Category Archives: Picks

The 2011 state title games. I’m picking the winners, you’re reading about it:

Class 4A
Cheyenne East (7-4) vs. Sheridan (10-1)
Any previous meetings? Sheridan beat East 44-14 on Oct. 21 in Cheyenne. Sheridan leads the series 20-11.
Any common opponents? Oh, a bunch. Cheyenne Central (Sheridan beat 31-12; East beat 21-14); Evanston (Sheridan beat 42-35; East beat 21-13 and 28-27 in overtime); Gillette (Sheridan beat 38-14 and 45-29; East lost 30-21); Kelly Walsh (Sheridan beat 55-14; East beat 52-7); Laramie  (Sheridan beat 35-19; East beat 29-6); Natrona (Sheridan lost 20-6; East lost 26-3 and beat 24-19); Rock Springs (Sheridan beat 28-0 and 42-12; East lost 27-6); Cheyenne South (Sheridan beat 62-6; East beat 49-6).
Recently? Sheridan had its last “scare” five weeks ago, a 35-19 victory over Laramie in the Gem City; since then, the Broncs have won every game by at least 16 points, including the 44-14 victory over East in the regular-season finale. East finished the regular season a pedestrian 5-4 but has shown incredible gusto to beat both Evanston and Natrona in the playoffs.
The pick? Sheridan. The Broncs have been really consistent all season long, including with their two big victories in the playoffs. Oh, and the Broncs have Jordan Roberts, the most consistent running back in the state.
Could I be wrong? Definitely. East is no fluke. The Thunderbirds have momentum and confidence, two ingredients that have created champions in the 4A classification in years past. Oh, and the Thunderbirds have Jeremy Woods, the most explosive running back in the state. And didn’t East just beat Natrona?
Kickoff? 4 p.m. Saturday. Bring a coat; it’ll be dark after the first quarter.

Class 3A
Powell (8-3) vs. Douglas (9-1)
Any previous meetings? None since the 2008 semifinals, when Douglas beat Powell 28-27 in double overtime. Powell leads the series 4-2.
Any common opponents? Seven. Buffalo (Douglas beat 27-21 and 20-14; Powell beat 20-17); Cody (Douglas beat 34-7 and 29-0; Powell beat 42-23); Green River (Douglas lost 32-15; Powell lost 38-14 and beat 23-21); Lander (Douglas beat 45-7; Powell beat 45-6); Riverton (Douglas beat 44-0; Powell beat 34-6); Star Valley (Douglas beat 27-7; Powell lost 19-13); Torrington (Douglas beat 52-8; Powell beat 49-0).
Recently? Douglas has won nine games in a row since losing the season opener to Green River; the run has included a pair of close victories over Buffalo, including last week’s 20-14 semifinal victory, and a bunch of blowouts. Powell has been on a roller coaster all season long, but is finally cashing in on the potential most observers thought they had entering the season by notching road playoff victories over Lander (45-6) and Green River (23-21).
The pick? Powell. The smart money is on Douglas and its consistency, but I have seen too many games won by emotion and momentum to know not to discount what the Panthers have been building the past couple weeks. After winning in the fashion they did last week, the Panthers have to feel like they’re the team of destiny.
Could I be wrong? Most people would say yes. Douglas is the more consistent team, the one riding that nine-game winning streak, the one more familiar with War Memorial, the one that comes in as the three-time defending 3A champion. If the Bearcats match the Panthers emotionally, the game is probably theirs to lose.
Kickoff? 3 p.m. Friday. If you’re wavering about whether to come down to Laramie early, this game should be enough to persuade you to hit the road before Saturday morning.

Class 2A
Lyman (10-1) vs. Lovell (10-0)
Any previous meetings? Lovell beat Lyman 21-7 on Sept. 16 in Lovell. Lovell leads the series 5-4.
Any common opponents? Six, seeing as they play in the same eight-team conference. Big Piney (Lovell beat 55-6; Lyman beat 47-0); Greybull (Lovell beat 24-13; Lyman beat 40-7); Kemmerer (Lovell beat 42-13; Lyman beat 41-0); Mountain View (Lovell beat 21-19; Lyman beat 27-0); Pinedale (Lovell beat 54-0; Lyman beat 48-6); Thermopolis (Lovell beat 32-13; Lyman beat 21-7).
Recently? The Bulldogs have been tested several times, but none greater than last week’s 23-20 skin-of-the-teeth victory over Newcastle in the state semifinals. Lyman, meanwhile, had won four straight games by at least 27 points before eking out a 22-14 victory against Glenrock in the semis.
The pick? Lovell. I think this one will be closer than the 21-7 victory Lovell had in the regular season, but you can’t overlook the fact that these two teams have already played each other and the Bulldogs won that game.
Could I be wrong? Maybe. Lyman is playing well right now — maybe even better than Lovell, if you just look at last week — and come in as the underdog with nothing to lose. That is a powerful position.
Kickoff? Noon Friday. We start the weekend with a great matchup.

Class 1A 11-man
Cokeville (9-1) vs. Southeast (10-0)
Any previous meetings? None since last year’s semifinals, when Cokeville beat Southeast 24-7. Series tied 4-4.
Any common opponents? Four. Lingle (Cokeville beat 33-6; Southeast beat 28-0); Lusk (Cokeville beat 28-7; Southeast beat 18-12); Riverside (Cokeville beat 48-0; Southeast beat 35-7); Shoshoni (Cokeville beat 49-0; Southeast beat 60-0).
Recently? Cokeville has won nine in a row since losing to Mountain View 6-3 in overtime in the season opener; the Panthers’ two playoff victories were their closest games in that stretch (33-6 over Lingle and 28-7 over Lusk). Southeast has won all 10 of its games this year; since back-to-back close ones against Lusk (18-12) and Pine Bluffs (26-6), the Cyclones have won every game by at least 28 points.
The pick? Cokeville. This game shapes up eerily similar to last year’s 1A 11-man championship game, and Cokeville took Lusk to task in its 26-6 victory. I don’t think either team will win by that much this time around, but Cokeville won a similar showdown last year.
Could I be wrong? Definitely. Southeast has been just as stingy on defense as Cokeville — the Cyclones have allowed 45 points all season, the Panthers 39. If anyone can stand up to the Panthers’ offense, it’s the Cyclones’ defense. I’ll go out on a limb and say the key stat in this game could be third-down conversions. The team that can put together two or three drives may be the one that wins, and that will require some big conversions.
Kickoff? 1 p.m. Saturday. The traditional Championship Saturday kick time goes to the small 11-man schools this year.

Class 1A six-man
Snake River (10-0) vs. Dubois (9-1)
Any previous meetings? Snake River beat Dubois 66-24 on Sept. 10 in Dubois.
Any common opponents? Of course; this is six-man. Farson (Snake River beat 63-30; Dubois beat 84-18); Hanna (Snake River beat 52-0; Dubois beat 66-6); Hulett (Snake River beat 72-15; Dubois beat 54-12); Kaycee (Snake River beat 66-6 and 66-15; Dubois beat 50-34); Meeteetse (Snake River beat 79-24; Dubois beat 65-0); Midwest (Snake River beat 68-52; Dubois beat 49-20 and 75-47); Ten Sleep (Snake River beat 45-6; Dubois beat 72-34).
Recently? The Rattlers were challenged sparingly in the regular season and have won their two playoff games by a combined 108 points. The Rams have won eight in a row with little trouble, as well, with a 16-point victory over Kaycee and last week’s 28-point victory over Midwest the closest calls.
The pick? Snake River. The Rattlers have been the class of six-man all season. They’re the defending champions and they’re on a 20-game winning streak. And they beat Dubois by 42 points earlier this season.
Could I be wrong? Maybe, but probably not. The Rams have a lot of ground to make up to catch up to the Rattlers, although comparatively the Rams’ scores against common opponents match up fairly well with the Rattlers’ scores.
Kickoff? 10 a.m. Saturday. Wake up early, lazy bones. It’ll be worth it.

I know you have some thoughts and want to make some predictions, too. Chip in what you’re thinking about this weekend’s games by commenting below.

–patrick

You know how I do this by now. Let’s get right into it:

1. Which road team do you think is most likely to win this weekend? (My answer: Lyman. The Eagles have been one of the most consistent teams in 2A this year, with their only loss coming against top-ranked Lovell in Lovell. The only question that remains is how Lyman will play with the added pressure of a state championship game berth on the line. The last three times Lyman has made it to the semifinals (2000, 2004, 2006), the Eagles have lost.)

2. Which bracket is most likely to see BOTH road teams win? (My answer: The Class 4A bracket. And it’s not because the top seeds, Natrona and Sheridan, are primed for upsets. Neither one of those squads has shown that. Instead, I base this answer on the fact that, in the 4A playoffs, you can’t take anything for granted. The two road teams in this semifinal round, Gillette and Cheyenne East, have proven capable of beating anyone, anywhere. If the ball bounces a bit weird, if turnovers go the wrong way, if the focus is on War Memorial and not on the semifinals… we could see a couple upsets. By the way, did you notice that both 4A games this week are rematches from Week 5? Weird.)

