lander join Jackson, Star Valley, Evanston and Green River in a modified West Conference, while Powell and Cody would join Worland, Buffalo, Riverton and Douglas in a modified East Conference.

The proposal was confirmed in separate emails from four current Class 3A coaches to wyoming-football.com. However, their understandings of the proposal ranged from “nothing super concrete” to “a done deal.”

One coach said the new proposal would help eliminate overnight travel for conference games for all teams. The necessity to travel through Yellowstone Park for conference games would also be reduced.

The potential move is precipitated in part by reclassification, which brings Buffalo’s return to 3A and Torrington’s move to Class 2A for both 2020 and 2021.

Below is a table of the mileage between 3A high schools, showing only the distances between schools that could be in the same conference in 2020. One-way distances here are calculated “through the park,” where teams take shorter trips going through Yellowstone when possible.

JacEvaSVGRCodPowLanRawRivDouWorBuf
Jacx19067190179205162283
Eva190x12493367389207212
SV67124x171245271228290
GR19093171x293315133127
Cod179367245293x2616526114026689177
Pow20538927131526x18828316228888157
Lan162207228133165188x12629198115205
Raw283212290127261283126x125170211227
Riv14016229125x17290180
Dou266288198170172x215163
Wor898811521190215x91
Buf17715720522718016391x

Total conference travel distances for respective teams would change with new conferences, with equal teams seeing more and less travel but with overall travel reduced.

With the old alignment, with Buffalo replacing Torrington in the East Conference and no other changes, teams would have averaged a total of 907 miles to their conference destinations; with the new alignment, teams would average a total of 818 miles to their conference foes, a reduction about 91 miles per school.

Schools with more travel would include:
Jackson: Old alignment, 831 miles; new alignment, 892 miles.
Star Valley: Old alignment, 878 miles; new alignment, 880 miles.
Rawlins: Old alignment, 859 miles; new alignment, 1,038 miles.
Riverton: Old alignment, 596 miles; new alignment, 744 miles.
Douglas: Old alignment, 918 miles; new alignment, 1,104 miles.
Lander: Old alignment, 673 miles; new alignment, 856 mies.

Schools with less travel would include:
Evanston: Old alignment, 1,163 miles; new alignment, 826 miles.
Green River: Old alignment, 1,062 miles; new alignment, 714 miles.
Cody: Old alignment, 1,110 miles; new alignment, 698 miles.
Powell: Old alignment, 1,206 miles; new alignment, 721 miles.
Worland: Old alignment, 722 miles; new alignment, 573 miles.
Buffalo: Old alignment, 866 miles; new alignment, 768 miles.

The WHSAA will release the conference portion of the 2020 football schedule at the statewide scheduling meeting Nov. 19-20 in Casper.

–patrick

It’s not hard to find articles addressing recent dips in high school football participation and in high school sports participation in general.

Here’s the Washington Post addressing the numbers. Here’s a piece from Forbes expounding on meaning. And here’s The Atlantic trying to address the roots in a very Atlantic kind of way.

Every state faces its own unique circumstances.

In Illinois, football participation is at a 26-year low (Chicago Tribune). In California, numbers are down again, following a consistent trend (L.A. Times). Numbers are also down in New Mexico as several schools are playing as independents (Associated Press).

The same problems are happening in North Carolina (football participation down 23% over 10 years), Connecticut (big drops in participation), Minnesota (flat now but down over five years), Kentucky, Maine, and, yes, Wyoming… You name the state, and it’s probably seeing drops in high school football participation.

As noted, Wyoming is not immune. Figures from the National Federation of High Schools — the same figures used in every single story linked above — show Wyoming’s football participation numbers dropping, but the Equality State has a different picture than most other states.

In all, Wyoming had 2,654 high school football players in the 2018 season, combining totals of 11-man, six-man and girls, which the NFHS tallies separately. In 2017, Wyoming had 2,847 high school football players — meaning the state had a drop of about 6.8 percent from year to year, typical of the kind of drops that made headlines across the country.

Moreover, 2018’s total of 2,654 players was Wyoming’s lowest since 2004, when 2,621 high schoolers played football.

But there’s no reason to panic in Wyoming. Yet.

For now, the 2018 drop in football participation looks to be an anomaly, totally within range of normal participation figures over the past 30-plus years.

Since 1987, Wyoming has had somewhere between 2,618 and 2,924 players come out, with the lowest total coming in 2003 and the highest in 1987. The 2018 total of 2,847 was the state’s fifth-highest total since 1987. In the four seasons between 2014 and 2017, Wyoming was above 2,800 every season, something that had NEVER happened over four consecutive years since NFHS data became more consistent starting in 1979.

If we looked at this data a year ago, we could have said Wyoming was seeing unprecedented growth and consistency.

Also, within the past 30 years, Wyoming has seen drops in participation like this before and has always rebounded. This chart compares Wyoming’s football participation trends to the country:

Here’s a table showing Wyoming’s high school football participation tallies, as provided by the NFHS since 1987 (click on the column headers to sort):

YearTotal Football Players
20182,654
20172,847
20162,819
20152,808
20142,825
20132,793
20122,892
20112,843
20102,874
20092,781
20082,778
20072,822
20062,727
20052,756
20042,621
20032,618
20022,787
20012,825
20002,845
19992,843
19982,635
19972,667
19962,762
19952,892
19942,832
19932,691
19922,748
19912,776
19902,778
19892,783
19882,829
19872,924

(NFHS data prior to 1987 looks really inconsistent when compared to previous seasons — for example, in 1981, Wyoming’s NFHS numbers come in at 1,432, sandwiched between seasons of more than 2,100. So I made the decision to start this analysis at 1987. Numbers include totals of 11-, 9-, 8- and 6-man, both boys and girls.)

