Wyoming’s football/basketball title game “rematches”

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Tonight’s “rematch” between Natrona and Gillette for the 4A boys basketball championship got me thinking about times when the football title game has been repeated for the basketball title.

A quick scan of football and basketball title games showed that tonight’s Natrona-Gillette title game is only the 10th time that two football title-game combatants have met for the basketball championship a few months later.

Here are the other nine “rematches” I found:

2012/13: Powell and Star Valley (Powell won 3A football, Star Valley won 3A basketball)

2008/09: Burlington and Southeast (Southeast won 1A football and basketball)

2005/06: Cheyenne Central and Cheyenne East (Central won 5A football, East won 4A basketball)

1998/99: Gillette and Laramie (Gillette won 4A football and basketball)

1997/98: Lusk and Rocky Mountain (Rocky Mountain won 1A-D1 football and 2A basketball)

1994/95: Burlington and Hulett (Burlington won 1A nine-man football and 1A basketball)

1993/94: Lander and Star Valley (Star Valley won 3A football and basketball)

1992/93: Buffalo and Thermopolis (Thermopolis won 2A football, Buffalo won 3A basketball)

1950/51: Cowley and Hanna (Cowley won six-man football, Hanna won B basketball)

–patrick

War Memorial Stadium: The great equalizer for Wyoming’s state football championship games

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For more than seven decades, Wyoming state football championship games were played on the field of the higher-seeded team.

The system worked — teams displayed all kinds of hometown pride, stadiums filled and trophies went to deserving teams.

Usually.

But every once in a while, the location of the game helped shape its outcome, and the team that won the title wasn’t the better team.

From 1990 — when Wyoming expanded to five classifications for football — until 2008, home teams went 65-30 in state championship games. That means those home teams had a .684 winning percentage, far above the usual 56-percent rate at which home teams win.

That changed in 2009, when the Wyoming High School Activities Association made the decision to move all state football title games to the University of Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

While the decision has had both supporters and detractors, there’s no denying that moving the title games to Laramie has given Wyoming high school teams, for lack of a better term, a more even playing field for state championship contests.

Since 2009, the team that would have been the home team has gone 18-12 (.600) in the Laramie title games.

While detractors of the title games’ move to Laramie have valid points about community pride, Laramie’s sketchy November weather and a mostly empty War Memorial Stadium, even they can’t overlook that the move to Laramie has produced state title games that turn out more representative champions than in previous years.

By employing a neutral site for championship games, Wyoming is more likely to have its best teams win state titles.

This is most evident at classifications below the big schools in Class 4A.

In Class 4A, where teams play a round-robin regular-season schedule to determine playoff seeding, higher-seeded teams are 6-0 in title games. In the state’s other four classifications, where the honor of “hosting” the title game is often determined by an annual rotation between the East and West conferences and is not necessarily awarded to the team with the better record, higher-seeded teams are actually 11-13 (.458) in Laramie — 3-3 in every classification except six-man, where higher-seeded teams are 2-4.

The neutral site has a clear ability to help eliminate any advantage given rather than earned. Maybe that’s why, in part, the Wyoming High School Activities Association voted last week to continue Laramie’s privilege of hosting state championship games through 2017.

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Another myth that’s been dispelled in the first six years of title games in Laramie: The team that is closer to Laramie has no advantage over the team that has to travel further to reach Laramie. Since 2009, the team that’s closer to Laramie has gone 15-15 in the title game. Apparently, distance doesn’t matter if both teams are traveling.

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Here’s the breakdown of each state football championship game in Laramie since 2009. The team listed first is the winning team. Game winners are indicated by location (closer or further from Laramie than opponent) and seeding (higher or lower than opponent).

2014
4A: CLOSER/HIGHER Natrona-Gillette
3A: FURTHER/HIGHER Cody-Douglas
2A: CLOSER/HIGHER Mountain View-Big Horn
1A11: FURTHER/LOWER Cokeville-Lusk
1A6: CLOSER/LOWER Guernsey-Dubois

2013
4A: CLOSER/HIGHER East-Natrona
3A: FURTHER/LOWER Powell-Douglas
2A: FURTHER/LOWER Big Horn-Mountain View
1A11: FURTHER/HIGHER Cokeville-Lusk
1A6: FURTHER/LOWER Meeteetse-Midwest

