Week 3 picks: Undefeated pairings highlight every classification (but one is KO’d)

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Across the state this week, five games — one in each classification — will pair up teams who are still undefeated.

Four will be played. One will stay on the schedule, unplayed, a tantalizing “what-if” we can wonder about all year.

The 3-0 face-off between Class 4A’s two remaining undefeated teams, Thunder Basin and Cheyenne Central, will command a big chunk of the statewide attention this week, and rightly so.

These aren’t soft 3-0 starts, either: Central’s beaten both Natrona and Sheridan on the road and has a home victory against Kelly Walsh, while Thunder Basin topped preseason No. 1 Cheyenne East in the season opener in Gillette before beating Rock Springs and Cheyenne South.

In a season where home-field advantage means a little bit more, this game is crucial. It won’t make or break a season, but it may decide where the make-or-break game is played.

In Class 3A, though, the game between Powell (3-0) and Douglas (2-0), a combined 5-0, will remain unplayed, as Douglas works to keep its players safe. Maybe we’ll see this matchup again later this year. For now, it’s a tantalizing what-if, and for now, I’d rather see it stay that way.

Even though the 4A game gets top billing, and 3A will draw the wonder, the other classifications have games that are just as interesting:

Now that Big Horn has fallen off a bit, the Class 2A East game between Wheatland (3-0) and Upton-Sundance (2-0) on Friday in Upton looks mighty interesting. Keep in mind, though, that the opponents of the Patriots and Bulldogs are a combined 1-12 this season. …

Moorcroft and Lusk both got out to quick 2-0 starts, and I really want to see how they match up against each other in Niobrara County on Friday. Lusk has scored 122 points in its first two games, by far tops in Class 1A nine-man; Moorcroft has given up just 19, second only to Southeast in the classification. …

With both Encampment and Farson starting 2-0, Friday’s game between the two of the in Farson has all kinds of playoff implications for the Class 1A six-man West Conference. Yes, Meeteetse is also 2-0, and Burlington and Snake River are still in it, but this has all the earmarks of a game that could decide a conference championship. …

Quickly, other games that you should be watching: Natrona-Kelly Walsh (because the Oil Bowl is always fun, even if it’s normally one-sided); Lovell-Lyman (two teams with fast starts and high hopes need this one in a competitive 2A West); Burlington-Snake River (the loser starts 1A six-man West play 0-2, and neither expected, or wanted, that).

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On to the picks. If you look closely, you’ll see I bold half the teams. Those are the teams I think will win. It’s apparently not self-explanatory, which is why I explain it every week.

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

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 3” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 24-11 (69 percent). This season: 64-19 (77 percent). 

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Which game has you ready to snap on the chinstrap and go crazy? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Week 2 picks: When streaks come to expected ends

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Wyoming’s three longest active winning streaks entering the season are all kaput.

The state’s longest active winning streak came to an end on Friday, when Big Horn’s 22-game winning streak was halted by an emphatic 26-0 loss to Lovell.

The second-longest streak also ended, as Mountain View lost to Evanston 36-21 to end and 11-game streak.

The second-longest streak entering the season belonged to Star Valley, but that 21-game streak has given way to a losing streak. The Braves lost consecutive games to Summit Academy, Utah, and Preston, Idaho, to start 2020.

As far as the end of streaks goes, it’s no surprise to see these end when they did. When long winning streaks end in the regular season, almost half the time, they end in the first week.

Of Wyoming’s 32 unbeaten streaks that have reached at least 20 games, 13 ended with season-opening losses, including both Big Horn and Star Valley this year. For perspective, only four of those streaks ended in playoff losses; the 15 others ended in some other week in the regular season.

Now, the two teams with active double-digit winning streaks are trying to avoid the less-statistically-likely Week 2 trap.

Snake River, winners of 10 straight heading into the start of this season, beat Hanna last week to extend that streak to 11; Sheridan, with a 2-0 start, has won 10 straight games.

Sheridan has victories against Laramie and Cheyenne South to put the Broncs at 2-0, one of three teams in Class 4A who can claim that.

The hurdle for Sheridan this week is that another one of those 2-0 teams, Cheyenne Central, comes to Homer Scott Field on Friday.

Snake River has a different challenge — new Carbon County rival Encampment, which started its first varsity season since 1990 by beating Midwest by 60.

The challenges for Sheridan and Snake River are similar: keep winning, and do so against teams who appear ready for the challenge.

Fortunately for both the Broncs and the Rattlers, their biggest statistical challenge — the season opener — is behind them.

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Other games that are wetting my whistle:

Both Buffalo and Saratoga have season openers this week, so it’ll be interesting to see how those go. Buffalo and Newcastle didn’t get to play last week; conversely, Buffalo opens its season at Green River on Friday in what should be a close one. (Newcastle played in Week 0). Saratoga, meanwhile, had an open week last week, so the Panthers, too, are starting their season a week later than usual. They host Moorcroft on Saturday. …

The last time Lyman won in Cokeville was in 1985; the Panthers have won seven straight at home against the Eagles, including last year. As Class 2A West Conference foes for the first time since 1989, I’m curious to see how both teams handle the game differently. …

Will Wheatland-Big Horn be a changing of the guard in the 2A East? With the Rams’ loss last week and the Bulldogs’ fast start (2-0, 94-6 scoring margin), it’s possible. …

Jackson is now 2-0 against Idaho competition and faces another Gem State team this week in Pocatello — an opponent that figures to be a bit tougher than the others the Broncs have faced. But Jackson has looked sharp and could pull off another victory, especially at home. …

Two 1A six-man West Conference openers (between Encampment and Snake River, and between Farson and Burlington) will be huge for the early edge on home-field advantage in the playoffs. It won’t be decided by the end of Week 2, but we’ll look back in Week 8 to this week as the one that decided a lot. …

On to the picks. Bolded teams are the ones I think will win, but I like surprises, too. I don’t even shake my Christmas gifts before I open them, I like surprises that much.

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

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 2” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 28-5 (85 percent). This season: 40-8 (83 percent). 

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Which Week 2 matchup has you shaking the package under the Christmas tree, trying to find out how it’s all going to turn out once you actually get to open it? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Week 1 picks: Disparate county rivalries start the season

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A total of 23 Wyoming high school football games during the regular season match up teams from the same county.

Two of those games happen this week. By coincidence, both games involve defending state champions. The opponents of those defending champs, though, are on the schedule for significantly different reasons.