Yes, Wyoming high school football participation fell off by almost 7 percent from 2017 to 2018. And yes, drops in participation are affecting programs.

And yes, nationwide, participation in high school sports in aggregate is down, as is participation in football specifically.

For now, last year’s dip in Wyoming looks like an anomaly, not the start of a trend that mirrors what’s happening nationwide.

–patrick

Ten Sleep will not field a football team for the second consecutive year.

The Pioneers’ 2019 six-man season was canceled this week, Ten Sleep AD Sarah Novak said Thursday via email to wyoming-football.com.

The season schedule on the Ten Sleep school page also noted the cancellation and also said the school’s middle school season had been canceled, too.

Novak said Ten Sleep had seven players come out for the high school team — two freshmen, three sophomores, one junior and one senior. However, the two oldest players suffered injuries, one a season-ending injury and the other significant enough to put the season in question.

“We were planning on playing, but (with) the injury bug it just will not work,” Novak wrote.

Last year’s season was also canceled, as the Pioneers only had four players who showed interest in joining the 2018 team.

Lusk native Taylen Arnett had been named the new head coach for the 2019 season.

–patrick

The 2019 edition of the Wyoming Sports Preview Guide magazine is now available!

Click here to read full team previews on every team in Wyoming.

This is the eighth year we’ve been able to bring this magazine to you. It’s the most comprehensive preview you’ll find anywhere. I interviewed every single head coach in the state (except one, as astute readers will notice), pored over stats, pestered ADs for schedules, predicted some winners — and it’s all here.

While the digital version is out today, the hard-copy version won’t be out for another week or so. When the hard copies do come out, you should be able to pick them up, for free, at the locations of the advertisers listed in the magazine. Please support the advertisers who support this magazine; it doesn’t happen without them.

Enjoy!

–patrick

A familiar person around Natrona County will be the new head football coach at Midwest.

Dean Kelly will lead the Oilers in 2019. Both Kelly and Midwest activities director Michael Gibson verified the hiring via email to wyoming-football.com on Monday.

Kelly teaches math at Midwest and was the head girls basketball coach the past two years. He was also an assistant coach with the Oilers’ football team the past two years.

Prior to moving to Midwest, Kelly was the principal at Natrona County High School in Casper. He was also previously the athletic director for the Natrona County School District and, before that, taught math at NCHS, starting in 1997.

He also previously taught and coached in Glenrock from 1992-97 and Stanton County High School in Kansas from 1989-92. He was an assistant football coach for nine years in that span, plus the two years at Midwest. He also coached basketball and track, with three years as the boys basketball head coach at Stanton County and four years as the girls basketball head coach at Glenrock.

He resigned as NC’s principal in 2014 after assuming the job before the start of the 2007-08 school year.

Kelly replaces Ken Swieter, who resigned after 12 years as Midwest’s head coach to become an assistant at Kelly Walsh. Gibson will join the coaching staff as an assistant coach, he said.

Other Wyoming high schools with new head coaches for 2019 include Kelly WalshGilletteRock SpringsEvanstonTorringtonGlenrockLovellBig PineyPinedaleWyoming IndianKayceeMeeteetse, NSI and Ten Sleep.

–patrick

Chad Lobdell will be the football coach for the six-man football team at NSI Academy near Sheridan this fall.

Lobdell confirmed his hiring, which happened last week, to wyoming-football.com on Wednesday.

A native of Buffalo, Lobdell works at the school as the admissions director. He was an assistant coach with the Wolves in both 2014 and 2015. He previously coached in Holbrook, Arizona, and has also coached wrestling and baseball at the high school level. He also works in Wyoming as a wrestling official.

Lobdell will replace Antoine Proctor, who coached the Wolves to a 3-4 record last season in the Class 1A six-man East Conference.

Other Wyoming high schools with new head coaches for 2019 include Kelly WalshGilletteRock SpringsEvanstonTorringtonGlenrockLovellBig PineyPinedale, Wyoming IndianKayceeMeeteetse and Ten Sleep. In addition, Midwest is seeking a new head coach. If you know of other head coaching changes statewide, please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

–patrick

Three players from Wyoming will be a part of the 2019 Can-Am Bowl, a six-man all-star game.

Farson’s Clancy Gines and Lain Mitchelson and Meeteetse’s Kirwin Johnson will be a part of Team USA, Farson coach Trip Applequist said via email on Friday.

The game takes place every July in Saskatchewan. A six-man all-star team from the United States faces a six-man all-star team of players from Saskatchewan and Alberta. Full rosters are not yet available.

The game will be July 6 in Wakaw, Saskatchewan.

This will be the 23rd Can-Am Bowl. Team USA has an 18-4 series edge and won last year’s game 68-30. Wyoming players began playing in the Can-Am Bowl in 2014.

Applequist and Farson’s Scott Reed will be among the coaches for the team.

The Team USA provided by Applequist includes:

Montana: Cobe Begger, Caleb Fix, Joey Hale, Bill Hansen, Caleb Hess, Seth Prevost, Bryce Reitz, Jake Solomon, Zane Somerfeld, JR Spenser, Sawyer Thiel, Tyler Thiessen, AJ Ullmer, Colby Zentner.
Nebraska: AJ Jenkins.
Texas: Trisdon Bynum, Toby Cran, Bastion Pickens, Corbin Ruthehardt, Corbin Schrotke, Jake Weiser.
Wyoming: Clancy Gines, Kirwin Johnson, Lain Mitchelson.

–patrick

Updated 8:40 a.m. Saturday, June 29, to include the Team USA roster.