2012
4A: CLOSER/HIGHER Natrona-Gillette
3A: CLOSER/HIGHER Powell-Star Valley
2A: CLOSER/HIGHER Lyman-Lovell
1A11: CLOSER/LOWER Southeast-Lusk
1A6: FURTHER/LOWER Dubois-Snake River

2011
4A: FURTHER/HIGHER Sheridan-East
3A: FURTHER/LOWER Powell-Douglas
2A: FURTHER/HIGHER Lovell-Lyman
1A11: FURTHER/LOWER Cokeville-Southeast
1A6: CLOSER/LOWER Snake River-Dubois

2010
4A: CLOSER/HIGHER Natrona-Sheridan
3A: CLOSER/HIGHER Douglas-Buffalo
2A: CLOSER/LOWER Thermopolis-Big Horn
1A11: FURTHER/HIGHER Cokeville-Lusk
1A6: FURTHER/HIGHER Snake River-Hanna

2009
4A: FURTHER/HIGHER Sheridan-Central
3A: CLOSER/LOWER Douglas-Cody
2A: FURTHER/LOWER Thermopolis-Glenrock
1A11: CLOSER/HIGHER Southeast-Lingle
1A6: CLOSER/HIGHER Guernsey-Kaycee

Of the games listed here, which game won by a lower seed is the most likely to have been won by the higher seed if it had been played on the higher seed’s home field? Post your thoughts about that question, or about anything related to what’s shown here, with a comment. I’d love to chat about this fun stuff!

–patrick

Way-too-early 2015 predictions

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We have a lot of time between now and Nov. 13-14. And a lot can happen in 10 months — injuries, transfers, coaching changes, offseason training, growth spurts and more will all influence who wins the championship trophy in Laramie this November.

That doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead to see who might win the title next season, though.

With the state championship games still 10 months away, here are my pre-preseason top 5 teams for each classification:

Class 4A
1. Gillette: The Camels always reload well, as the program has great numbers and great tradition. But Gillette also returns talent, with Super 25er Zach Taylor and OL Lane Tucker to anchor each side of the ball.
2. Sheridan: Returning three all-conference players on offense in QB Blake Godwin, RB Evan Coon and OL Davis Alden will help the Broncs transition into 2015 easily.
3. Natrona: One of the best senior classes in state history will be gone. But that doesn’t mean the Mustangs have an empty cupboard. They never do.
4. Cheyenne East: The T-Birds lose a lot, but also have a couple rocks to anchor the defense in lineman Quin Happold and linebacker Jack Danni. They’ll need to find some offensive playmakers, though.
5. Cheyenne South: The Bison should be better than they’ve ever been with three all-conference players back in Nik Seui, Marquez Jefferson and Isaac McHenry. Only Sheridan has more all-conference players back this year than South.
Dark horse: Cheyenne Central. The Indians improved a ton from Week 0 to Week 8 in 2014, but they’ll need to replace some key players.

Class 3A
1. Jackson: Super 25 RB Theo Dawson is the centerpiece, but three other returning all-conference players (Dillon Hartranft, Keegan Bommer and Ryan Johnston) give the Broncs enough depth to improve on last year’s early playoff exit.
2. Cody: Granted, the Broncs lost a ton of star players. But Cameron Myers and Blake Hinze and a host of other underclassmen played key parts on 2014’s title team. And they’re confident now.
3. Torrington: The Trailblazers, with Super 25 RB Skyler Miller, are poised for another breakout season — if they can replace an underrated senior class.
4. Douglas: Every single one of the Bearcats’ nine all-conference selections last year was a senior. However, if anyone can reload in a hurry, it’s Douglas.
5. Rawlins: The Outlaws’ improvement will continue in coach Corey Wheeler’s second year — the second year is always better — as he returns key players in QB Jace Allard and lineman J.D. Smith.
Dark horse: Riverton. Every single all-conference player graduated. Can the Wolverines replace them and stay in the top half of what’s now a competitive East Conference?

Class 2A
1. Wheatland: The Bulldogs return all four of their all-state selections (Justis Borton, Josh Calvert, Daniel Chesser and Nathan Willis), by far the most in 2A. A trip to last year’s semifinals should give Wheatland the experience, and the hunger, to reach Laramie.
2. Mountain View: The defending champs lose a lot to graduation but also retain three all-staters in Dalton Hereford, Dusty Iorg and Kale Iorg. The defense will be stout; the offense remains the question mark.
3. Big Horn: You can’t count out the Rams. Big Horn will rely a lot on their three all-conference returners, seniors Brice Beisher and Collin Powers and junior Nolan McCafferty, to make up for the loss of a deep, and speedy, senior class.
4. Thermopolis: The Bobcats have one of the classification’s most talented running backs in Tyler Cornwell, and he’s surrounded by experienced players who can get the job done.
5. Glenrock: The Herders return all five of their all-conference players and could be a legit contender, but they’ll have to survive a stacked East Conference.
Dark horse: Greybull. Yes, all-everything player Calder Forcella graduated. But the Buffs return a trio of all-conference role players (Lane Nielsen, Dawson McEwan and Elias Ewen) who can keep the program steady.

Class 1A 11-man
1. Cokeville: The Panthers are No. 1 by default, because that’s what consistency earns you. The Panthers’ deep senior class is gone, but Jackson Linford, Ellis Toomer and Trent King were all-conference selections last year (Linford and Toomer were all-state, too), and they will lead the transition year.
2. Lingle: Last year’s East Conference runners-up are stacked for a run at the title game this year, as seniors Dillon Forkner, Colten Wunder and Brice Hill and junior Dallen Fleenor will give the Doggers both depth and experience.
3. Shoshoni: After an 0-3 start, the Wranglers went on a tear last year, and they’ll be tough to stop this year as they return both of their all-state selections (seniors Patrick Forster and Conner Wilkinson) and juniors J.J. Pingetzer and Jason Thoren.
4. Lusk: I feel really scared ranking the Tigers this low, but seven of Lusk’s eight all-conference players are gone. That leaves returning all-stater Logan Lamar to lead a thinner, possibly rebuilding, team.
5. Upton-Sundance: The Patriots have to replace RB Jett Materi, but a pair of senior all-conference returners, Rourke McPeters and Cole Ingrahm, give U-S a good place from which to build.
Dark horses: Rocky Mountain and Tongue River. Both lost some key seniors, but both return a bevy of role players from competitive teams.

Class 1A six-man
1. Meeteetse: In terms of straight-up talent, the Longhorns return more than any other team in six-man. Carter Johnson and Dalton Abarr were both all-state picks and Scott Sessions and Shawn Shepperson also have proven abilities.
2. Kaycee: All-stater Taylor Rouse has been as consistent as a player can be. If his senior classmates surround him and give him some help, the Buckaroos could be in Laramie.
3. Guernsey-Sunrise: An athletic senior class departs, but all-state selections Forest Foos and Seth Frederick played important parts in last year’s title run and will lead the Vikings next season.
4. Farson: The Pronghorns’ only all-state selection, Lynndon Lehmann, graduated, but the team returns every other all-conference player. Seniors Kelton Broadhead, Neale Jones and Isaac Orozco give Farson consistency and athleticism.
5. Dubois: Last year’s state runners-up graduated the bulk of their key players, but the Rams could surprise out west thanks to returning all-stater Zac Rose.
Dark horse: Snake River. Who knows how the Rattlers will handle losing a talented senior class? Returning all-conference selection Braden Duncan gives Snake River a good start.

Who do you think will haul home the first-place trophy from Laramie next November? Post a comment and let’s talk about this, way way way way before it’s logical to do so.

–patrick

Dianne Moser nears state basketball coaching record — we think

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After starting the season 5-1, Tongue River girls basketball coach Dianne Moser now has a career record of 702-205.

Moser will probably break the state record for basketball victories this season, regardless of gender, a record held by longtime Cheyenne Central boys coach Okie Blanchard.

But exactly when Moser will break that record? No one knows for sure.

When he retired from basketball coaching after the 1958 season, Blanchard had 706 or 708 career victories, depending on the source; his loss total is either 126 or 127, again depending on the source. Blanchard also came out of retirement and coached Hillsdale in 1968-69, a season that isn’t counted in those career totals. No one who I’ve contacted has been able to find Hillsdale’s record for that 1968-69 season.

For what it’s worth, I tend to believe Blanchard had 706 career victories entering the Hillsdale season. The number 706 was the total cited upon his retirement from coaching (well, his first retirement) in 1958.

Blanchard’s career spanned three-plus decades with stops at Glenrock, Cokeville, Rock Springs, Natrona and Cheyenne Central, with a two-year stint at the University of Wyoming in the middle of all that, too. The citing of 708 total victories came out only after he returned to Hillsdale, prior to the start of that season.

Hillsdale High School closed after that 1969 season, and — to the best of my knowledge — Blanchard’s second go-round of basketball coaching ended after that one-year stint in Hillsdale.

So the number Moser has to beat? Blanchard’s 706 plus Hillsdale’s 1968-69 season.

She’ll get it, probably this season.

For now, though, we can’t celebrate Moser’s accomplishment at the moment… unless someone finds Hillsdale’s record from 1969…

–patrick

Single-season scoring records added to wyoming-football.com

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After several marathon sessions with Excel, I can now post scoring totals and averages for every season for every team — and from those numbers, I’ve been able to draw out some of the state’s record-setting offensive and defensive performances over an entire season.

Despite the straightforward nature of these records, I found it interesting that more points does not necessarily equal championship, while fewer points does not necessarily equal disaster.

For example, let’s take a look at my alma mater, Midwest.

One Midwest team has the fourth-best total point season in state history, as the Oilers scored 640 points in 2011. But Midwest didn’t even make it to the state title game that year, losing to Dubois in the semifinals. Meanwhile, the Oilers also gave up more points than any other defense in state history last year, allowing 573 points. Yet Midwest went 4-6 last year and made the six-man playoffs despite setting the points-allowed record.

As with Midwest, most of the total points record-holders come from recent years; however, some of these records are attributable to combination of both good offenses and extended regular seasons. More games equal more points. This is why I’ve also included the teams who’ve set the best marks in average points per game. Note the all-time leader for 11-man programs in average points in a season isn’t a recent addition — it’s the 1924 Kemmerer squad, which averaged 51.4 points per game. And Midwest’s 573 points allowed last year isn’t even in the top 10 all-time by per-game average.

I’ve deliberately extended the “fewest points allowed” category to a top 12 to incorporate all defenses that allowed fewer than 10 points for an entire season. Two squads — Byron in 1939 and Sheridan in 1917 — went entire seasons without giving up a point. Meanwhile, nine squads played at least five games in a season without scoring a single point.

These additions are part of a much larger overhaul of the site, in which I’m adding single-season scoring totals and averages for every school for every year. Keep watching your favorite team’s page to see those updates soon; some school pages already have the new formatting in place. In the meantime, these records have been added to the scoring records page.

These records include scoring for all games, including those games that were played but later forfeited. Games that were not played but forfeited are not counted in scoring averages.

Most points scored, season
1. Meeteetse, 2013, 803
2. Dubois, 2012, 692
3. Guernsey-Sunrise, 2014, 650
4. Midwest, 2011, 640
5. Dubois, 2011, 631
6. Snake River, 2011, 631
7. Guernsey-Sunrise, 2009, 614
8. Snake River, 2010, 607
9. Midwest, 2013, 599
10. Dubois, 2013, 577

Most points scored, 11-man season
1. Natrona, 2012, 536
2. Powell, 2013, 521
3. Lyman, 2012, 518
4. Douglas, 2009, 517
5. Cokeville, 2014, 513
6t. Mountain View, 2014, 511
6t. Natrona, 2014, 511
8. Buffalo, 2005, 498
9. Big Horn, 2012, 484
10. Natrona, 2010, 482

Most average points scored, season
1. Guernsey-Sunrise, 2009, 68.22
2. Meeteetse, 2013, 66.92
3. Guernsey-Sunrise, 2014, 65.00
4. Dubois, 2013, 64.11
5. Snake River, 2011, 63.10
6. Dubois, 2012, 62.91
7. Snake River, 2010, 60.70
8. Cowley, 1973, 60.11 (eight man)
9. Kaycee, 2010, 58.22
10. Midwest, 2011, 58.18

Most average points scored, 11-man season
1. Kemmerer, 1924, 51.40
2. Lusk, 2010, 47.50
3. Cokeville, 1969, 47.38
4t. Lusk, 2000, 47.20
4t. Rocky Mountain, 1998, 47.20
6. Douglas, 2009, 47.00
7. Lusk, 1999, 46.60
8. Mountain View, 2014, 46.45
9. Glenrock, 1968, 46.22
10. Torrington, 1969, 46.00

Fewest points allowed, season
1t. Byron, 1939, 0
1t. Sheridan, 1917, 0
3t. Buffalo, 1926, 6
3t. Kemmerer, 1924, 6
3t. Saratoga, 1974, 6
3t. Sheridan, 1921, 6
3t. Torrington, 1974, 6
3t. Worland, 1927, 6
9t. Green River, 1931, 7
9t. