Category Archives: Title Game Weekend

Friday

Class 1A six-man, noon
Guernsey-Sunrise Vikings (1E, 10-0) vs. Dubois Rams (1W, 8-2)
Series record: Tied 2-2.
Last meeting: Guernsey-Sunrise beat Dubois 60-12 on Sept. 6 in Guernsey.
State championships: Guernsey-Sunrise 3, most recent in 2009. … Dubois 1, in 2012.
Previous title game record: Guernsey-Sunrise, 3-5. … Dubois, 1-2.
The path to Laramie: Guernsey-Sunrise blasted Farson 65-8 in the quarterfinals and rallied past Snake River 72-40 in the semifinals. … Dubois beat Midwest 74-14 in the quarterfinals and topped Meeteetse 68-32 in the semifinals.
The case for Guernsey-Sunrise: When the season started, I called on the Vikings’ Brady Esquibel to lead this team to victory. Esquibel has been stellar, but his supporting cast — especially standouts Austin Quynn and Treasure Hollister — have been the ones to turn far-off championship dreams into actual championship possibilities. And that defense, best in six-man, is rock solid.
The case for Dubois: The Rams started 1-2, with losses to Guernsey-Sunrise in Week 1 and Farson in Week 3, before they found themselves. Since that loss to Farson, the Rams have been unbeatable, winning both close games and blowouts. And the past month, they’ve been unstoppable, winning big every time out. Like the last couple years, though, the Rams’ first few players have to do the job; they’re talented, but not deep.
The pick: Guernsey-Sunrise beat Dubois 60-12 in Week 1. So this one seems easy. But I’d venture to say that Dubois has improved more since that game than Guernsey has. Now, I don’t think the Rams have improved enough to cover a 48-point, mercy-rule loss from early September, but this one will be much closer the second time around. I still like my preseason favorites, though. Guernsey-Sunrise 58, Dubois 46.

Class 3A, 3 p.m.
Douglas Bearcats (1E, 9-1) vs. Cody Broncs (1W, 9-2)
Series record: Douglas leads 6-0.
Last meeting: Douglas beat Cody 13-7 on Sept. 12 in Cody.
State championships: Douglas 5, most recent in 2010. … Cody 3, most recent in 1991.
Previous title game record: Douglas, 5-7. … Cody, 3-5.
The path to Laramie: Douglas outlasted Star Valley 38-13 in the quarterfinals and shut out Torrington 27-0 in the semifinals. … Cody destroyed Rawlins 61-6 in the quarterfinals and topped Riverton 42-34 in the semifinals.
The case for Douglas: Defense. Douglas has it. The Bearcats have consistently been one of the best, if not THE best, defenses in 3A. RB Colter Haman and QB Haize Weber lead an offense that’s just diverse enough to keep teams off-balance. And Douglas has already beaten Cody once this year, in Cody.
The case for Cody: What I like about Cody is that they’ve consistently shown improvement — not only from last year to this year, but within the last 11 weeks, as well. After a 1-2 start, the Broncs have won eight in a row, most of those by wide margins. Maybe most importantly, in terms of straight-up talent and athletic ability, Cody has the deck stacked with guys like Carter and Cameron Myers, Noah Rivera, Blake Hinze and Brayden Feusner.
The pick: I think the September meeting of these two teams was a case of two teams prodding for weaknesses with the idea that a postseason meeting might be possible. I don’t think either team showed what it was truly capable of doing, and both coaches kept some plays in their pockets. That’s why this one will be a higher-scoring contest than September’s. Even so, both teams have stacked defenses (the top two in 3A by a wide margin), something you’ll see come up big in the fourth quarter. Douglas 28, Cody 24.

Saturday

Class 2A, 10 a.m.
Big Horn Rams (1E, 10-0) vs. Mountain View Buffalos (1W, 9-1)
Series record: Big Horn leads 1-0.
Last meeting: Big Horn beat Mountain View 47-22 on Nov. 15, 2013, in Laramie.
State championships: Big Horn 4, most recent last year. … Mountain View 3, most recent in 1997.
Previous title game record: Big Horn, 4-8. … Mountain View, 3-6.
The path to Laramie: Big Horn survived in the postseason, beating Lovell 23-12 in the quarterfinals and Wheatland 28-21 in the semifinals. … Mountain View blasted Thermopolis 60-0 in the quarterfinals and Newcastle 52-14 in the semifinals.
The case for Big Horn: After winning each of their first seven games by 25 points apiece, the Rams have won their last three by margins of 13, 11 and 7. It would be easy to look at those results and say the Rams are struggling. I see something different. I see a team that’s learned how to win close games as well as shutouts. I see a team that hasn’t had to lose to regain its focus. And I see a team that takes nothing for granted. Oh, and in case you forgot, this program has won 18 games in a row.
The case for Mountain View: To go undefeated through 2A West Conference play takes something special. Not only did Mountain View do that this season, it did so emphatically; each of Mountain View’s nine victories has been by at least 30 points. The senior backfield pair of Cade Covington and Austin Houskeeper is unparalleled for both talent and experience, and they — and all their senior classmates — have something to prove in their final game with the Buffalos.
The pick: Back in August, I called for this: a Mountain View-Big Horn rematch. And I said if the Rams found consistency under center, they’d win another title. Big Horn has that. So let’s stick with what got us here. Big Horn 34, Mountain View 28.

Class 1A 11-man, 1 p.m.
Cokeville Panthers (1W, 11-0) vs. Lusk Tigers (1E, 9-0)
Series record: Cokeville leads 4-0.
Last meeting: Cokeville beat Lusk 13-12 on Nov. 16, 2013, in Laramie.
State championships: Cokeville 21, most recent last year. … Lusk 5, most recent in 2002.
Previous title game record: Cokeville, 20-6. … Lusk, 5-8.
The path to Laramie: Cokeville shut out Tongue River 55-0 in the quarterfinals and knocked out Lingle 36-7 in the semifinals. … Lusk thumped Riverside 55-0 and beat Upton-Sundance 44-12 in the semifinals.
The case for Cokeville: It’s Cokeville, and in Wyoming, that’s basically all you need to say. This year, though, Cokeville has more going for it than just tradition. The Panthers have their biggest senior class in coach Todd Dayton’s three-plus-decade tenure. They’ve got a quarterback in Jace Petersen who would have been just Wyoming’s third four-time all-state selection had he not been injured as a sophomore (perhaps not coincidentally, the only year since 2010 where Cokeville hasn’t won the state title). They’ve got the momentum of 21 consecutive victories and the confidence only consistent success brings.
The case for Lusk: If anyone can stand up to Cokeville, it’s Lusk. The Tigers have the talent and the physical ability to stand up to the Panthers, with Derick VandeBossche, Martin Fitzwater and Logan Lamar running behind a formidable offensive line. Their defense is stout and capable, giving up fewer than 100 yards per game. Aside from a 16-6 regular-season W against Upton-Sundance, Lusk has won every game by at least 32 points.
The pick: Here we are again. Lusk and Cokeville played each other for the 1A 11-man title in 2013. And 2010. They’ve emerged as the classification’s flagship programs. It’s only right they’re playing in the title game. As much as I like Lusk — and as much as that program deserves a title after championship-game losses in 2010, 2012 and 2013 — Cokeville has been great not only for 1A, but for Cokeville. This may go down as one of the best Panther teams in program history. And that’s saying something. Lusk will make it tough on them, though. Cokeville 27, Lusk 20.

Class 4A
Gillette Camels (3, 9-2) vs. Natrona Mustangs (1, 11-0)
Series record: Natrona leads 38-18.
Last meeting: Natrona beat Gillette 47-7 on Sept. 19 in Gillette.
State championships: Gillette 4, most recent in 2008. … Natrona 16, most recent in 2012.
Previous title game record: Gillette, 4-7. … Natrona, 9-5.
The path to Laramie: Gillette bumped Laramie 48-3 in the quarterfinals before beating Cheyenne East 34-31 in double overtime in the semifinals. … Natrona topped Evanston 55-12 in the quarterfinals and shut out Sheridan 27-0 in the semifinals.
The case for Gillette: Honestly, after losing six players to suspension earlier this week, the Camels’ outlook is shaky. In cases like this, one of two things happens: Either the team rallies and plays better than before to make up for the losses, or it falls apart completely. On the plus side for Gillette? If any school can overcome a talent deficit, it’s the deep and prepared Camels. And the team is riding a crest of momentum that only a double-overtime victory can give a team. If Gillette can use that momentum to their advantage, rally around its losses and keep its confidence inflated, it will be more dangerous than anyone can anticipate.
The case for Natrona: No 4A team has been as steady as the Mustangs. A 14-7 victory against East aside, NC has won every game by at least 24 points. Only two teams have cracked double digits on the scoreboard against one of the stingiest 4A defenses in recent memory. Offensively, the dual-quarterback system of Casson Burgen and Josh Harshman has worked well and kept opposing defenses out of rhythm. And last but not least, no one has beaten Natrona yet this year.
The pick: The longer NC lets Gillette hang around, the more dangerous the Camels become. The Mustangs need at least two big plays early in this game to quell the Camels’ semifinal/rallying vibes. If NC can do that… Natrona 38, Gillette 14. If not…

Last week: 9-1 (90 percent). This season: 248-55 (82 percent).