3. Which top seed is likely to have the toughest time winning this weekend? (My answer: In addition to Glenrock, which I have already mentioned, I think Douglas will get a tremendous challenge from Buffalo. Douglas won the regular-season meeting by the skin of its teeth — 27-21 — and should get the same sort of challenge from the Bison this time around, too. Also, Buffalo has already proven it can go on the road in the playoffs and win.)

4. Which regular-season rematch is the most intriguing game of the postseason? (My answer: Midwest-Dubois. The regular-season meeting wasn’t all that close — Dubois won 49-20 — but that was also in Week 1. Since that time, Midwest has improved tremendously, particularly on offense; the Oilers have scored at least 52 points in every game since, and the 52-spot was put up in a loss to top-ranked Snake River. Of course, since a Week 2 loss to Snake River, Dubois has scored at least 50 points in every game….)

5. If you could attend any of these 10 games, which one would you go to? (My answer: Lusk-Cokeville. The rematch of last year’s 1A 11-man title game should be a good one. Lusk’s defense has allowed just 47 points all season, while Cokeville has given up just 32. With points likely at a premium, the game will come down to the fundamentals — protecting the ball, converting third downs, kicking. Whichever team can do the fundamentals the best will win. And that can be really fun to watch, because the margin between victory and defeat is so small.)

Onto the picks, with projected winners in bold:

Friday
Class 4A
(4) Cheyenne East at (1) Natrona: The Mustangs are undefeated and may be playing their best football of the season. Dangerous combo. 6 p.m. (NC 37-15)
(3) Gillette at (2) Sheridan: I’m still impressed with how easily Sheridan dispatched Gillette in the Energy Bowl. I anticipate a closer game the second time around, but the game is still Sheridan’s to lose. 6 p.m. (She 39-26-1)
Class 3A
(3E) Buffalo at (1E) Douglas: This might be the game of the week. Douglas won the regular-season game 27-21; since then, both teams have shown their ability to win some big ones. This one might be even closer than the regular-season game. 7 p.m. (Buf 34-26)
(3W) Powell at (1W) Green River: Speaking of “should be closer than the regular-season game,” this one between the Panthers and Wolves meets that criteria, too. The Wolves blasted the Panthers two weeks ago and are the favorites to win here, too, but I would anticipate a better challenge from Powell the second time around. 7 p.m. (tied 5-5)
Class 2A
(2W) Lyman at (1E) Glenrock: Lyman is the only road team I am picking this week. The Eagles have been my No. 2 team in 2A most of the season (behind Lovell), and I think their depth will help see them through a long road trip. 7 p.m. (Glk 2-1)
(2E) Newcastle at (1W) Lovell: The Dogies showed last week that they’re no slouch. And they’ll push Lovell. But week in and week out, Lovell has taken the best shots from numerous teams and has always been up to the challenge. 7 p.m. (Lov 10-4)
Class 1A 11-man
(2E) Lusk at (1W) Cokeville: Like I mentioned above, points may be at a premium in this one. Having the home field will definitely help the Panthers in this one. 1 p.m. (Cok 2-0)
(2W) Riverside at (1E) Southeast: We all knew the Cyclones were good. After the way they demolished Shoshoni in the quarterfinals, I now say the Cyclones are officially scary. 6 p.m. (SE 2-0)
Class 1A six-man
(2N) Kaycee at (1S) Snake River: One number to remember for this game: 60. That’s how many points Snake River beat Kaycee by in the regular season (66-6). Noon. (SR 3-1)
(2S) Midwest at (1N) Dubois: As I mentioned above, Midwest will push Dubois harder than it did in Week 1, and points may be a little bit easier to come by than they were back in early September. A fourth-quarter defensive stand may decide this one. 2 p.m. (tied 5-5)

Semifinal picks, in the books. What are your picks for the second-to-last week of the season? Feel free to comment below with your thoughts about who might be going to Laramie and who might be staying home.

–patrick

Five questions worth asking before the quarterfinal round starts on Friday — and five questions I would love to see you answer in the comments section below:

1. Which road team do you think is most likely to win on Friday? (My answer: Thermopolis. After a rough start, the Bobcats have played very well — and Thermop is no stranger to winning in the postseason.)

2. Which road team in the first round has the best chance of hosting a game in the second round — or, in simpler terms, which bracket half is most likely to see BOTH road teams win? (My answer: Powell. The Panthers were solid, if unspectacular, all season long. They never got that true breakthrough victory. That might be coming against Lander on the road. Next to them on the bracket is Green River-Riverton, and although Green River is the prohibitive favorite, Riverton has given fits to enough good teams for them to be a threat in the 3A bracket, no matter their seed.)

3. Which top seed is likely to have the toughest time winning on Friday? (My answer: Lovell. I’ve mentioned before that Burns is playing really, really well right now. The Broncs will push the Bulldogs to their limits on Friday.)

4. Which regular-season rematch is the most intriguing game of the postseason? (My answer: Central-Gillette. Ha. I also said this in my 2010 quarterfinal picks post. … That said, Central beat Gillette 41-34 in the regular season, but only after the Indians almost gave away a huge lead in the second half. The Camels don’t want to fall that far behind to start; the Indians don’t want it to be as interesting as late as their last meeting was.)

5. If you could attend any of these 20 games, which one would you go to? (My answer: Thermopolis at Newcastle. Newcastle is hosting a playoff game for just the second time since 1960, and I am anticipating a loud crowd at Schoonmaker Field on Saturday. A playoff game has been a rare occurrence the Weston County seat, and with the game pushed back to Saturday to accommodate the 2A West play-in on Tuesday, everyone in Newcastle should be there taking in the contest. For a community that hasn’t had the chance to do that very often, it would be cool to see.)

A couple other random thoughts worth mentioning before I get into the picks:

In the 1A six-man bracket, three of the four games are matchups that did not occur during the regular season. In a classification where schools play eight of the nine opponents possible, the fact that three of the four first-round playoff games pit teams that haven’t played each other yet this season is really odd. …

I just realized no school that starts with a W has a team in the playoffs this year. Wheatland, Wind River, Worland, Wright and Wyoming Indian all missed the postseason this year. …

OK, onto the picks. Projected winners in bold, seeds in parentheses, series records — including 2011 games where applicable — at the end of each pick:

Friday
Class 4A
(8) Laramie at (1) Natrona: Natrona has been unbeatable all season long and pretty much dominated the Plainsmen the last time they saw each other. 7 p.m. (NC 44-34-1)
(5) Evanston at (4) Cheyenne East: Don’t know who to pick in this one, but I’ll take East because (1) the Thunderbirds are at home and (2) the T-Birds have already beaten Evanston once this season at home. Of course, we all remember what happened in last year’s East-Evanston playoff game…. Regular-season results don’t mean much. 6 p.m. (CE 15-9)
(6) Cheyenne Central at (3) Gillette: This may have been the worst possible draw for Gillette in the first round of the playoffs. The Indians have already beaten the Camels this season, so Central’s confidence won’t be a question. However, I think Gillette will make the right adjustments to not fall behind big early like they did in Cheyenne a few weeks ago. 7 p.m. (CC 24-22)
(7) Rock Springs at (2) Sheridan: Quite honestly, the most dangerous team in the bracket might be the Tigers because of just how unpredictable they can be. Don’t think that Sheridan isn’t aware of that. 6 p.m. (She 13-4-2)
Class 3A
(4W) Cody at (1E) Douglas: Douglas already has a victory over Cody this season. And it was pretty decisive. 7 p.m. (Dou 2-0)
(3E) Buffalo at (2W) Star Valley: This is one of the most intriguing games of any bracket. I’ve mentioned it on this blog before, but the difference in this game might be the fact that the Braves are playing in Afton, and they always seem to play better at home. 6 p.m. (Buf 3-2)
(3W) Powell at (2E) Lander: This may be the hardest game of the week to pick. I love what Lander has done this season and I think they’ve got a great shot to win at home. But there’s something about the Panthers that can’t let me give up on them yet. 6 p.m. (Pow 35-27)
(4E) Riverton at (1W) Green River: The Wolves are red hot right now. The Wolverines will be game but I don’t think anyone can stop Green River right now. 7 p.m. (GR 20-10)
Class 2A
(3E) Big Horn at (2W) Lyman: Don’t overlook the Eagles — they’ve quietly been one of the most consistent teams in the classification this year. 2 p.m. (First meeting)
(4E) Burns at (1W) Lovell: I mentioned this last week and I still think it’s true: The only team in the 2A bracket hotter than Burns is Lovell. 7 p.m. (Lov 1-0)
Class 1A 11-man
(4W) Shoshoni at (1E) Southeast: Both squads had fast starts to their seasons. The Cyclones’ finish has been a bit stronger than the Wranglers’, though. 6 p.m. (First meeting)
(3W) Saratoga at (2E) Lusk: The Tigers’ recent shutout streak has been impressive, but don’t overlook the fact that Lusk’s offense has averaged 40 points per game in that five-game stretch, too. 6 p.m. (Lus 8-2)
Class 1A six-man
(4S) Farson at (1N) Dubois: Dubois is a long ways from everywhere, so home-field advantage will definitely be a huge part of the Rams’ postseason success this year. 2 p.m. (Dub 4-0)
(3N) Ten Sleep at (2S) Midwest: The Pioneers have what it takes to push the Oilers a bit in this one, but Midwest’s offense has been on fire lately. 6 p.m. (TS 10-5)
(3S) Hanna at (2N) Kaycee: This is the only six-man playoff game that is a rematch of a regular-season meeting — and Kaycee won that game by 30. 1 p.m. (tied 1-1)
(4N) Hulett at (1S) Snake River: The real question in the six-man bracket this year is if any team can actually play a close game with the Rattlers. Noon. (First meeting)