Of the two matchups, let’s start with the more traditional one. Snake River visits Hanna in a rematch of last year’s Class 1A six-man championship.

The Carbon County rivals were six-man’s two best teams last year, and both entered the title game undefeated — oddly enough, because they didn’t play in the regular season. Snake River won that game and the title. The rematch on Saturday won’t have the same drama as their last meeting, but it will help set the pace for the rest of six-man.

The other intra-county game happening this week hasn’t happened often. In fact, despite long histories, these two teams have only played each other twice before, in 1984 and 1985.

Those two teams are defending Class 2A champion Mountain View and winless-at-Class 3A last year Evanston.

It’s hard to know what to make of this game. Then again, it’s hard to know what to make of Mountain View this year, as the Buffalos lost a ton of seniors from last year’s championship squad.

Meanwhile, Evanston started slow last week in a 29-14 loss to Ben Lomond, Utah, losing its 12th game in a row dating back to 2018.

The only other times these two Uinta County programs faced each other came in heady days for both programs. In 1984, both teams reach their respective championship games — Mountain View winning 2A, Evanston losing 3A — and although they didn’t repeat that success in 1985, they did repeat the game, and both were competitive all season. Evanston won both games.

This time around might be a bit different, with the smaller Mountain View riding a wave of program momentum and Evanston trying to gain confidence.

And of those 23 intra-county games scheduled this season, the Evanston-Mountain View game is the only varsity-vs.-varsity game that has two teams from different classifications facing each other.

The little guy doesn’t get this intra-county chance again this season.

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Week 1 is always intriguing, because we learn so much about so many things. Every game will be fun to watch unfold. Regardless, these are the ones I’ll be watching with a more focused eye:

After losing to Wheatland in a Week 0 game last week, Rawlins plays Lyman this week in a game that will tell us a lot about the relative strengths of the two 2A conferences. …

I can’t shake the feeling that Pinedale-Glenrock could be one of the best games of the week. …

Every single 1A nine-man game will be fun to follow. With as much shake-up as there was last offseason — teams moving in and out, in addition to learning the nuances of the nine-man game — anything is possible. …

Dubois could be a breakthrough team in six-man this year. The opener with a veteran but shallow Kaycee team will be interesting to watch unfold.

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Now, for the picks. I put the teams I think are going to win in bold, but I think really hard before I do so. Or I flip a coin.

Thursday
Interclass
Evanston JV at Big Piney
Rawlins at Lyman
Friday
Class 4A
Campbell County at Laramie
Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne Central
Natrona at Cheyenne East
Sheridan at Cheyenne South
Thunder Basin at Rock Springs
Class 3A
Lander at Green River
Powell at Worland
Riverton at Cody
Class 2A
Kemmerer at Wheatland
Lovell at Big Horn
Pinedale at Glenrock
Tongue River at Thermopolis
Class 1A nine-man
Greybull at Moorcroft
Riverside at Pine Bluffs
Shoshoni at Southeast
Wind River at Lingle
Wright at Rocky Mountain
Class 1A six-man
Guernsey-Sunrise at Farson
Kaycee at Dubois
Interclass
Douglas at Torrington
Mountain View at Evanston
Newcastle at Buffalo
Interstate
Burns at Mitchell, Neb.
Jackson at Bear Lake, Idaho
Preston, Idaho, at Star Valley
Rich County, Utah, at Cokeville
Ten Sleep at Bridger, Mont.
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Hulett
Meeteetse at NSI
Midwest at Encampment
Snake River at Hanna
Interclass
Kelly Walsh sophs at Lusk
Open: Saratoga, Upton-Sundance. Upton-Sundance’s game with the Campbell County JV was canceled this week.

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 1” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 12-3 (80 percent). This season: 12-3 (80 percent). 

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Which matchup has you fired up for Week 1? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Week 0 picks: Cheyenne’s chance to be chased

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Cheyenne made up 50% of the teams in last year’s Class 4A semifinals.

If you believe what you read, there’s a good chance Cheyenne teams could make up 100% of the teams in this year’s 4A championship.

The Cheyenne hype train will leave the Capital City on Friday, bound for Casper and Gillette. Upstart Cheyenne Central will make its way to the Oil City to face Natrona; annual contender Cheyenne East moves through the Powder River Basin to play Thunder Basin.

Cheyenne victories here? Everyone’s chase goes through Laramie County.

Cheyenne losses here? The Thunderbirds and Indians are left doing the chasing.

These games will, one way or another, establish Class 4A’s hierarchy in the early goings of this season. A loss in the opener won’t make or break anyone’s season in 4A — Sheridan in 2009 won the 4A title after losing its opening game by 22, Gillette did the same in 2008 after losing its opener by 34, and Central did that in 2005 after falling by 38 to open its year. But, hey… no team since 2009 who’s lost its opener has won a 4A title, so there you go.

Their opponents are formidable. Natrona is always tough, with just one losing season since 1993. Thunder Basin was unbeaten until mid-November last year.

Barring anything catastrophic, the 2020 season will ultimately be decided in November. August, though, is a good time to set some expectations — and to make everyone else follow your lead.

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Other games I’m watching this (abbreviated) week:

Seven interstate games are on the docket for this week, and each one brings its own unique angle to it. I’m most interested to see how the 3A West does, as Jackson heads to Teton, Idaho, and Star Valley hosts Summit Academy, Utah. …

Although the nine-man super-jamboree has been canceled, we’ll still see some interesting nine-man scrimmages pop up this week. Two are in Casper — an extra treat for central Wyoming fans who just can’t get enough football.

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On to some picks, which I do weekly ’round these parts. Teams I think will win are in bold, because it’s the simplest way to show you, and I’m a simple guy.

Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Natrona
Cheyenne East at Thunder Basin
Cheyenne South at Kelly Walsh
Laramie at Sheridan
Rock Springs at Campbell County
Class 3A
Riverton at Powell
Interclass
Natrona sophs at Glenrock
Rawlins at Wheatland
Interstate
Jackson at Teton, Idaho
Lead-Deadwood, S.D., at Upton-Sundance
Lyman at Malad, Idaho
Newcastle at Hot Springs, S.D.
Ben Lomond, Utah, at Evanston
Summit Academy, Utah, at Star Valley
Torrington at Gering, Neb.
Saturday
Class 2A
Tongue River at Lovell

The rest of the schedule is scrimmages and jamborees. No picks here, because no winners or losers here. But hey, it’s football, so everybody wins because it’s being played at all.
Friday
Big Piney, Cokeville at Kemmerer jamboree
Cody at Douglas
Dubois, Farson, Guernsey-Sunrise at Encampment jamboree
Lander at Pinedale
Lingle at Pine Bluffs
Mountain View at Green River
Saturday
Big Horn at Buffalo
Greybull vs. Lusk, at Casper (Kelly Walsh)
Kelly Walsh frosh/sophs at Midwest
Meeteetse at Cody JV
Moorcroft at Southeast
Shoshoni vs. Wright, at Casper (Natrona)
Thermopolis at Worland
Open: Burlington, Burns, Hanna, Hulett, Kaycee, NSI, Riverside, Rocky Mountain, Saratoga, Snake River, Ten Sleep, Wind River.

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 0” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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What game has you the most charged up for the opening of the season? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Title game picks: Who’s leaving Laramie with championship trophies?

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You know what we’re here for — a breakdown of this week’s title games. So why put that off any longer?

Class 2A, noon Friday
Mountain View (1W, 10-0) vs. Buffalo Bison (1E, 10-0)
Series record: Buffalo leads 4-3.
Last meeting/last playoff meeting: Buffalo beat Mountain View 43-18 in the Class 2A championship on Nov. 10 in Laramie.
State championships: Mountain View five, most recently in 2017. … Buffalo six, most recently in 2018.
Previous title game record: Mountain View, 5-7. … Buffalo, 6-10.
The path to Laramie: Mountain View whitewashed Wheatland 72-0 in the quarterfinals before thumping Burns 56-12 in the semifinals. … Buffalo fought past Lovell 28-6 in the first round and outlasted Thermopolis 45-22 in the semifinals.
The case for the Buffalos: My goodness, Mountain View has been on a tear this season. The Buffs haven’t been in a single close game this year and have outscored opponents more than tenfold, 525-37. Their diverse offense can beat you in a thousand different ways; their defense allows fewer than 100 yards per game. For a senior class who knows its way around War Memorial (in its third consecutive title game) and knows its way to victory, a championship makes a lot of sense.
The case for the Bison: Knock, knock. Hi. Buffalo is the defending 2A champs. The Bison have won 20 games in a row. Rowen Ruby has been all but unstoppable at running back with 1,699 yards. The defense has bent a bit but hasn’t broken. And when they’ve been pushed, as they were both early in the season and in the playoffs, the Bison pushed back — and kept on winning.
The pick: Last year’s game ended up being great for Buffalo, not so great for Mountain View. If nothing else, this game should be a better game — but the Buffalos have shown all season they’re ready for a different result. … Mountain View 34, Buffalo 28.

Class 3A, 3 p.m. Friday
Powell Panthers (4W, 7-4) vs. Star Valley Braves (1W, 11-0)
Series record: Star Valley leads 29-13.
Last meeting: Star Valley beat Powell 36-0 on Oct. 4 in Afton.
Last playoff meeting: Star Valley beat Powell 28-10 on Nov. 11, 2016, in the 3A championship game.
State championships: Powell eight, most recently in 2013. … Star Valley 11, most recently in 2018.
Previous title game record: Powell, 6-3. … Star Valley, 10-10.
The path to Laramie: Powell won a pair of road games, beating Lander 41-14 in the first round and Park County rival Cody 20-13 in the semifinals. … Star Valley won a pair of games at home, topping Douglas 45-12 in the first round before beating Jackson 42-21 in the semis.
The case for the Panthers: In short, #ethanstrong. To be honest, Powell’s 5-4 regular season was nice but easily forgettable. But the Panthers have gone to another level in the playoffs. Attribute that to any number of reasons, sure, but the emotion of playing for someone who can’t has to be in the back of the mind not only of everyone in uniform, but everyone on Powell’s side of the field.
The case for the Braves: Star Valley has the favorite to win the 2019 3A title since about halfway through the 2018 season. Deep, talented, experienced… what more could you want? The Braves lead 3A in yardage defense and scoring defense; they control the pace of the game; they get stronger, not weaker, as games move along. Even with plenty of individual talent, it’s the Braves’ team chemistry that really sets them apart.
The pick: The emotional pick is for Powell to complete its incredible run. The logical pick is for Star Valley to complete its incredible run. Either way, whoever wins this game will absolutely, positively deserve it after a season that’s been memorable for divergent reasons, leading to the same concluding point. … Star Valley 35, Powell 20.

Class 1A six-man, 10 a.m. Saturday
Hanna Miners (1E, 10-0) vs. Snake River Rattlers (1W, 9-0)
Series record: Snake River leads 8-7.
Last meeting/last playoff meeting: Snake River beat Hanna 75-13 on Oct. 27, 2017, in a 1A six-man quarterfinal game in Hanna.
State championships: Hanna three, most recently in 1989. … Snake River two, most recently in 2011.
Previous title game record: Hanna, 3-3. … Snake River, 2-1.
The path to Laramie: Hanna’s offense took care of business in the playoffs, rolling up big numbers in beating Meeteetse 73-36 in the first round and Lingle 92-58 in the semifinals. … Snake River shut down Kaycee 59-0 in the quarterfinals and did the same to Hulett 61-0 in the semis.
The case for the Miners: The offense is diverse and can score seemingly at will. With 34 points in the title game, Hanna will set the record for highest scoring offense in state history, topping Farson’s 71.82 ppg from last season. Senior twins Conor McGraw and Shane McGraw are both over 1,000 rushing yards for the season, and Shane McGraw has thrown for more than 1,000, too. The defense hasn’t always been perfect, but, hey, 10-0 is 10-0.
The case for the Rattlers: Nine games. Zero points allowed. That’s what Snake River’s defense has done this year. That record-setting pace is unheard of, but at six-man? That’s just banana pants crazy. And the offense? Super efficient, with Riggen Myers consistently breaking defenders’ hearts, and ankles.
The pick: Yes, everyone will look at the Miners’ offense vs. the Rattlers’ defense, and that might be the most fun matchup to watch this weekend. But this game may be decided by the Rattlers’ offense vs. the Miners’ defense, and that’s where Snake River has the edge. … Snake River 50, Hanna 38.

Class 1A 11-man, 1 p.m. Saturday
Cokeville Panthers (1W, 10-1) vs. Big Horn Rams (1E, 10-0)
Series record: Series tied 3-3.
Last meeting/last playoff meeting: Big Horn beat Cokeville 56-3 on Nov. 10, 2018, in the 1A 11-man championship in Laramie.
State championships: Cokeville 22, most recently in 2014. … Big Horn six, most recently in 2018.
Previous title game record: Cokeville, 21-7. … Big Horn, 6-10.
The path to Laramie: Cokeville held off Wright 20-16 in the first round and held strong to beat Upton-Sundance 16-7 in the semifinals. … Big Horn rolled through Wind River 82-0 in the first round and beat Southeast 48-7 in the semifinals, both at home.
The case for the Panthers: I’ve heard rumors that UW will install a third locker room at War Memorial — one for home teams, one for visiting teams, and one for Cokeville. Because the Panthers have made trips to title games a habit over the past four decades. Who else but Cokeville would you expect in this game? Even with a team that started inexperienced, decimated by graduation, Todd Dayton and the Panthers have lost only to 2A Mountain View and blown out almost everyone else behind a surprisingly diverse offense and a defense that can stand up to pretty much anyone.
The case for the Rams: Where to start? Big Horn racks up more yards and more points than anyone in 1A 11-man, and it’s not even close. The Rams also allow fewer yards than anyone in 1A 11-man. Can’t get much better than that. Oh, and they beat Cokeville in last year’s championship by 53 freakin’ points — one of 21 consecutive victories, Big Horn’s longest in program history and the longest active winning streak in the state.
The pick: No one’s winning this by 53. But Big Horn is still the favorite, and Cokeville will need to play not just flawless to win — the Panthers will have to create opportunities they didn’t even know existed. The Rams won’t allow that. … Big Horn 38, Cokeville 21.

Class 4A, 4 p.m. Saturday
Sheridan Broncs (2, 10-1) vs. Thunder Basin ‘Bolts (1, 11-0)
Series record: Series tied 2-2.
Last meeting: Thunder Basin beat Sheridan 37-30 on Sept. 20 in Gillette.
Last playoff meeting: Sheridan beat Thunder Basin 14-7 on Nov. 2, 2018, in a 4A semifinal in Gillette.
State championships: Sheridan 26, most recently in 2017. … Thunder Basin zero.
Previous title game record: Sheridan, 16-7. … Thunder Basin, 0-0.
The path to Laramie: Sheridan put up a pair of 62s, beating Kelly Walsh 62-14 in the quarterfinals and Cheyenne Central 62-35 in the semifinals. … Thunder Basin played in a pair of tight games, beating crosstown rival Gillette 24-20 in the quarterfinals before topping Cheyenne East 27-21 in the semifinals.
The case for the Broncs: This is familiar territory for Sheridan. Since the title games moved to Laramie in 2009, the Broncs have won five championships and finished as runners-up twice, and this is their fifth title game appearance in a row. Led by Garrett Coon, their rushing game is strong; the rush defense, though, could be even stronger — and that sets up well for success in mid-November.
The case for the ‘Bolts: To be honest, a lot of the ‘Bolts’ success may ride on Mason Hamilton’s shoulders — er, shoulder, which he injured in last week’s semifinals. With him in the first half, Thunder Basin scored 27 points; without him in the second half, zero. If he can go, watch out. If he can’t, the ‘Bolts will need to rely on its defense (tops in 4A in yards allowed, by the way) to complete an undefeated season and win the program’s first 4A title.
The pick: The last game of the weekend should be the closest of the weekend. Both teams have defenses upon which they can rely. And both have offenses capable of controlling the clock AND striking for fast scores. I really like how Sheridan is looking right now, though, and as the underdogs, they have a little less pressure on them. … Sheridan 28, Thunder Basin 27.

Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 8-2 (80 percent). This season: 245-57 (81 percent). 

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Which five teams do YOU see leaving Laramie with championship trophies? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Semifinal playoff picks: 3A West domination gives us Rivalry Week 2.0

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It’s rivalry week in Class 3A this week.

It’s also the semifinal round of the playoffs.

In a weird twist, two of 3A’s biggest rivalries, Cody/Powell and Star Valley/Jackson, will be staged on the doorstep of a state championship game berth.

With the West sweeping the East out of the 3A playoffs with scores of 55-26, 48-6, 41-14 and 45-12, the bracket distilled down to a renewal of the Bighorn Brawl in the battle for Park County supremacy between Cody and Powell and a restaging of the Fall Brawl between western edge rivals Jackson and Star Valley.

The West’s control of 3A is nothing new — it’s been the norm for almost the entire decade.

In 2012, the West swept the East, albeit by smaller margins as two of the four games that year were one-possession games. And in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2013, three West teams reached the semis. The only year left out of that conflagration is 2014, when the only West team to reach the semis (Cody) ended up winning the 3A title. Moreover, the past eight 3A state champs have all been West teams.

Well, make it nine, because a West team will win 3A again this year.

The question now is which one.

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I’ve made some picks, with the team I think will win in bold. However, as you can see, I’ve only picked one road team to win, which is kind of boring:

Friday
Class 4A
(4) Cheyenne East at (1) Thunder Basin: The ‘Bolts are undefeated but aren’t unbeatable. Last week showed that. A 31-30 game with East in Week 2 showed that. And it’ll take a heck of an effort from Thunder Basin to hold off a confident Thunderbird crew. (First playoff meeting.)
(3) Cheyenne Central at (2) Sheridan: Man, it seems like a LONG time ago that Sheridan beat Central 28-14. That’s because that game was in Week 1. Since then, the Broncs have been consistent but the Indians have been streaky. I like consistency, but I fear streakiness. (First playoff meeting since 2017 4A quarterfinals.)
Class 3A
(3W) Jackson at (1W) Star Valley: Don’t forget, the last time these two teams met, it was a one-score game at halftime before the Braves ran away with it in the second half. If the Broncs can put together a complete game, they can absolutely win in Afton. If. (First playoff meeting since 1990 3A quarterfinals.)
(4W) Powell at (2W) Cody: The Broncs controlled the first meeting between these teams from start to finish and won 38-14. But rivalries have a weird way of manifesting weird results when they’re staged in the playoffs. (First playoff meeting since 2013 3A semifinals.)
Class 2A
(3E) Thermopolis at (1E) Buffalo: The Bison had to rally late last week to stay unbeaten. And the Bobcats hung with the Bison in their first game before falling 28-14. Buffalo’s the favorite, but Thermop is a capable spoiler. (First playoff meeting since 2003 4A semifinals.)
(2E) Burns at (1W) Mountain View: Both teams had easy first-round victories. Despite how good and confident the Broncs might be, the Buffalos still enter as big favorites. (First playoff meeting.)
Class 1A 11-man
(3E) Southeast at (1E) Big Horn: Big Horn won the first matchup two weeks ago 49-7 in Yoder. The Cyclones might keep it closer this time around, but the Rams are in great position to move back into the title game. (First playoff meeting since 2001 2A semifinals.)
(2E) Upton-Sundance at (1W) Cokeville: Cokeville won this game last year. But that was last year, and the Patriots are looking stronger than they’ve looked in a while. Incidentally, I’m looking forward to seeing this game again in the 2A semifinals next year. (Rematch of a 2018 1A 11-man semifinal.)
Class 1A six-man
(3E) Lingle at (1E) Hanna: I know Snake River’s defense gets the attention, but how about Hanna’s offense? The Miners are averaging 73.9 points per game, which if they can keep up that pace would be an all-time state record for scoring proficiency. With a 69-24 victory against the Doggers already logged this season, Hanna’s the easy favorite in this one. (First playoff meeting since 1991 1A quarterfinals.)
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
(2E) Hulett at (1W) Snake River: The Rattlers are the favorites to win, yes. But the Red Devils’ solid performance against Farson last week has me thinking they might be the team to break Snake’s season-long shutout streak. (First playoff meeting since 2012 1A six-man quarterfinals.)

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Semifinals” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 17-3 (85 percent). This season: 237-55 (81 percent). 

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Which road team do you think is most likely to win this week? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Quarterfinal playoff picks: Intriguing games? We got ’em! (Except in 1A 11-man.)

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Let’s face it: Last year’s opening round of the playoffs was a pretty big, boring dud.

Only two out of 20 games statewide in last year’s opening round were decided by a possession or less — Cody’s 29-26 victory against Douglas and Wheatland’s 21-14 victory against Greybull. Meanwhile, eight games reached running-clock status, including all four first-round games in 1A 11-man.

Although the 2019 quarterfinals probably won’t be running clock-free, they certainly present more possibilities for close games than last year.

Finally, we have some intrigue in the first round of the playoffs.

Class 4A has a pair of intriguing games, with Natrona and East reprising a game that went Natrona won in double overtime in Week 4 and with Rock Springs and Central meeting in a game that finished 36-29 Indians in Week 2. Central is hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2009, and the Indians’ meeting with Rock Springs assures us that it won’t be the Big Four of East, Natrona, Thunder Basin and Sheridan dominating the semis again — and that’s a nice breath of fresh air for Wyoming’s big schools.

Class 3A’s most interesting first-round game matches up East Conference champ Lander, winners of six in a row, against Powell, the team that gave Lander its last, and only, loss of the season. The Panthers won 17-7 in Week 2, in Lander, and has to duplicate that feat to keep its season going — a tough task against a confident Tiger team.

In 2A, the 2-3 games are more or less toss-ups. Rising Lyman hosts a solid Thermopolis team, while Big Piney travels to Burns to play the Broncs for the first meeting between the programs. Both games provide ample opportunities for final-possession magic, because all four teams have shown potential.

Likewise in Class 1A six-man, the 2-3 games (Farson at Hulett, Lingle at Burlington) could go either way. Last year, the West swept the East in the first round, but the East has been improved this year. And with Hanna at 8-0 and Hulett at 7-1, the East has some teams thinking more than just escaping the first round — they’re thinking title.

That leaves us with… oh yeah, Class 1A 11-man, where intrigue is as rare as steak tartare.

Three of the four first-round matchups are rematches of last year’s blowouts (Wind River/Big Horn, Wright/Cokeville, Rocky Mountain/Upton-Sundance). Southeast’s venture to Shoshoni is the only thing new on the playoff schedule, but even that’s not rare — they’ve already met in the quarterfinals in 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016. The East is the better conference, again; Cokeville is the lone exception, again; of the four teams favored to win on Friday, three are headed to 2A next year…

At least in four of the five classes, some intrigue, some unpredictability, is a nice change this year. I’d love more of it. The last couple years have been pretty predictable in the first round:

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If you’re new to the site, I predict who’s going to win every game by bolding the team I think will have more points at the end. See above; I’m pretty good at this in the quarterfinals. That said, see above; I’m ready to be surprised.

Class 4A
(8) Gillette at (1) Thunder Basin: The Camels aren’t “back,” but a playoff berth is a nice step forward for the program. Thunder Basin has bigger goals. (First playoff meeting.)
(5) Natrona at (4) Cheyenne East: The first meeting this season between these two programs was an all-timer, with Natrona winning in extra time; this one should be, too, and I think the T-Birds are ready for a bit of revenge. (Rematch of a 2018 4A semifinal.)
(7) Kelly Walsh at (2) Sheridan: The Broncs showed last week just how ready they are for a deep playoff run. Playing at Homer Scott Field helps the Broncs’ cause, too. (First playoff meeting since 2017 4A semifinals.)
(6) Rock Springs at (3) Cheyenne Central: I love this matchup. Both programs are eager to prove they belong in 4A’s upper echelon. A victory here might cement that spot for awhile to come, too. (First playoff meeting since 2007 5A quarterfinals.)
Class 3A
(4E) Douglas at (1W) Star Valley: The Braves have been scary efficient all season long. At home, expect more of the same. (First playoff meeting since 2016 3A semifinals.)
(3W) Jackson at (2E) Riverton: Riverton has been a different team since conference play started and will give Jackson a tussle in the first round. But the Broncs are still the favorites here. (First playoff meeting since 2015 3A quarterfinals.)
(4W) Powell at (1E) Lander: I love, love, love this matchup. And even though Powell beat Lander in Week 2, I think Lander’s made some big improvements since then. (First playoff meeting since 2016 3A quarterfinals.)
(3E) Worland at (2W) Cody: This one might be closer than you think. Worland is better than its 3-5 record — and its 28-14 loss to Cody in Week 2 — might imply. Still, look for Cody to move on to the semis. (First playoff meeting.)
Class 2A
(4W) Lovell at (1E) Buffalo: It’s been fun to watch Lovell’s resurgence, and if Buffalo isn’t careful, the Bulldogs could be more challenging than anticipated. The Bison will likely anticipate it, though. (First playoff meeting since 1991 2A semifinals.)
(3E) Thermopolis at (2W) Lyman: I’m torn on this one. Both these programs have legit reasons to feel overlooked, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Eagles sneak out a victory in this one. However, the Bobcats have played more good teams tough. (First playoff meeting since 2010 2A quarterfinals.)
(4E) Wheatland at (1W) Mountain View: The Buffalos have outscored their opponents 397-25 this season. Wheatland’s given up more than 25 points in six of its eight games. (First playoff meeting since 2017 2A semifinals.)
(3W) Big Piney at (2E) Burns: This game REALLY intrigues me, mostly because I love it when programs meet for the first time. Burns by a hair. (First playoff meeting, obviously.)
Class 1A 11-man
(4W) Wind River at (1E) Big Horn: Oh no. With the 8-0 and rolling Rams facing the 1-7 and outscored-160-to-6-in-their-past-three-games Cougars, this one could get ugly fast. (Rematch of a 2018 1A 11-man quarterfinal.)
(3E) Southeast at (2W) Shoshoni: After last year’s aberration, Southeast is back to being Southeast again. Even on the road, the Cyclones are the favorites in this one. (First playoff meeting since 2016 1A 11-man quarterfinals.)
(4E) Wright at (1W) Cokeville: Wright’s gonna put up a fight, but Cokeville is really tough to beat at home in the first round of the playoffs: 25-1 since 1991. (Rematch of a 2018 1A 11-man quarterfinal.)
(3W) Rocky Mountain at (2E) Upton-Sundance: These two teams have met in the first round in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. The Patriots are 4-0 in those games. Unless the Griz’s young players grow up really fast, make it 5-0. (Rematch of a 2018 1A 11-man quarterfinal.)
Class 1A six-man
(4E) Kaycee at (1W) Snake River: Sorry, Buckaroos. The question isn’t who will win. The question is if Kaycee will even score a point. (Rematch of a 2018 1A six-man quarterfinal.)
(3W) Farson at (2E) Hulett: I desperately want to pick the Red Devils in this one, and don’t be surprised if they prove me wrong against the defending champs. This might be the best game of the week. (Rematch of a 2018 1A six-man quarterfinal.)
(4W) Meeteetse at (1E) Hanna: No one is more aware than Hanna of how easily a promising season can end abruptly. The Miners will be focused. (First playoff meeting since 1989 1A semifinals.)
(3E) Lingle at (2W) Burlington: Victories the past two weeks against Farson and Riverside help show just how improved the Huskies are since their 1-3 start. (First playoff meeting.)

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Quarterfinals” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 25-4 (86 percent). This season: 220-52 (81 percent). 

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Which first-round playoff game is the most intriguing to you? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Week 8 picks: 4A, finally, has Wyoming’s most interesting playoff chase

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In all, 19 of the 30 games on the schedule this week have an effect on playoff seeding.

Of Wyoming’s five football classifications, though, only one class has a schedule where every game matters to playoff seeding — Class 4A.

Like usual, Class 4A has two distinct strata: the top teams, and the not-so-top teams. But one game, Central’s 32-19 victory against Natrona last week, suddenly increased the ranks of the top tier by one — and Rock Springs is right there, too, being consistently competitive against top teams.

When we look at this week’s 4A schedule, that’s the dividing line. The top tier teams are trying to figure out seeds one through six, while the not-so-top tier is trying to figure out the last two teams in.

There are 32 different scenarios with these games — leading to a ton of potentially different playoff brackets. The only thing certain is that Thunder Basin will be the top seed.

After that? Chaos, but neatly aligned chaos split directly between seeds Nos. 6 and 7.

Sheridan could be seed 2 or 3; Cheyenne East could finish anywhere from 2 to 5; Cheyenne Central could finish third, fourth or fifth; Natrona could be third, sixth or anywhere in between; Rock Springs will be on the road in the first round but could be either fifth or sixth.

Games between Cheyenne East and Sheridan and between Natrona and Rock Springs will help sort the top tier.

Then we get our straddle games: Cheyenne Central facing Cheyenne South and Thunder Basin facing Laramie.

Most likely, Central and Thunder Basin win those games. But if they don’t, that’s when the scenarios on the bottom tier get, um, weird.

If Kelly Walsh beats Gillette and South and Laramie simultaneously pull two of the biggest upsets in 4A history, then we’ll finish with a four-way tie for the final two playoff spots.

The anarchist in me wants to see this happen.

Remember how the WHSAA put into place the scoring differential tiebreaker this year — an effort to curb the use of coin flips to decide playoff seeding? It doesn’t apply to four-way ties. Dimes and thumbs are how four-way ties are broken in cases like this where one team hasn’t beaten, or lost, to all of the other three.

But that’s the least likely of the 32 scenarios.

Even a three-way tie would require a monumental upset by either South or Laramie. (Although… any chance Thunder Basin rests its starters and gives up an undefeated season to avoid risking injuries to key guys before the playoffs? Probably not, but it’s a thought.)

That leaves one key game to discuss: Kelly Walsh hosting Gillette. The Camels have the advantage with the better record, but KW has home field and urgency… because the three-way tie that’s most likely is KW, Laramie and South tying for the eighth and final playoff spot, all with 1-8 records.

And in that situation… Laramie is in, with Laramie +6, KW +5 and South -11.

In a weird way, scoring differential has created more clarity entering the final week. Now, KW knows it has to win to be in.

In a 4A week where every game matters, that kind of certainty is rare.

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Other Week 8 games? Well, 14 of them have playoff implications. Here’s a quick look at some of them:

Don’t overlook the Lander-Worland game in the 3A East. The Tigers have been rolling, but the Warriors have been resurgent and are still in the mix for a conference championship themselves — and this game is in Washakie County. By the same token, Riverton at Douglas in the 3A East could also be one of the best games in the state this week, and just as much is on the line there. …

One of the games I’ve been waiting for all season finally happens Friday with Thermopolis traveling to Burns. The winner gains home field for the first round of the 2A playoffs, and to be honest both teams have proven themselves both capable and worthy of that honor. Really interested to see how it goes. …

The 1A 11-man East championship will either be a Big Horn runaway or a three-way tie; if Southeast can somehow give the Rams their first loss of the season, in Yoder, then the 1A title chase goes from predictable to chaotic. …

The best game on the six-man schedule is the regional rivalry between Burlington and Riverside in Basin — a game we won’t see next year or into the foreseeable future as the Rebels make the jump to nine-man. Last week’s Lingle-Guernsey game was played under similar circumstances. It’ll be sad to see some of those rivalries go, but new ones will emerge — like Riverside-Greybull, which will be rekindled as a conference game next year. …

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On to some picks for Week 8, the final week of the regular season and the end to the careers of about a third of Wyoming’s high school football seniors:

Thursday
Class 2A
Big Piney at Lyman
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne East at Sheridan
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne Central
Gillette at Kelly Walsh
Rock Springs at Natrona
Thunder Basin at Laramie
Class 3A
Cody at Green River
Evanston at Star Valley
Lander at Worland
Powell at Jackson
Rawlins at Torrington
Riverton at Douglas
Class 2A
Buffalo at Newcastle
Glenrock at Moorcroft
Greybull at Mountain View
Kemmerer at Lovell
Thermopolis at Burns
Wheatland at Pinedale
Class 1A 11-man
Big Horn at Southeast
Shoshoni vs. Upton-Sundance (at Casper)
Pine Bluffs at Lusk
Wind River at Cokeville
Wright at Tongue River
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Riverside
Dubois at Snake River
Hanna at Guernsey-Sunrise
NSI at Kaycee
St. Stephens at Farson
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Lingle at Hulett
Encampment’s game Wednesday was canceled; Meeteetse has an open week; in a pair of forfeits, Rocky Mountain defeated Wyoming Indian and Saratoga beat Midwest.

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 8” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 29-3 (91 percent). This season: 195-48 (80 percent). 

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Do you like the score differential tiebreaker? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Week 7 picks: An end to Lander’s 71-year drought?

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I want you to go through a little mental exercise right now. Think about the last time your favorite Wyoming high school football team won an outright conference championship.

For half of the state’s football programs, this doesn’t require you to think back too far — 32 programs have won an outright conference title this decade. Another 13 have won an outright conference title in the past 20 years; 13 more than that have won one in the past 40.

Now, a handful of programs (newer programs like Thunder Basin, Cheyenne South and NSI, as well as Wyoming Indian) have never won an outright conference title. And St. Stephens took a long break before bringing back football, so the Eagles haven’t won one since 1963.

That leaves one program.

Lander.

The Tigers’ last outright conference championship came 71 years ago, in 1948. Players on that team are now likely in their late 80s.

The actual conference title drought isn’t that long — Lander last shared a conference title in 1995. And the Tigers played in state title games in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2004, so it’s not like the Tigers have been pushovers.

So why does it matter now? Well… take a look at the 3A East standings. Lander is the last remaining undefeated team in conference play. The Tigers are 3-0; Douglas, Riverton and Worland are all at 2-1, chasing a Lander team that, for the first time in a long time, controls its own destiny.

Destiny, meet Douglas.

Lander and Douglas have been in the same conference since 2011. In that time, Douglas has won all eight games between the programs, winning by an average score of 39-7. In fact, Douglas has won 12 in a row against Lander.

On Friday night, Douglas comes to Lander, where the Tigers have a chance to undo a decade’s worth of frustration against the Bearcats and come one step closer to ending more than seven decades’ worth conference shortfalls.

With the right set of circumstances — a Lander victory paired with a Torrington upset of Worland — the Tigers would be conference champs by the end of the night on Friday, although we wouldn’t know until after Week 8 if the title would be outright or shared.

Either way, 48 good minutes for Lander could help undo 71 years of delayed gratification.

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Other games that have me wondering if we broke the simulation:

The obvious answer for “Game of the Week” is Star Valley-Cody in the 3A West championship game. I’m not sure how anyone can doubt Star Valley’s cred after the way the Braves held down Jackson last week, but Cody presents a significant challenge (and potential Laramie lookahead). …

The week is chock full of games that will affect playoff seeding and qualification, and I absolutely love the fact that Cheyenne South-Gillette is in that conversation. Both the Bison and Camels beat Laramie this year, and for the first time in a couple years this game is for something more than just pride. If 4A is going to develop parity, it starts with these two programs, and their jumps forward this year, however small, are worth noting. …

I’m not sure when or where or how this happened, but I think Riverton might be the most improved team in the state over the past month. The Wolverines host Rawlins this week, and I’m really interested to see if Riverton keeps building on the momentum it has in its favor. …

Speaking of scary teams, Wright notched a huge victory last week against Lusk that put the Panthers in prime playoff position. Now, Wright has what might even be a bigger game against Southeast — and both these teams are aware of how critical the difference is in the 1A 11-man East to be the No. 3 seed going into the playoffs as opposed to the No. 4 seed. This could be the state’s best game this week regardless of classification. …

Burlington and Farson are meeting in a rematch of last year’s six-man title game. Funny how that means a heck of a lot less this deep into the season. Still, it’s cool to see happen. …

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On to some picks, where I pick ’em. But I don’t establish lines. Nah, this ain’t Vegas. So I just pick a team, put ’em in bold, and then watch the fun unfold.

Thursday
Interclass
Star Valley JV at Cokeville
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne South at Gillette
Kelly Walsh at Thunder Basin
Natrona at Cheyenne Central
Rock Springs at Cheyenne East
Sheridan at Laramie
Class 3A
Douglas at Lander
Green River at Powell
Jackson at Evanston
Rawlins at Riverton
Star Valley at Cody
Worland at Torrington
Class 2A
Big Piney at Buffalo
Burns at Newcastle
Lovell at Pinedale
Moorcroft at Wheatland
Mountain View at Kemmerer
Thermopolis at Glenrock
Class 1A 11-man
Big Horn at Lusk
Rocky Mountain at Wind River
Shoshoni at Wyoming Indian
Southeast at Wright
Upton-Sundance at Pine Bluffs
Class 1A six-man
Burlington at Farson
Dubois at Meeteetse
Lingle at Guernsey-Sunrise
Riverside at St. Stephens
Saturday
Class 2A
Lyman at Greybull
Class 1A six-man
Hanna at Kaycee
Saratoga at NSI
Interclass
Natrona sophs at Encampment
Tongue River at Sheridan JV
Open: Snake River. Hulett has a forfeit victory against Midwest already notched this week and won’t play this week.

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 7” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 25-6 (81 percent). This season: 166-45 (79 percent). 

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What were you up to in 1948? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Week 6 picks: Six-man’s magic number, and Snake River’s obliteration of it

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Six-man football in Wyoming has a magic number: 22.

Every six-man state champion since 2009 has given up fewer than 22 points per game. And only once has a six-man team given up fewer than 22 points per game and not won the six-man title.

Re-read that last paragraph. And then think about it.

Like Bear Bryant used to say, offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships. He was talking 11-man, but nowhere else does it ring truer than in six-man.

Over the past 10 seasons, it’s held true that to win a championship, six-man defenses HAVE to allow fewer than 22 points per game. Here’s a quick breakdown of who’s met that magic number, and by how much:
Kaycee 2017 (10-0), 10 ppg (state champ)
Snake River 2010 (10-0), 15.2 ppg (state champ)
Kaycee 2016 (11-0), 15.27 ppg (state champ)
Kaycee 2015 (10-1), 15.73 ppg (state champ)
Guernsey 2014 (11-0), 15.8 ppg (state champ)
Guernsey 2009 (9-0), 16 ppg (state champ)
Snake River 2017 (8-2), 16.8 ppg
Dubois 2012 (11-0), 19.18 ppg (state champ)
Snake River 2011 (11-0), 20.5 ppg (state champ)
Farson 2018 (11-0), 21 ppg (state champ)
Meeteetse 2013 (11-1), 21.42 ppg (state champ)

Only once we wrap our heads around that magic number can we fully understand, embrace and appreciate what’s happening with Snake River this season.

Through five games, Snake River has allowed zero points.

Zero. None. Nada. Zilch. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. An average of 0.0 ppg.

Scores of 71-0 (sorry, Saratoga), 52-0 (bye-bye, Burlington), 62-0 (mashed Meeteetse), 53-0 (sayonara, St. Stephens) and 56-0 (ripped Riverside) have put the Rattlers on a path of not only championship proportions, but of heretofore unmatched historic defensive prowess.

At one point in Kaycee’s 2017 title season — the one that capped a 30-game winning streak and three consecutive state titles while putting the Buckaroos on top of that six-man defensive list at 10 points per game — the Buckaroos notched four consecutive shutouts.

I thought we may never see that in six-man again. Yet here we are, and Snake River’s got five shutouts in its first five games.

Five consecutive shutouts is unprecedented in Wyoming’s six-man records. The closest such six-man stretch I can find, beyond Kaycee’s 2017 season, came with Byron’s six-man team in 1939, which went 5-0 and never gave up a point; the caveat is that I can’t find results for two of Byron’s games that season.

(By the way, the all-time state record for consecutive shutouts, regardless of classification, is nine. Three programs share that record. Rock Springs did that in the 1940 and 1941 seasons, including eight straight shutouts to close out its 1940 championship season; Sheridan did that in 1916-19, including a 1917 season in which they outscored opponents 300-0; and Ten Sleep had nine straight shutouts from 1935-36.)

All that said, it makes sense that Snake River is the top-ranked team in six-man.

The Rattlers’ biggest challenge to date comes Friday, when second-ranked and defending state champion Farson brings its tied-for-state-best 16-game winning streak to Baggs.

Farson has to feel overshadowed by Snake River’s success this year. How many defending state champs start a season with five consecutive victories, string together a 16-game winning streak — and, oh by the way, give up a championship-pace 13.4 points per game — and STILL can’t crack the top spot in the rankings?

Well… when the team ranked higher is on some kind of crazy record-breaking shutout streak, there’s not much Farson can do.

Except score.

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A ton of rivalries dot the schedule in Week 6, but that’s not all that’s important. After all, the Oil Bowl (Natrona-Kelly Walsh) and the Energy Bowl (Sheridan-Gillette) are both this week. Bold prediction: Neither will be all that competitive by the fourth quarter. But some other games might be….

Like Central-East in what we used to call the Capital Bowl. With South’s struggles, maybe we still can. To be honest, I thought Central was a year away from being a true competitor in 4A. Yet the Indians are 4-2 and have won four in a row. That kind of momentum builds confidence and turns a team with potential into a team with power. East is the favorite, but Central might be closer to turning the tide in this series than anyone outside their locker room thought possible in August. …

In Week 5, Worland finally showed that spark I thought the Warriors would have all season in defeating Rawlins. After an 0-4 start, it would be easy to write off Worland’s hopes. But if the Warriors can surprise Douglas at home this week — and based on last week’s performance, they very well could — they might be a surprise second-half team, and beyond. …

Jackson’s mad. And Star Valley is in the Broncs’ way. Although the Braves have the edge in this one, if you think Jackson won’t be playing like its hair’s on fire, you’ve got another thing coming. …

The Bridger Valley Bowl between Mountain View and Lyman is this week. As I’ve said before, I wholly underestimated Lyman this season. But I haven’t overestimated Mountain View… the Buffalos have been everything that everyone thought they might be this season. I’m curious to see how much of a fight the underdog Eagles might give them in a rivalry showdown. Speaking of underestimating teams….

I don’t mind admitting that the team I was most wrong about this year was Southeast. The Cyclones have won four in a row and are tied for first in the 1A 11-man East. Are they for-real championship threats? Well, they host Upton-Sundance this week. Let’s talk after that game. …

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Here are the Week 6 picks. Bold is for teams I think will win, and I use it carefully, because ink is expensive:

Thursday
Interclass
Wyoming Indian at Cody JV
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne East
Kelly Walsh at Natrona
Laramie at Cheyenne South
Sheridan at Gillette
Thunder Basin at Rock Springs
Class 3A
Douglas at Worland
Evanston at Green River
Jackson at Star Valley
Lander at Rawlins
Powell at Cody
Torrington at Riverton
Class 2A
Greybull at Lovell
Kemmerer at Glenrock
Mountain View at Lyman
Newcastle at Thermopolis
Pinedale at Big Piney
Wheatland at Buffalo
Class 1A 11-man
Lusk at Wright
Cokeville at Rocky Mountain
Tongue River at Big Horn
Upton-Sundance at Southeast
Wind River at Shoshoni
Class 1A six-man
Kaycee at Lingle
Meeteetse at Riverside
Interclass
Burns at Pine Bluffs
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Farson at Snake River
NSI at Hulett
St. Stephens at Dubois
Saratoga at Hanna
Interclass
Gillette sophs at Moorcroft
Natrona frosh at Encampment
Open: Burlington. Guernsey has already defeated Midwest this week via forfeit.

For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 6” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.

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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:

Last week: 30-2 (94 percent). This season: 141-39 (78 percent). 

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What’s your favorite Wyoming high school football rivalry? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

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–patrick