For the sixth year in a row, War Memorial Stadium will play host to the five championship games. The weather forecast doesn’t look good — near freezing and windy on Friday, cold and snowy on Saturday — so if nothing else, promise me two things: (1) dress warm, and (2) stay safe on the roads. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was driving from Laramie to Casper after the 2011 title games. Shirley Basin and Sybille Canyon were closed, so I drove to Cheyenne and then around to Casper; the only problem was that I-80 closed on me about 20 minutes after I left town. I slid off the road twice. It took me more than an hour and a half to get from Laramie to Cheyenne, and then another four hours from Cheyenne to Casper. Don’t do what I did. At least I was dressed appropriately….

–patrick

We’ve waited all year for this weekend. So let’s get right to it:

Class 2A
Mountain View (2W, 8-3) vs. Big Horn (2E, 9-1)
Series record: First meeting.
Last meeting: First meeting.
State championships: Mountain View, 3. … Big Horn, 3.
Title game appearances: This is the ninth title game appearance for Mountain View. … This is the 12th title game appearance for Big Horn.
Title game record: Mountain View, 3-5. … Big Horn, 3-8.
How they got here: Mountain View made it to Laramie with a pair of eight-point playoff victories, beating Newcastle 20-12 in the quarterfinals and Thermopolis 14-6 in the semifinals. … Big Horn beat Lyman 52-14 and Lovell 28-19 to reach the title game.
The case for Mountain View: The Buffalos might have more individual talent than any 2A team in the state. And it’s young talent at that. Quarterback Austin Houskeeper, leading rusher Cade Covington and leading receiver Caleb Flake are all juniors. Mountain View is stacked for a title run next year; this year’s success is a not-so-unexpected result of having the talent, and now the confidence, to compete with the best.
The case for Big Horn: Few teams possess the offensive balance and the defensive opportunism the Rams do. Big Horn leads Class 2A in offensive yards per game (393.1) and turnover margin (plus-17), two important statistics in a classification of football that turns just as much on yards as it does on opportunism and consistency. The ability of Rams quarterback Connor McCafferty to take care of the ball (28 touchdowns, only two interceptions) has helped the Rams find their rhythm, especially in the playoffs.
The pick: At the beginning of the season, I picked Mountain View to beat Big Horn 12-8 in the title game. That seems like so long ago, and, in retrospect, it was little more than a lucky guess. Class 2A had more parity than any other classification in the state, and that’s shown in the playoffs. However, Big Horn has been the more consistent, more dominant team the past few weeks, and the Rams will ride that consistency to the championship. Big Horn 24, Mountain View 19.

Class 3A
Powell (1W, 11-0) vs. Douglas (1E, 10-0)
3 p.m. Friday
Series record: Powell leads 5-2.
Last meeting: Powell beat Douglas 15-14 in the 3A championship game on Nov. 11, 2011, in Laramie.
State championships: Powell, 7. … Douglas, 5.
Title game appearances: This is the eighth title game appearance for Powell. … This is the 12th title game appearance for Douglas. 
Title game record: Powell, 5-2. … Douglas, 5-6.
How they got here: Powell was efficient, beating Torrington 48-20 and Cody 26-13 to reach the championship. … Douglas beat Jackson 52-14 and handled Star Valley 32-7 to return to Laramie after a one-year absence.
The case for Powell: The Panthers returned six (!) all-state players from last year’s team, and each one of them has played even better this season — Brendon Phister, Riley Stringer and Anthony Lujan are 1-2-3 for Powell in defensive points, Hayden Cragoe has been a rock at quarterback, Cory Heny leads the team in rushing touchdowns AND interceptions, and Garrett Lynch has chipped in a little bit everywhere. But Powell has also had new stars rise to the top and give the Panthers a formidable, talented look that few teams have ever had at the 3A level. Oh, and Powell has won 26 games in a row. That should count for something.
The case for Douglas: Even with Powell’s success, Douglas may be the most dominant team in 3A this year. Douglas’ closest game this year was 17 points. The Bearcats lead 3A in total offense and they’re just a scant few yards behind Powell in total defense. And even with an offense that has led 3A in passing, Douglas also has 3A’s top leading ground gainer in Logan Barker (1,523 yards).
The pick: With all due respect to all the other schools in Class 3A, these two teams have been head and shoulders above all the other 3A teams all season long. They both play the same game: balanced offense, dominant line play, physical defense. Their offensive and defensive statistics darn near mirror each other. This championship game should live up to the billing that a game between two undefeated traditional powers brings with it. Think 2011 redux, where one big play late changes everything. Powell 20, Douglas 14. 

Class 1A six-man
Meeteetse (1W, 10-1) vs. Midwest (1E, 9-1)
10 a.m. Saturday
Series record: Midwest leads 12-6.
Last meeting: Midwest beat Meeteetse 71-30 on Sept. 8, 2012, in Meeteetse.
State championships: Meeteetse, 1. … Midwest, 2.
Title game appearances: This is the third title game appearance for Meeteetse. … This is the sixth title game appearance for Midwest.
Title game record: Meeteetse, 1-1. … Midwest, 2-3.
How they got here: Meeteetse was barely challenged in the first two rounds, beating Kaycee 65-14 and Guernsey-Sunrise 64-12. … Midwest thumped Farson 56-6 before rallying for an amazing 64-62 victory over Dubois in the semifinals.
The case for Meeteetse: What has turned the Longhorns from contender to favorite is one thing: balance. In 2012, Seth Bennett was carrying the team; in 2013, Bennett is leading the team. And that’s a huge difference. Although Bennett has still put up big numbers, throwing and passing for more than 1,000 yards apiece, he doesn’t have to do everything anymore. He has help from other talented players like Jasper Smith, Shawn Shepperson, Carter Johnson and Dalton Abarr. The Longhorns have been better, and more successful, for that balance.
The case for Midwest: The Oilers’ key to success is its depth. That’s how Midwest beat Dubois in the semifinals — when the Rams lost steam in the fourth quarter, the Oilers were still going strong. Cam Ray, Tucker Even and Kacey Gussman have combined to give Midwest a three-pronged (read: deep) attack on both offense and defense. And when they get tired, a supporting group of players can fill in and keep Midwest competitive — a formula that has led the Oilers to an undefeated season in which the only loss was a forfeit. 
The pick: Every neuron in my brain says Meeteetse is the favorite. And if you were to assign a point spread on this game, the Longhorns would have the advantage. But you can’t ignore what Midwest did last week — specifically, how it won. When you win games like that, you believe you can overcome any deficit. I’ve seen teams make runs like this before. It’s the stuff of destiny. Midwest 58, Meeteetse 54.

Class 1A 11-man
Lusk (1E, 9-0) vs. Cokeville (1W, 9-1)
1 p.m. Saturday
Series record: Cokeville leads 3-0.
Last meeting: Cokeville won 28-7 in a semifinal playoff game on Nov. 4, 2011, in Cokeville.
State championships: Lusk, 5. … Cokeville, 20.
Title game appearances: This is the 13th title game appearance for Lusk. … This is the 26th title game appearance for Cokeville.
Title game record: Lusk, 5-7. … Cokeville, 19-6.
How they got here: Lusk destroyed Riverside 68-0 and then came from behind to beat Lingle 30-21 in the semifinals. … Cokeville ran through both Upton-Sundance (56-0) and Southeast (39-7) to make it here.
The case for Lusk: Defense, defense, defense. Lusk had seven consecutive shutouts at one point this season. If that doesn’t make the case, nothing will. The Tiger defense, led by Derick and Matt VandeBossche, Martin Fitzwater, Zane Hladky and Logan Lamar, has been tough to crack. Don’t forget, it was a late pick-six by Hunter Dockery that sealed Lusk’s victory over Lingle in the semifinals. Stout and opportunistic defense creates better situations for an offense that’s just as efficient but gets overshadowed.
The case for Cokeville: The Panthers have the three Ts going for them: tradition, teamwork and Todd. Coach Todd Dayton and the Panthers are traditional small-school favorites, and they find that success by not relying on any one player. By design, no one player stands out on offense — five players have more than 280 rushing yards this season, but none more than James Teichert’s 801, and five players have more than 100 receiving yards, but none more than Braxton Delgado’s 197. That makes the Panthers tough to stop, because shutting one avenue down opens another one that’s just as reliable.
The pick: Everything points to this being a classic small-school showdown. The Panthers and Tigers have the classification’s top two offenses and top two defenses. They won their respective conferences and haven’t lost a game within the classification. This will be a good one, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lusk win, but…. Cokeville 22, Lusk 14.

Class 4A
Natrona (4, 8-3) vs. Cheyenne East (3, 9-2)
4 p.m. Saturday
Series record: Natrona leads 39-17.
Last meeting: Cheyenne East won 42-41 in triple overtime on Sept. 6 in Casper.
State championships: Natrona, 16. … Cheyenne East, 3.
Title game appearances: This is the 14th title game appearance for Natrona. … This is the seventh title game appearance for Cheyenne East.
Title game record: Natrona, 9-4. … Cheyenne East, 3-3.
How they got here: Natrona rode defense, beating Kelly Walsh 33-0 and upending previously undefeated Gillette 14-7 to make it to The War. … Cheyenne East eked out tight victories over Cheyenne Central (13-7) and Sheridan (28-27) to reach it to the championship.
The case for Natrona: If you had proposed Natrona’s 2013 season as a movie, no one would have accepted it. Too unrealistic, too unbelievable. Three overtime losses at home? And then the chance to play those same three teams in the playoffs? No way that would happen in real life. Yet here we are, and NC can do just that. The Mustangs have already avenged their OT losses to Kelly Walsh and Gillette; now, only East stands in the way of a Natrona championship and a completed redemption tour. A championship would be an unbelievable end to a beyond-belief season.
The case for Cheyenne East: The Thunderbirds have already beaten Natrona, at Casper no less. They have one of the most dynamic and exciting players in the state in junior quarterback Tevis Bartlett, who’s put up amazing numbers (1,335 rushing yards, 1,441 passing yards). They’ve been to the title game before and they know what it takes to win it. And, as if the orange and black needed this ugly reminder from a couple years back, the Thunderbirds know what it takes to beat the Mustangs in the playoffs. Did we mention that East has already beaten Natrona this year?
The pick: A big-school championship game hasn’t gone to overtime since the epic triple-overtime game between Cody and Laramie in the 1976 Class AA title game. This one might break that streak — and put an impossible end on a surreal season. Natrona 20, Cheyenne East 17, OT.

Last week: 7-3 (70 percent). This season: 245-52 (82 percent).

Each one of the title games is worth watching. So get your butt down to Laramie and do just that. If you can’t (like me), then let’s stay here and chat about it instead.

–patrick

The theme this weekend in Laramie is simple: retribution.

Four of this year’s five title games involve a one-loss team playing an undefeated team — and in every one of those games, the undefeated team gave the one-loss team its only loss of the season.

Gillette’s only loss? Natrona.

Star Valley’s only loss? Powell.

Lovell’s only loss? Lyman

Snake River’s only loss? Dubois.

The only classification in which that isn’t happening is 1A 11-man, where Southeast technically comes in with a 6-3 record after losing to Newcastle and Lusk in the regular season and notching a forfeit loss to Pine Bluffs. Even so, Lusk comes in unbeaten with Southeast one of its victims on the way.

So logic will tell us that the team that won in the regular season should also win the championship. If that happens, each classification would have an undefeated state champion.

And that is something the state has never seen with the five-classification setup.

In fact, we have the chance to see something we haven’t seen since 1977 — every state champ finishing unbeaten. The last time that happened, Cheyenne Central (10-0 in Class AA), Glenrock (9-0 in Class A) and Big Piney (9-0 in Class B) all finished unbeaten on their way to titles in ’77. Since the WHSAA re-instituted playoff brackets for all classifications in 1975, the undefeated sweep has only happened in one other year — the first year, 1975, when Natrona, Douglas and Pinedale all finished 10-0 seasons with state titles.

Undefeated state championship seasons are fairly common — about 40 percent of state champions in Wyoming finish unbeaten. But it’s super-rare to see an undefeated sweep, and, again, it’s never happened with the five-class setup.

However, I think it’s worth noting that a five-class sweep is easier now than ever before. Class 4A schools and Class 1A six-man schools don’t play anyone outside their classification or outside the state, while expanded conferences in the 3A, 2A and 1A 11-man classifications mean fewer chances to lose in the nonconference season to a team in a different classification or in another state. All too often since 1990, a five-class unbeaten sweep was snuffed out in Week 1 by a tough regional nonconference foe, often by a team in a higher classification. Those games don’t happen much anymore; hence, it’s easier for the five-class undefeated sweep to happen.

Gillette, Star Valley, Lovell, Southeast and Snake River would love nothing more than to be the team that spoils the undefeated sweep and hoists the trophy by exacting some revenge for that early season loss. But do any of those five actually stand a chance of beating the team that beat them in the regular season — in four of five cases, the ONLY team that beat them?

My picks are below.

Friday
* Class 1A six-man championship, (1N) Dubois vs. (1S) Snake River, noon. Simply put, this game is Dubois’ to lose. Ever since Dubois put a stop to Snake River’s 22-game winning streak in Week 2 with a 43-36 victory, the Rams have been the top team in six-man. And it seems like in examining every common opponent result, Dubois has done just a little bit better against every team it has had in common with Snake River than the Rattlers have this season. Call it Dubois, as I think the Rams will win the first state football championship in school history, but call it uncomfortably close against a program filled with pride, poise and two state championships in tow: Dubois 54, Snake River 48.
* Class 3A championship, (2W) Star Valley vs. (1W) Powell, 3 p.m. Here’s the conversation that happened last week:
Ring, ring.
“Hello?”
“Powell?”
“Yes, this is Powell.”
“Powell, hey, it’s Green River. Just calling to give you your wake-up call. The score is now 13-3.”
“OK. Thanks, Green River.”
“No problem.”
The undefeated defending state champion Panthers had been cruising until last week, when Green River put a bit of a surprise into Powell by hanging somewhat close before falling. To be honest, every championship team needs that, and for Powell, it may be better that they got that reality check in the semifinal round rather than in the first half of the title game. My bet is that Powell comes out focused for the title game. Of course, that’s not to say that the Braves won’t put up a good fight: Powell 20, Star Valley 16.

Saturday
* Class 2A championship, (2W) Lovell vs. (1W) Lyman, 10 a.m. If the weather forecasts I’m reading are correct, by this time on Saturday, the precipitation will already be falling in Laramie. That will make this game — already set up to be a defensive showdown between two of the top three defenses in 2A — even more of a slugfest. Forget the fact that these are the top two yardage AND scoring offenses in 2A. Defense has the advantage in this one. Because of that, I think this game will come down to the final possession, and the only reason I’m picking Lyman is because the home blues will show up better against the sky (and the stuff that will probably be falling from it) than Lovell’s road whites. And that’s the last time I pick a game based on uniform color. … Lyman 12, Lovell 8.
* Class 1A 11-man championship, (2E) Southeast vs. (1E) Lusk, 1 p.m. Everything these two teams do is predicated by defense. The formula for both teams is simple: stop the run first, defend the pass as necessary, force punts and turnovers. Both teams execute these plans really well. Remember Lusk 7, Southeast 6, earlier this year? I think it’ll be close again. I think one of these two teams will score late in the fourth quarter. I think someone’s going to go for the win rather than the tie. And I think that decision will effectively boil down the state championship to one three-yard play. Lusk 14, Southeast 13.
* Class 4A championship, (2) Gillette vs. (1) Natrona, 4 p.m. Yeah, yeah, I know. Gillette has Sheridan, Natrona has Kelly Walsh. But when two programs sustain excellence for as long as these two programs, a rivalry is natural. And this may be Class 4A’s best rivalry. Since 1993, Natrona has had just one losing season; since 1997, Gillette has had losing seasons just twice. For five consecutive years from 1999-2003, the Mustangs and Camels played against each other in the playoffs, including the title games in ’99 and ’03; they’ve also played each other in the postseason in 2007 and 2010. Points may be easier to come by than they were in the regular-season finale — after all, these are the top two offenses in 4A — but I think the Mustangs’ stout defense keeps Gillette’s offense in check just enough for NC to polish off an undefeated season. Natrona 28, Gillette 20.

For the second straight week, I’m making predictions that would buck a historically significant trend. And for the second straight week, I would not be surprised to see any one of the teams I’ve picked against make sure that history does, indeed, repeat itself. The margins I’ve outlined for each game should make it clear that I think every single game will come down to the last possession.

Quite simply, this may be the best set of five title games since the event moved to Laramie four years ago. Every single game should be a good one.

Kind of makes me sad I don’t live in Wyoming anymore. Kind of…

Last week: 8-2 (80 percent). This season: 252-44 (85 percent).

–patrick