Saturday
Class 2A
(4W) Kemmerer at (1E) Glenrock: If the Herders have not yet recovered from their Burns hangover, the Rangers have what it takes to make this one close. 1 p.m. (Kem 6-4)
(3W) Thermopolis at (2E) Newcastle: Game of the week in the 2A bracket. Thermopolis’ postseason experience, coupled with the momentum built from Tuesday’s play-in victories, has me leaning toward the Bobcats. 1 p.m. (The 16-7)
Class 1A 11-man
(3E) Sundance at (2W) Riverside: This one may end up close, but the Rebels have shown all season long they know how to win the close ones. 1 p.m. (Rsd 1-0)
(4E) Lingle at (1W) Cokeville: Right now, the only ones that can stop the Panthers are the Panthers. 1 p.m. (Cok 5-1)

Thoughts? Want to try to answer the questions I posed above? Chip in your $.02 worth below.

–patrick

Technically, the playoffs start next week.

In reality, for four teams, the playoffs start Friday.

Worland, Cody, Meeteetse and Hulett all play unofficial play-in games in their final games of the regular season. The winner of Worland-Cody earns the No. 4 seed from the Class 3A West Conference and will travel to play Douglas in the first round; the winner of Meeteetse-Hulett earns the fourth seed from the Class 1A six-man North Conference and makes the trip to Baggs to play Snake River in that classification’s quarterfinal round.

Win, you keep playing next week. Lose, you don’t. Just like the playoffs. Simple as that.

Worland has to make the trip to Cody to play the Broncs; the game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Both squads have identical 1-4 conference records, having both beat Jackson, but Worland sports two more victories overall thanks to nonconference victories over Rawlins and Torrington. Cody, meanwhile, is just 1-7 this season after four nonconference losses and an 0-5 start to the season.

In six-man, Meeteetse makes the long trip across the northern half of the state to face Hulett in a 2 p.m. game. The two teams were rivals in the old nine-man league of the early 1990s — the Longhorns beat the Red Devils in the 1993 nine-man championship game — but they haven’t played each other since 1994. Both teams are winless in conference play, but Hulett has experienced the thrill of victory over three South Conference teams while Meeteetse is 0-7.

I’m keeping the picks simple here; I’m going with the home teams, Cody and Hulett.

And, just maybe, the winners of these two games will benefit in a way their first-round opponents can’t: They’ll already understand the feeling of what it really means to play in a playoff atmosphere. After all, that’s what this week basically is for these four teams.

(Cody leads Worland series 38-32-1; Meeteetse-Hulett series is tied 3-3.)

Here are the rest of this week’s picks, with projected winners in bold. If your computer can’t read bold type, you’ll just have to trust me (and you should probably buy a new computer):

Thursday
Class 1A 11-man
Wyoming Indian at Shoshoni: The Wranglers have been swooning a bit as of late — losers of three of four — but they have the added push of wanting to get into the postseason playing in their favor. 6 p.m. (Sho 22-6-1)
Friday
Class 4A
Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne Central: KW will probably keep it close and interesting, but the Indians have too much firepower — and too much momentum from three straight solid victories. 6 p.m. (CC 22-15)
Laramie at Evanston: Just like the KW-Central game, this one pits one team trying to make the playoffs against one team that’s already guaranteed its place in the postseason. 7 p.m. (Lar 11-10)
Natrona at Gillette: It’s always — ALWAYS — tough for NC to win in Gillette. Mustangs haven’t won there since 2004. Don’t be surprised to see the Camels pull off the upset in this one, especially since both teams already have playoff seeds secured. I’m still picking NC, though…. 7 p.m. (NC 34-17)
Rock Springs at Cheyenne South: The quickly improving Tigers know if they win, they’re in. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Sheridan at Cheyenne East: It’s a long trip and the T-Birds are a good team, but Sheridan has been on quite a roll lately. 6 p.m. (She 19-11)
Class 3A
Buffalo at Rawlins: I’ll be honest: When working through playoff scenarios earlier this week, I worked through all the scenarios where Buffalo lost. Then I realized that Buffalo was playing Rawlins and those scenarios were worthless. 6 p.m. (Buf 15-2-1)
Douglas at Torrington: The Bearcats already know their playoff seed, but they don’t want to lose any momentum in the final week of the regular season. 7 p.m. (Tor 54-26-2)
Jackson at Star Valley: How will the Braves respond to a difficult loss last week? That question, plus the rivalry game angle, makes this one a bit more unpredictable than you’d think. 7 p.m. (SV 59-14)
Powell at Green River: Both of these teams are playing at a really high level right now. Both teams are threats to win the state title. Both want home-field advantage in the first two rounds. Game of the week? Try game of the year. 7 p.m. (Pow 5-4)
Riverton at Lander: The Tigers have been one of the most pleasant surprise teams this season. They want to make sure to win the big one, though — the one the folks in Fremont County will be talking about all offseason, no matter what else happens the rest of the year. 6 p.m. (Riv 58-49-7)
Class 2A
Big Horn at Newcastle: This is a big one in terms of playoff positioning. The winner guarantees a home playoff game but, thanks to 2A’s parity, doesn’t guarantee an easier trip to Laramie. Taking the Dogies just because it’s a home game for them. 7 p.m. (BH 2-0)
Burns at Wright: Is there a hotter team in 2A right now than Burns? Other than maybe the Broncs’ first-round playoff opponent, Lovell, maybe not. 7 p.m. (Wri 11-7)
Greybull at Lyman: Oooohhh. Loving this matchup. Both teams would love to win this one to keep the momentum going into the playoffs. 3 p.m. (tied 5-5)
Lovell at Big Piney: These two teams have been experiencing long seasons in 2011 for completely different reasons. 3:30 p.m. (Lov 5-3)
Moorcroft at Glenrock: The Herders’ loss last week may just be the wake-up call they’ve been searching for. They are more dangerous now than ever before. 7 p.m. (Glk 11-7-1)
Mountain View at Kemmerer: Don’t overlook this game on your 2A schedule this week. It won’t mean much next week, but there is a lot of pride on the line and two good teams clashing that want to end the season right. 3 p.m. (MV 17-15)
Thermopolis at Pinedale: The Bobcats know they can’t afford a slip-up here. 7 p.m. (The 4-0)
Class 1A 11-man
Burlington at Cokeville: The Panthers of 2011 are looking a lot like the Panthers of 2010. And we all know how that turned out. 1 p.m. (Cok 10-1)
Lingle at Southeast: All season, it hasn’t mattered who Southeast lines up against. The Cyclones just win. 6 p.m. (SE 22-10)
Riverside at Wind River: The Cougars need a lot to go their way to make it into the postseason. The most critical is a win here. The problem is they’re playing a Riverside team that has won five in a row. 6 p.m. (Rsd 11-9)
Saratoga at Rocky Mountain: That is a really long trip, but the Panthers know what’s at stake: In every scenario, if Saratoga wins, it’s in the playoffs. 4 p.m. (RM 4-0)
Sundance at Normative Services: The Wolves’ last win came in 2009… over Sundance… in Sheridan… in the final game of the regular season. Tread carefully, Bulldogs. 7 p.m. (tie 1-1)
Upton at Lusk: Is consecutive shutout No. 5 within Lusk’s reach this week? 7 p.m. (Lus 9-5)
Class 1A six-man
Farson at Snake River: Both teams already have their postseason invitations set. That doesn’t mean they won’t take this one seriously. Noon. (SR 4-2)
Hanna at Ten Sleep: This one is an interesting showdown of the two No. 3 seeds in the postseason. It will be fun to see how the middle of the North stacks up against the middle of the South. 1 p.m. (Han 2-0)
Interclass
Wheatland at Natrona JV: The 2011 season sort of spiraled away from the Bulldogs, but a victory here could be enough to point the program in the right direction for 2012. 5 p.m. (NA)
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Guernsey: Since losing to Snake River, the Rams have won five in a row — by an average of 44 points per game. 2 p.m. (Gue 1-0)
Midwest at Kaycee: Speaking of North vs. South, here’s another one. The two No. 2 seeds in six-man face off in the final week of the regular season. Once again, it’ll be interesting here to see how two like seeds from the two conferences match up. 3 p.m. (Kay 3-1)
Open: Pine Bluffs

There it is. Those are my final picks for the 2011 regular season. What do you think? Feel free to post a comment below and we can start talking matchups this week, matchups next week, matchups you want to see in Laramie….

–patrick

Six-man football was designed for schools like Midwest.

Since winning the Class B title in 1979, success was always limited at the 11-man level for the Oilers; the school’s second and last state championship, in 1991, came at the nine-man level.

Between 1992 and 2007, the Oilers won just 22 percent of their games, going 26-91. The only winning season in that stretch came in 2002, when Midwest finished 4-3 after abandoning its varsity season due to low numbers and playing a hodgepodge schedule of JV squads and Meeteetse. Of those 26 victories, nine came against the junior varsity or sophomore teams from other schools, meaning that in 17 years of play, Midwest beat varsity teams from other schools a grand total of 17 times.

All that changed in 2008, when Midwest adopted six-man football. In the three-plus years that the Oilers have been playing six-man full-time, they have 16 victories against varsity teams from other schools — just one victory short of the total of the previous 17 seasons combined.

In 2008, the Oilers played a makeshift schedule of six-man games and went 5-4, including victories in their final four games of the season. That momentum carried over into 2009, when the state sanctioned six-man football, as Midwest won its first six games of the season and eventually reached the state semifinals.

After a 4-5 season in 2010, Midwest is back on a roll again this season. Since losing to Dubois 49-20 in Week 1, the Oilers have won five games in a row — all by at least 37 points — heading into Friday night’s game with Snake River, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday in Midwest.

Therein lies the rub. Six-man football was designed for schools like Snake River, too.

The Rattlers are the defending state champions. They finished 10-0 last year, winning big most of the time and winning the state title game by 55 points. They’re 6-0 this year and have won every game by at least 39 points. That 16-game winning streak is the longest in the state right now. The only time the Rattlers have played the Oilers, the Rattlers won — 68-19 in Baggs in last year’s regular-season finale.

All this from a school that, prior to 2009, last fielded a football team in 1958.

Thus far, Snake River has proven to be the class of six-man football this season. They’ll probably win the state championship in November in Laramie. They’ll probably make it 20 in a row with that victory. They’ll probably win on Friday and wrap up six-man’s South Conference championship in doing so. I’m picking the Rattlers to win Friday.

But that doesn’t change the fact that, for schools like Midwest, Snake River and the other eight schools in the classification, six-man is the right fit. Six-man football was designed for schools like these. Now that they finally have the chance to play it full-time, or play it at all, we can see how true that actually is.

Here are the rest of my Week 7 picks, with projected winners in bold and projected upset-makers in the regular type:

Thursday
Class 4A
Evanston at Cheyenne East: Maybe this is the week Evanston finally wins a close game. 7 p.m. (CE 14-9)
Class 2A
Lyman at Pinedale: The Eagles have been rolling all season long. No reason for that trend to stop now. 6 p.m. (Pin 38-28)
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Rock Springs: I’m really impressed with what Rock Springs did last week. But I’m also really impressed with what Central did last week. 7 p.m. (CC 40-18-4)
Gillette at Cheyenne South: Back-to-back trips to Cheyenne for the Camels. Last one didn’t go too well. This one should be better. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Kelly Walsh at Sheridan: Sheridan has won five in a row, but the past couple years KW has given Sheridan some trouble, especially in games in Sheridan. 7 p.m. (She 27-21)
Laramie at Natrona: Here’s a number for you: Laramie gave up 35 points last week. Natrona has given up 35 points all season. 7 p.m. (NC 43-34-1)
Class 3A
Cody at Powell: It’s always a donnybrook when these two old rivals meet, but Powell has two advantages: they have a better record so far this season and they’re playing at home. 7 p.m. (Cod 59-47-4)
Douglas at Riverton: The Bearcats can’t overlook the Wolverines, who have been good enough to cause problems for some really strong teams. 7 p.m. (Riv 19-10-1)
Green River at Star Valley: By far the game of the week in 3A this week, this game will have a huge say in determining which team earns the West Conference championship. Both teams are on fire right now and neither one wants to see that momentum slowed. Coin flip. 7 p.m. (SV 32-30-5)
Jackson at Worland: This one is basically a must-win for both squads if they want to maintain any hope of making the playoffs. 6 p.m. (Wor 18-10)
Lander at Rawlins: These Tigers are the real deal. They proved that last week. 7 p.m. (tied 26-26-1)
Torrington at Buffalo: How will the Bison react after last week’s devastating loss? Oh, fine — if they want to go to the playoffs, that is. 6 p.m. (Tor 19-15)
Class 2A
Big Piney at Greybull: The Buffs suffered a tough loss last week. The winless Punchers should provide Greybull a nice confidence booster. 7 p.m. (BP 5-3)
Glenrock at Burns: Burns has experienced a nice turnaround in the second half of the season. Glenrock hasn’t had to turn anything around all season. Advantage Herders. 7 p.m. (Glk 4-1)
Kemmerer at Lovell: The Rangers’ big victory last week doesn’t change the fact that Lovell is Lovell, and Lovell is probably the best team in 2A right now. 6 p.m. (Kem 14-11)
Mountain View at Thermopolis: In the middle of the 2A West, this game is as big as it gets. The winner gets to keep thinking about the postseason; the loser is all but finished after Week 8, barring something really weird. As is tradition, I take the home team when I can’t decide between what looks like two even teams on paper…. 7 p.m. (The 6-5)
Newcastle at Wheatland: Just like Mountain View-Thermopolis, this game may be a make-or-break game in the East. At this point, Wheatland needs this game more desperately than Newcastle does, but desperation treads mighty close to panic sometimes. 7 p.m. (Whe 20-19-2)
Wright at Moorcroft: The Wolves have been quietly improving every week. Now it’s just a matter of putting it all together. 1 p.m. (Wri 15-10)
Class 1A 11-man
Normative Services at Lusk: The only question here is if the Tigers can continue their streak of shutouts to four. 7 p.m. (Lus 2-0)
Pine Bluffs at Lingle: The Doggers could create a big jumble for the third and fourth playoff spots in the East if they can beat the Hornets. I see this game as a toss-up, but I’m picking Pine Bluffs because I really don’t want to spend all the time I’m going to have to spend working on tiebreaker scenarios if Lingle does win this one. 7:30 p.m. (Lin 34-22-2)
Rocky Mountain at Burlington: The Huskies just keep losing the close ones. The law of averages has to catch up with them sometime. 2 p.m. (RM 12-3)
Shoshoni at Saratoga: Call me crazy, but there’s something I like about the Panthers at home in a game that looks like it may be decided by a field goal or extra point or safety. 3 p.m. (Sar 7-4)
Southeast at Upton: Katie bar the door, trouble’s a-comin’ north. The Cyclones just never seem to regress from week to week; they always get better. 7 p.m. (SE 6-1)
Wind River at Cokeville: Speaking of always getting better, let’s not forget Cokeville. The Panthers have outscored their 1A West opponents 240-13. Yikes. 2 p.m. (Cok 14-5)
Wyoming Indian at Riverside: The Rebels have the inside track to a home playoff game and don’t want to blow that chance. 7 p.m. (Rsd 8-1)
Class 1A six-man
Hanna at Farson: This game is all about playoff seeding, even though a win here probably only affects where the winner will go in the first round of the playoffs. 2 p.m. (Han 8-2)
Interstate
Sundance at Hill City, S.D.: The Bulldogs’ mojo was pinched back a bit last week by Lusk, but Sundance should rebound strong in South Dakota. 6:30 p.m. (Sun 11-4)
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Guernsey at Meeteetse: A lot of pride is on the line here in a game between two winless teams. 1 p.m. (Met 1-0)
Hulett at Dubois: Hulett has played well in spurts this season; Dubois has played well consistently all season long. 1 p.m. (Hul 2-0)
Kaycee at Ten Sleep: Wanna play your first-round game at home? Or on the road? 2 p.m. (Kay 2-1)
Open: Big Horn.

I have said this a few times on this blog, but every once and a while it bears repeating: I love it when I miss picks. When a team I pick against finds a way to win, I get excited. The most boring sport is one that’s predictable. Being wrong 20-25% of the time is what keeps me interested in Wyoming high school football week after week, year after year.

What do you think? You know how we roll by now. If you have something to say, you should say it below.

–patrick

Outside of Cokeville, little is certain in the Class 1A West Conference this season.

Every team has at least one conference victory, but only two of the eight teams have conference records better than .500.

If the playoffs started today, three schools (Burlington, Saratoga and Shoshoni) would be tied for two playoff spots.

One school (Rocky Mountain) has won a conference game by 50 points and lost one by 55. Another (Wind River) has its three conference losses by a combined 16 points but notched its lone league victory by a 47-point margin. Yet another (Burlington) has a combined margin of victory in its two league victories of 41 points and a combined margin of defeat in its two league losses of eight.

As mentioned, the lone exception in this league is Cokeville, which has won its conference games by scores of 48-0, 41-7, 49-0 and 55-0. The defending 1A champions are clearly the class of the conference.

Behind the Panthers, though, it’s a jumble. And that makes every game really, really exciting.

Every game means something now in the 1A West. There are absolutely no throwaways in this conference this year.

Such is the case this week, as three crucial conference games (and a Cokeville game) are lined up: Burlington at Wind River, Saratoga at Riverside and Shoshoni at Rocky Mountain.

The Burlington-Wind River game (6 p.m. Friday; series tied 7-7) is crucial for both teams; Burlington can jump to 3-2 in conference play with a victory, while Wind River, at 1-3 in league play, basically needs to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive in this competitive conference.

Shoshoni makes the trip to Cowley to play Rocky Mountain (4 p.m. Friday; Rocky Mountain leads series 10-6) in a game that may end up deciding the playoff fate of both squads. Rocky Mountain has lost three in a row after opening the conference slate with a 56-6 victory over Wyoming Indian, while Shoshoni has lost two in a row after starting conference play with narrow victories over both Wind River (29-20) and Burlington (41-36).

Saratoga, meanwhile, goes to Basin to play Riverside (6 p.m. Friday; Riverside leads series 2-1) in what might be the most intriguing game on the schedule in any classification. The Rebels, at 3-1, are the only team besides Cokeville to have a league record better than .500. Saratoga is one of the three teams in the conference at 2-2, but the Panthers have won two games in a row, including last week’s 22-21 thriller over Wind River.

Cokeville, the dominant force in an otherwise parity-filled league, travels to Ethete to face Wyoming Indian (6 p.m. Friday; Cokeville leads series 3-0).

What sets this conference apart is its parity. And I’m not talking about the kind of parity where every game is close, but in the end you know who’s going to win and you see final league standings that read 7-0, 6-1, 5-2, 4-3, 3-4, 2-5, 1-6 and 0-7. Nope. Not this year. This year, we’re talking about real parity, where every team has a chance to beat any other team (except if you’re playing Cokeville, of course). And we may see conference standings that end up something like 7-0, 4-3, 4-3, 3-4, 3-4, 3-4, 2-5 and 2-5. That makes every game, every victory and every loss, critical. No one game will define the season, but one game may make or break a playoff dream.

This week, I will keep my choices simple: Cokeville, Riverside, Shoshoni and Burlington. But, outside of Cokeville, by no means do I make any choice in the 1A West this year with confidence. There’s just too much parity between spots two and seven.

Yet, that is what keeps me so interested in this conference this year. I find myself anticipating the 1A West games more heavily than any other games on the schedule. I can’t wait to see who wins and what the margins look like. It’s strangely enthralling to not know who will win any given week.

Maybe that’s how it should always be. Maybe we’re just lucky to have the chance to see such interesting results come from the 1A West this fall.

Here are my other picks for the week, with my projected winners in the kind of type that makes it appear more thick than the other kinds of type on this page:

Thursday
Interclass
Scottsbluff, Neb., JV at Southeast: The Cyclones are rolling right now, although I would anticipate the Bearcat JV will give Southeast a little bit of a tussle. 6 p.m. (NA)
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne East at Rock Springs: One statistic that football nerds like to look at is points per yard. The lower the ratio, the more efficient your scoring is. Both these teams had pretty high ratios last week. Scoring when the chance presents itself will be key. 7 p.m. (CE 20-17)
Cheyenne South at Kelly Walsh: KW has too much to lose to let this one sneak up on it. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Gillette at Cheyenne Central: The Camels probably won’t take too kindly to this losing thing; the Indians would love to make losing a trend for the purple and gold and will make it interesting. 7 p.m. (CC 23-22)
Natrona at Evanston: That’s a long road trip, but the Mustangs — especially the defense — have proven they are up for any challenge this season. 6 p.m. (NC 9-4)
Sheridan at Laramie: After a big win in the Energy Bowl, there is always concern about a letdown. If the Broncs do that, the Plainsmen have proven they have what it takes to pull off the upset. 7 p.m. (Lar 43-29)
Class 3A
Buffalo at Lander: Lander’s undefeated start came to an abrupt end last week against Douglas. Playing Buffalo the week after that just doesn’t seem fair. 7 p.m. (Buf 9-1)
Green River at Jackson: With Powell’s stunning loss last week, the Wolves may be 3A’s new team to beat. However, they have to prove they deserve that title in games like this one. 7 p.m. (GR 26-8-2)
Rawlins at Douglas: The last time Rawlins won in Douglas (2000), the Outlaws went on to win the state championship…. so if the Outlaws can somehow pull off the huge upset, go ahead and start engraving that state title trophy. Even so, I don’t think the Bearcats are keen on letting Rawlins pull off an upset that big, especially at Bearcat Stadium. 7 p.m. (Dou 19-9)
Star Valley at Cody: Looking for two squads that are improving rapidly? Look no further. The only problem is that one team will have its momentum abruptly paused once this game is done. 7 p.m. (SV 14-8)
Torrington at Riverton: The Trailblazers made up for a lot of lost time last week, but the Wolverines, especially at home, will probably be too much. 6:30 p.m. (Riv 7-6)
Worland at Powell: I’m sure the Panthers are ready to take the aggression built up by last week’s loss out on someone. 7 p.m. (Wor 39-29)
Class 2A
Glenrock at Wright: The Herders’ biggest tests are now behind them. 7 p.m. (Glk 14-2)
Lyman at Mountain View: Bridger Valley Bowl! This game has more playoff implications than it’s had since, oh, 2000. A huge game for these longtime rivals. Should be a great one, maybe the best game of the week in any class. 4 p.m. (MV 42-29)
Moorcroft at Big Horn: The Rams picked up a big victory last week over Wheatland and want to keep that momentum rolling. 1 p.m. (BH 24-20-1)
Pinedale at Big Piney: Somebody has to win this game in a matchup of two winless teams. Turnovers will probably swing this one in a game that looks close on paper. 4 p.m. (BP 54-42)
Thermopolis at Lovell: Every time a team has tried to push Lovell, the Bulldogs have pushed back. The Bobcats will push Lovell, too, but so far Lovell has responded to those challenges all season long. 7 p.m. (The 42-30)
Wheatland at Burns: As long as the Bulldogs don’t dwell too much on last week’s heartbreaker to Big Horn, they will be in good shape for a run at the postseason. 7 p.m. (tied 1-1)
Class 1A 11-man
Lusk at Sundance: Yes, the Bulldogs notched a nice victory last week against Lingle. But Lusk is not Lingle. 3 p.m. (Lus 21-3)
Normative Services at Lingle: The Doggers need this one if they want to maintain any hope of making it to the playoffs. 7:30 p.m. (Lin 3-0)
Pine Bluffs at Upton: After a couple tough losses in a row, the Hornets have a good chance to get back on track against the Bobcats. 5 p.m. (PB 3-1)
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Hanna: It’s a rough two-week stretch for Hanna: Snake River last week, Dubois this week. Oof. 3 p.m. (Dub 11-6)
Kaycee at Snake River: It will be interesting to see if the Buckaroos can push the Rattlers a bit. So far, no one in six-man really has accomplished that feat. 2 p.m. (SR 2-1)
Saturday
Class 2A
Greybull at Kemmerer: Long trip, Saturday game… The circumstances might be there for a Kemmerer upset if the Buffs take them lightly. Even so, I think Greybull players will have their heads in the right place for this one, a game they can’t really afford to lose. 2 p.m. (Kem 6-5)
Class 1A six-man
Farson at Hulett: One number to think about in this one: 405. That’s how many miles it is from Farson to Hulett, one way. The Pronghorns may want to think about leaving on Thursday just to make sure they get there in time…. 1 p.m. (First meeting)
Midwest at Guernsey: The Oilers have not-so-quietly been putting together a solid four-game winning streak. Win this one, and it’s five in a row heading into next week’s showdown with Snake River. 3 p.m. (Gue 9-5)
Ten Sleep at Meeteetse: It would be easy for Ten Sleep to overlook Meeteetse, especially with a big game with Kaycee coming up next week. If they do, they might pay. Don’t count on it, though. 2 p.m. (TS 27-21-1)
Open: Newcastle.

So am I on the mark this week? Or is my aim a little off? Let me know what you’re expecting out of Week 6 with a comment below.

–patrick

Newcastle’s road back to legitimacy was a long one.

Midway through the 2011 season, though, we can see the Dogies are not just legit — they might just be a little bit dangerous, too.

Since losing to Custer, S.D., and to Southeast to start the season, the Dogies have won three games in a row heading into Friday’s showdown with Glenrock (kickoff at 6 p.m. in Glenrock). More importantly, all three of those games have been 2A East Conference games.

What stands out about the Dogies’ recent run is keyed by defense. The Dogies’ last three opponents have scored just 12 total points.

Of course, Newcastle’s recent success helps offset some of the struggles the Dogies have experienced the past, oh, three decades. Newcastle has had just one winning season since 1983 and has made the playoffs just twice this century.

Last year, the Dogies made the playoffs and finished 4-6 — at one point winning four out of five games — a good first step for a program with such a spotty recent history. Newcastle’s quick start to the 2011 conference season helps show they plan on making winning a more consistent trait.

The next step is to beat the teams that have set the standard everyone else has tried to follow. Teams like Glenrock.

The Herders’ success has more or less mirrored the Dogies’ struggles. Glenrock has won three state titles since 2002 and has made it to a state title game in six of the past nine years.

Newcastle helped show it was up for such a challenge last year by beating Glenrock 7-6; however, that victory came in an unusually difficult 2-6 year for the Herders. That’s not the case this year, as the Herders enter their game with the Dogies at 4-0.

Friday’s victor takes sole control of first place in the 2A East and controls its own destiny the rest of the season for home-field advantage in the playoffs.

It’s a position Glenrock knows well and Newcastle hasn’t seen in awhile. That’s why I am picking the Herders to win.

If Newcastle wins, though, it will be just the latest step in a long-awaited and very visible march to respectability that’s been a long time coming. (Glenrock leads series 22-15)

Here are the rest of the Week 5 picks, with the teams I think will win in bold and the teams I think will still have fun anyway in non-bold:

Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Laramie: The Indians always seem about one play away from breaking into 4A’s upper echelon. Maybe those plays are just building up somewhere for unleashing later in the season. 7 p.m. (CC 62-58-6)
Cheyenne South at Evanston: After winning a really close one last week, the Red Devils have to be feeling pretty good about their chances for the rest of the season. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Natrona at Cheyenne East: This is a really tough trip for the Mustangs, but the orange and black have a defense that has given up just 25 points all season. Having that to rely on should ease some of the pressure off the offense. 7 p.m. (NC 36-15)
Rock Springs at Kelly Walsh: Both of these teams desperately need a victory to keep playoff hopes moving forward. Winless KW might be feeling a bit more desperate than the one-win Tigers, though — and the Trojans get this one at home. 7 p.m. (KW 11-10)
Sheridan at Gillette: Subplots aside, the ability for both teams to run the ball consistently will probably be what determines the winner in this one. That, and maybe a big special teams play somewhere along the way. May be the best game of the week in any classification. 7 p.m. (She 38-26-1)
Class 3A
Cody at Jackson: Cody just keeps moving in the right direction. They just keep losing, too. I am playing a hunch that I think that losing streak comes to an end this week, but the good play will continue. 7 p.m. (Cod 13-6)
Lander at Douglas: Man, I have fretted about this pick all week long. This is one of those games where I just pick the home team and don’t sweat the outcome, because it should be a great game no matter what. 7 p.m. (Lan 6-5)
Powell at Star Valley: Back in May, some gentlemen (who shall remain nameless) put me on the spot and asked me who would win the 3A football title in November. I said Powell. I have yet to see any reason to waver on that choice. 4 p.m. (SV 23-8)
Rawlins at Torrington: You heard it here first: The Rawlins losing streak ends Friday, in Torrington, at 27 games. Outlaws have been improving rapidly. 7 p.m. (Tor 22-4-1)
Riverton at Buffalo: When was the last time you saw the Bison lose their first two conference games of a season? 1932? 7 p.m. (Buf 6-5)
Worland at Green River: The Wolves got a bit of a scare put into them last week, but they should rally around that narrow escape and come out firing this week. 7 p.m. (GR 5-4)
Class 2A
Big Horn at Wheatland: Wheatland turned the ball over seven times to Glenrock two weeks ago; Big Horn turned it over four times against Glenrock last week. The team that forces the most turnovers in this one will probably be the team to win. 6 p.m. (First meeting)
Burns at Moorcroft: The Broncs have had a handle on the Wolves the past two seasons. It’s a long trip, but the Broncs should have what it takes to get it done for a third year in a row. 3 p.m. (Mor 7-2)
Kemmerer at Big Piney: There’s no escaping the fact that the Punchers are struggling this year — which is all the more reason for the Rangers not to overlook them. 3 p.m. (Kem 21-17-1)
Lovell at Greybull: Greybull has quietly started the season undefeated, and they’ll definitely give Lovell, who’s also undefeated, everything it can handle. But the Bulldogs are the favorites out west and will be until someone proves otherwise. 7 p.m. (Lov 52-27-4)
Mountain View at Pinedale: Who are these Buffalos? Even when they lose they look good. But they’ll win this one. 7 p.m. (MV 36-25-2)
Thermopolis at Lyman: Remember last year, when Thermop beat Lyman 53-0 in the playoff quarterfinals? So do the Eagles. 2 p.m. (The 12-5)
Class 1A 11-man
Cokeville at Rocky Mountain: To butcher a phrase: Long trip. Amazing results. 2 p.m. (Cok 6-0)
Lingle at Sundance: Both of these squads need to win here to keep playoff dreams alive. The Doggers still have the edge in this one, though. 1 p.m. (Lin 4-3)
Lusk at Pine Bluffs: I think we can say that there might not be a lot of points scored in this one — these two teams have combined to allow just 63 points this season. (Of course, 44 of those were to Southeast.) 7:30 p.m. (Lus 25-6)
Riverside at Shoshoni: Have I mentioned recently just how much I hate picking 1A West games this year? 6 p.m. (Rsd 11-5)
Southeast at Normative Services: The Cyclones have never lost to the Wolves. And they’ve outscored them 123-8 the past two seasons. 6 p.m. (SE 6-0) (Edit: This game will be played in Sheridan, not Casper.)
Wind River at Saratoga: Have I mentioned recently just how much I hate picking 1A West games this year? 3:30 p.m. (WR 6-2)
Wyoming Indian at Burlington: Have I mentioned recently just how much I hate picking 1A West games this year? 3 p.m. (Brl 14-4)
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Ten Sleep: The Pioneers have oh-so-gently reminded the rest of six-man that they’re still here and still a threat to win a bunch of games this fall. Don’t think Dubois doesn’t know that, though. 3 p.m. (Dub 11-4)
Hulett at Midwest: It’s weird for this old Oiler to think of this as a nonconference game; nevertheless, the Oilers have won three in a row since falling to Dubois in Week 1 and that momentum should keep growing. 7 p.m. (Mid 27-17-1)
Meeteetse at Kaycee: The Buckaroos had a tough loss last week but should rebound nicely in this conference showdown against a struggling Longhorn team. 3 p.m. (Kay 2-0)
Snake River at Hanna: There was a time, maybe like in March or May or even July, when this game looked like a lot of fun, being the rematch of last year’s title game and all. Not so much anymore. 3 p.m. (Han 7-2)
Interstate
Upton at Hill City, S.D.: The short explanation? It’s Hill City’s homecoming. 6:30 p.m. (Upt 10-2)
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Guernsey at Farson: A long trip for the Vikings might just swing the advantage to the Pronghorns in what looks like a fairly even game on paper. On paper. 2 p.m. (Gue 3-0)
Open: Wright.

How about your thoughts, picks, guidance for the Week 5 slate? Post some thoughts below and we can talk a little bit about high school football at the regular season’s just-past-halfway point.

–patrick

Little brothers always face unfair comparisons.

The older one, the one that came before, always sets the standard. The younger sibling, for better or for worse, has to face the fallout from that relationship.

Class 1A 11-man football has two big brothers: Southeast and Cokeville. This week, those two older brothers have to face some young, confident and, most importantly, undefeated little brothers from their respective conferences.

Southeast has to travel south to play the upstarts from Pine Bluffs, who have yet to allow a point through three games this season — the only team in the state that can claim that honor. Both teams are 3-0 and both want to use this game, which starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, to gain an important edge in the East Conference standings.

Cokeville, meanwhile, plays host to undefeated Shoshoni at 1 p.m. Friday. I’m not sure, but this may be the first time ever that Shoshoni enters a game with Cokeville when the Wranglers are undefeated and the Panthers are not. The Wranglers, who broke a long losing streak in the season opener, come in at 3-0, while the defending state champs enter at 2-1, lambasting a couple of conference foes after losing to Mountain View 6-3 in overtime in the season opener.

The problem with being a little brother is that you get beaten up a lot.

Southeast has beaten Pine Bluffs nine times in a row dating back to 2002 and 16 out of the past 17 meetings. (Southeast leads the all-time series 25-10.)

Shoshoni’s even got it worse against Cokeville: Just one victory in 20 tries all-time, with the only victory coming in 1997.

So is this the week the little brothers finally stand up to the guys who have been pushing them around all these years?

My guess is no — Cokeville and Southeast are year in and year out the teams to beat in 1A, and this year is no different. I will pick both the Panthers and the Cyclones to win. But little brothers everywhere should be rooting for the Wranglers and the Hornets, especially since victories in these games would place them firmly atop the standings of their respective conferences.

Here are the rest of this week’s picks, with projected winners in bold:

Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne East at Cheyenne South: The last game of the Capital Bowl Series could give the Thunderbirds the city championship. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Evanston at Cheyenne Central: The Red Devils’ two losses have been gut-wrenchers. I think they may just be tired of losing those close ones. 7 p.m. (CC 6-4)
Kelly Walsh at Natrona: KW’s reward for playing undefeated Gillette so close last week? Undefeated Natrona this week. 6 p.m. (NC 37-11)
Laramie at Gillette: The Plainsmen have to be playing with a lot of confidence right now, but the Camels might be the toughest team Laramie has faced this year. 7 p.m. (Lar 18-13)
Rock Springs at Sheridan: The Broncs can’t get caught looking ahead to the Energy Bowl next week; the Tigers could make them pay if they do. 7 p.m. (She 12-4-2)
Class 3A
Douglas at Buffalo: There have been so many good games between these rivals the past few years. This will be another good game — I don’t think this one will be decided by more than a touchdown. 7 p.m. (Buf 34-25)
Green River at Cody: Even though they lost last week, the Wolves have still proven just how much respect they deserve this year. 7 p.m. (Cod 12-6)
Jackson at Powell: Quite honestly, the most impressive team thus far in 3A just might be the Panthers. 6 p.m. (Pow 16-11)
Riverton at Rawlins: The Outlaws are beginning to show that they’re no pushovers anymore, but the Wolverines are coming off a solid victory a week ago and really want to keep that momentum rolling. 7 p.m. (Riv 27-19-1)
Star Valley at Worland: No conference game is ever small, but this one is really, really big. If either team wants to keep pace with the likes of Green River and Powell, they have to win this one. 6 p.m. (SV 21-14)
Torrington at Lander: One of these teams hasn’t lost yet. One of them hasn’t won yet. That makes my choice easy. 6 p.m. (Lan 1-0)
Class 2A
Big Horn at Glenrock: Both of these teams have done everything possible to earn the title of East Conference favorite. The winner here DEFINITELY seizes that title. A huge game for playoff qualifying and seeding. 6 p.m. (tied 2-2)
Big Piney at Lyman: How will the Eagles respond after a tough loss? Were the flames stoked up or fanned out? I’d say stoked. 4 p.m. (BP 44-30-1)
Kemmerer at Thermopolis: Both of these squads have struggled with bouts of inconsistency this year. This game comes at the right time for both of them — to see just how well they stack up against a team of similar talent. 7 p.m. (Kem 14-9)
Lovell at Mountain View: This just might be Lovell’s toughest road trip of the regular season. A rrreeeeeaaaallllyyy long trip to play a team coming off a big victory…. But I think the Bulldogs are up to the challenge. 4 p.m. (MV 8-3)
Newcastle at Wright: Yup. I’m on the Dogie bandwagon. 7 p.m. (Wri 4-2)
Pinedale at Greybull: The Buffs have Lovell on the schedule for next week. That’s next week, though. No looking ahead. 7 p.m. (tied 2-2)
Wheatland at Moorcroft: The Bulldogs got humbled last week. They’ll probably come out more focused against the Wolves. 2 p.m. (First meeting)
Class 1A 11-man
Lingle at Lusk: Both of these schools suffered difficult losses last week; neither one wants to lose two in a row. This should be one of those games that comes down to the wire. 7:30 p.m. (Lus 38-10-3)
Riverside at Burlington: I mentioned it last week, but I’ll mention it again here: Every game is a big game in the 1A West this year. Too much parity for anyone to overlook anyone. 3 p.m. (Rsd 12-7)
Saratoga at Wyoming Indian: Let me be clear: I’m really impressed with what the Chiefs did last week. But I’m also surprised to see the Panthers at 0-3, especially when you consider that they really haven’t played all that poorly. 6 p.m. (Sar 6-2)
Sundance at Upton: The Bobcats picked up their first victory of the season last week. Now the Bulldogs will look to accomplish that same feat against the Bobcats. 7 p.m. (Upt 38-31-5)
Class 1A six-man
Farson at Midwest: The Oilers are quietly building a nice little winning streak. 7 p.m. (Mid 2-0)
Saturday
Class 1A 11-man
Rocky Mountain at Wind River: I didn’t expect either one of these squads to lose last week. That makes this game much harder to pick. 1 p.m. (RM 16-6)
Class 1A six-man
Hanna at Guernsey: Both of these squads are desperate for a victory, but only one of them actually took the field last week. 3 p.m. (Gue 22-9)
Kaycee at Dubois: The winner of this game takes the fast track to the top of the North Conference standings. Dubois is fortunate enough to get this one at home. 1 p.m. (First meeting)
Snake River at Meeteetse: The Rattlers are the six-man frontrunners this year. Everyone else is playing catchup. 2 p.m. (SR 2-0)
Ten Sleep at Hulett: The Red Devils were impressive to me when I got to see them in person last week. I think they rebound against the Pioneers. 3 p.m. (Hul 10-4)
Interclass
Natrona JV at Burns: Please tell me the Broncs can finally get in the win column. Please? 1 p.m. (NA)
Normative Services at Big Horn JV: The Wolves’ losing streak has gone on long enough — and after playing Upton tough last week, NSI may be able to pull this one out. 3 p.m. (NA)

Thoughts? You got ’em. You should post ’em below. And then I can reply and then we can start conversing about the midpoint of the high school football regular season.

–patrick

One Class 2A game has center stage this week, and deservedly so. This is the game that may end up deciding the West Conference championship.

The game: Lyman at Lovell, 7 p.m. Friday.

The game is a contrast in styles — Lyman’s fast-paced offense isn’t afraid to go to the air, while Lovell’s more traditional offensive sets strike a “here we come, try and stop us” attitude.

So far, no one in the regular season has really succeeded at slowing down either one of these programs.

Lyman was supposed to have its big test last week when it faced Kemmerer. The Eagles came away 41-0 victors.

Lovell drew Wright and Pinedale in its first two games. Combined, the Bulldogs beat those two teams 99-8.

Eventually, yes, there are several other teams in the West Conference that will have a say in who wins the conference championship. But there is no denying that the two most impressive teams out of the gate are the two teams that are playing Friday night in Lovell.

My choice is Lovell, but the real winners are the people within driving distance of Lovell, the folks who have the chance to go watch what may be the state’s best game of the week. (tied 4-4)

Here are the remainder of this week’s picks, with projected winners in bold and projected teams plotting upsets in non-bold:

Thursday
Interclass
Cheyenne East sophs at Lingle: The Doggers might be the quietest 2-0 team in the state. Expect them to be 3-0 when they face Lusk in a big one next week. 6 p.m. (NA)
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne East: The Indians showed they can compete with the best in the state in last week’s loss to Natrona. However, we already knew that about East. 5 p.m. (CC 41-18)
Gillette at Kelly Walsh: This one breaks down pretty simply: 3-0 vs. 0-3. But it won’t be a walkover; the Camels will have to earn this one. 7 p.m. (Gil 29-20)
Laramie at Cheyenne South: The Plainsmen have some momentum building. They need it with what they have coming after this trip to Bison Stadium: at Gillette, home vs. Central, home vs. Sheridan, at Natrona. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Natrona at Rock Springs: The Mustangs are in the middle of a brutal stretch of games where they travel to four road games in five weeks — and the one home game is the Oil Bowl. Nevertheless, NC should win this one. 7 p.m. (NC 43-19-3)
Sheridan at Evanston: This may be the best game in 4A this week. This one won’t be a blowout either way. All I did was pick the home team. 7 p.m. (She 9-2)
Class 3A
Buffalo at Green River: Ooooohhhh. I love this matchup. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Bison win this one, but it’s hard to overlook what the Wolves have done so far this year. 7 p.m. (GR 1-0)
Cody at Riverton: Is this the game where Cody finally breaks through? Or is this the loss that demoralizes them for the rest of the season? Neither one of these teams wants to lose this one. 7 p.m. (Cod 33-32-2)
Jackson at Lander: Loving what Jackson has done so far this season. Loving what Lander has done so far this season more. 7 p.m. (Lan 21-10)
Powell at Torrington: It’s a long trip down, but the Panthers have the ability to make it a short trip home. 6 p.m. (Pow 2-0)
Star Valley at Douglas: The Braves may give the Bearcats some struggles, but Douglas appears to be back on track after winning big last week. 7 p.m. (Dou 4-1)
Worland at Rawlins: Once they get on a roll, the Warriors may be tough to stop. Look for Worland’s momentum to keep on growing. 7 p.m. (Wor 8-6)
Class 2A
Big Piney at Mountain View: An 0-2 start for the Punchers is surprising. What makes it worse is that they have to make back-to-back trips to the Bridger Valley the next two weeks. 4 p.m. (BP 38-32)
Burns at Newcastle: I never expected Burns to start 0-2. I still don’t expect them to be 0-3 — even against a tough Dogie squad at Schoonmaker. 7 p.m. (tied 1-1)
Glenrock at Wheatland: The West Conference gets most of the 2A attention this week, but don’t overlook this game in the East. The Herders and Bulldogs have been the East’s two most impressive teams so far. This one, too, may end up deciding the conference title. 7 p.m. (Whe 12-11)
Greybull at Thermopolis: Another big one in the West. The Greybull defense has been opportunistic all season long and if that continues, they could give the Bobcats fits. 7 p.m. (The 41-19-4)
Pinedale at Kemmerer: These two teams combined for zero points last week. Offenses need to get going early in this one, and the Rangers at home should get this done. 2 p.m. (Kem 21-6)
Wright at Big Horn: Don’t count out the Rams just yet. They proved last week they still have what it takes to be one of the East’s top teams. 1 p.m. (BH 7-4)
Class 1A 11-man
Burlington at Shoshoni: Both these teams have been impressive in their respective 2-0 starts. This one will hinge on which run defense shows up to play. 6 p.m. (tie 14-14)
Cokeville at Saratoga: Just mark me down for Cokeville victories until we get to November. Then we’ll talk. 2 p.m. (Cok 19-5)
Lusk at Southeast: They don’t get much bigger than this in Yoder. The winner takes the fast track to the top of the East Conference standings; the loser is still in the hunt but has a lot more ground to make up. 7:30 p.m. (Lus 21-13)
Pine Bluffs at Sundance: Can the Hornets keep their shutout streak going? I remember watching Pine beat the Bulldogs 42-0 last year. … Really, I don’t think they’ll mind if the streak ends, as long as they come away with the victory. 3 p.m. (PB 6-2)
Rocky Mountain at Riverside: After a couple easy victories to start the season, now we have the chance to see just how good the Grizzlies really are. 7 p.m. (RM 16-4)
Upton at Normative Services: Both squads are aching to notch their first victory of the season. This will probably be the best chance for both teams. 7 p.m. (Upt 8-3)
Wind River at Wyoming Indian: The Chiefs have played the Cougars tough each of the past two seasons and may come away with the victory in this one. Yet I still pick the Cougs. Weird. 7 p.m. (WR 22-5)
Class 1A six-man
Midwest at Hanna: Which fossil fuel do you choose? Oil or coal? Well, coal is 0-2 so far this season and oil had a nice victory over ranchers last week…. 3 p.m. (Han 8-3)
Ten Sleep at Farson: The only nonconference game of the week in six-man is really intriguing and should help us sort out some of the hierarchy in the middle of the classification. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a toss-up. 3 p.m. (TS 3-2)
Interclass
Moorcroft at Natrona JV: This game for the Wolves comes in place of the game they lost when Tongue River canceled its season. 2 p.m. (NA)
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Meeteetse: A rough loss for the Rams last week shouldn’t affect them too much against the struggling Longhorns. 3 p.m. (Met 11-6)
Guernsey at Snake River: Did you hear? The Rattlers are good. Really good. 3 p.m. (SR 1-0)
Hulett at Kaycee: This is a huge game in six-man this week. Both teams are 2-0 and are trying to do their best to lock up some home-field advantage come playoff time. This game is a big step toward that. 3 p.m. (First meeting)

–patrick

Five years ago, this game was the making of pure fantasy.

Two years ago, this game was possible, but impossible.

This week, this game takes center stage.

The game: Snake River at Dubois. The two teams that have already asserted themselves as among the best six-man teams in the state will meet at 3 p.m. Saturday to give the six-man classification its 2011 favorite.

The Rattlers, of course, are the defending six-man state champions and have what is now a state-best winning streak at 10 games. A program that was more than 50 years dormant until 2009 has already established itself as a perennial contender.

The Rams were stragglers in the 11-man ranks for several years but had a tremendous 2010, finishing 7-2 in their final year of the 100-yard game before moving to six-man this season.

In addition to their impressive 2010 seasons, both squads put up impressive victories in Week 1 of 2011: Snake River 45-6 over Ten Sleep, Dubois 49-20 over Midwest.

Now, the first meeting ever between the two programs just might be a preview of a November playoff game, maybe even the big one they play in the big stadium. The six-man game is explosive in its very make-up, and based on what these two teams have already accomplished, it’s fair to say that this game may come down to the final possession. This is the type of matchup that could create the game to show everything six-man football can be.

As the defending champs, I choose Snake River to win, but I know Dubois has the potential to become Wyoming’s six-man frontrunner, too.

All this from a game we could have only foresaw in our imaginations just a few years ago.

Here are the rest of the picks for the week, with projected winners in bold:

Thursday
Class 1A 11-man
Shoshoni at Wind River: Both teams played in what amounted to blowouts last week. The strength of both teams was probably obscured a bit by the quality of competition in both cases. This one should be a much better game for both, probably decided by a touchdown or less. I’m just picking the home team. 7:30 p.m. (WR 27-18)
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne East at Gillette: The biggest 4A game of the week is right here, as two undefeated squads face each other. Big? No. It’s HUGE. And it’s hard to pick against the Camels at home in a huge game. 7 p.m. (Gil 21-16)
Cheyenne South at Sheridan: Doesn’t matter who Sheridan was facing this week — I was picking them. The Broncs have to be eager to shake off last week’s loss. 6 p.m. (First meeting)
Kelly Walsh at Laramie: This one could go either way quite easily. Whoever wins this one will likely win by less than a touchdown. Coin flip this one…. my penny says Laramie. Sorry, Trojans. 7 p.m. (Lar 19-16)
Natrona at Cheyenne Central: I think it’s clear now: the Mustangs are reloading, not rebuilding. 7 p.m. (tied 47-47-3)
Rock Springs at Evanston: I had the chance to watch Evanston in person last week and I came away impressed. Rock Springs will keep it interesting, but I think the Red Devils win it. 7 p.m. (RS 43-26-5)
Class 3A
Cody at Douglas: Find me one person who realistically expected neither one of these teams to have a victory heading into this game. 7 p.m. (Dou 1-0)
Green River at Riverton: The Wolves may have been the most impressive team in the opening week of the 3A schedule. 7 p.m. (GR 19-10)
Lander at Star Valley: This is a game that has kept me sleepless all week. The reason I am going with the Braves? Location. 7 p.m. (SV 19-7)
Powell at Buffalo: Is this a preview of the 3A title game? Maybe, maybe not, but the Panthers and the Bison are both clearly in the upper echelon of 3A football teams. 7 p.m. (Buf 18-16)
Rawlins at Jackson: The Broncs  were the more impressive of these two teams in their Week 1 interstate matchups. Watch for Jackson to keep rolling. 7 p.m. (Jac 3-2)
Torrington at Worland: The Warriors’ offense has had a slow start to the season, but if they can get rolling against the Trailblazers, watch out. 6 p.m. (Wor 6-3)
Class 2A
Big Horn at Burns: Despite the loss to Lusk last week, I’m still confident the Broncs are one of the best teams in the East this year. 6 p.m. (BH 3-2)
Kemmerer at Lyman: Maybe the game of the week in 2A. The Rangers are eager to prove they belong in the discussion of the West’s top teams; the Eagles are already there and want to stay in the discussion. 5 p.m. (Kem 23-10)
Lovell at Pinedale: One of these teams had an impressive Week 1 performance. The other did not. 7 p.m. (Lov 5-1)
Mountain View at Greybull: Another one keeping me awake at night. As usual, when I can’t decide between what looks like two evenly matched teams, I pick the home team — and it’s a long ways from Mountain View to Greybull. 7 p.m. (MV 3-2)
Newcastle at Moorcroft: This is a really interesting game that, when it’s all said and done, we may look back on and say, “That one was for a playoff spot.” 1 p.m. (New 10-7)
Thermopolis at Big Piney: A little pride check after last week’s loss to Glenrock won’t hurt the Bobcats in the long run. 2:30 p.m. (tied 6-6)
Wheatland at Wright: Both teams are coming off difficult Week 1 losses and want to make a good first impression in conference play. 7 p.m. (First meeting)
Class 1A 11-man
Burlington at Saratoga: I like what both of these teams did in their season openers. It’s just that one of these teams was impressive in a victory and the other was impressive in a loss. 2 p.m. (Brl 2-0)
Lingle at Upton: Lingle has outscored Upton 117-7 in their meetings the past two years. Tough to overlook a number like that. 7 p.m. (Lin 4-2)
Normative Services at Pine Bluffs: Speaking of dominance, the Hornets have outscored the Wolves 99-6 in their past two matchups. 5 p.m. (PB 2-0)
Riverside at Cokeville: Even with a loss last week, Cokeville is still Cokeville — although the Rebels will put up a stout challenge. 2 p.m. (Cok 7-1)
Sundance at Southeast: Can you say “revenge game”? The Cyclones are still probably a bit angry about what the Bulldogs did to them last year. 7 p.m. (SE 6-2)
Wyoming Indian at Rocky Mountain: The Grizzlies have beaten the Chiefs 15 times in a row. Last week gave us no indication that this run is about to abruptly end. 4 p.m. (RM 16-2)
Class 1A six-man
Farson at Kaycee: The game of the week may be in Dubois, but the Buckaroos are going to have a say in who wins the six-man state championship this year by the time we get to Laramie. 3 p.m. (Kay 1-0)
Hanna at Hulett: The Red Devils put up an impressive showing in their official six-man debut last week. At home, they will get a challenge from the Miners, but I still like what Hulett is putting together this fall. 2 p.m. (Hul 4-1)
Meeteetse at Midwest: The Oilers should bounce back from a tough loss to Dubois last week. 5 p.m. (Mid 10-6)
Interclass
Natrona JV at Glenrock: The interesting subplot here is the presence of former Natrona lineman Taylor Millay, who’s now with the Heders… but with 21 other guys on the field at any given time, it’s the Herders as a whole who should win this one. 7 p.m. (NA)
Interstate
Lusk at Hill City, S.D.: The Tigers sure sent a statement last week, didn’t they? Gotta like Lusk in this one, too. 6:30 p.m. (First meeting)
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Guernsey at Ten Sleep: Neither one of these squads had the start to the season that they had hoped for. Nonetheless, both have the chance to turn it around right here. 3 p.m. (tied 1-1)

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas? Rants? Post ’em below and let’s talk Week 2 football!

–patrick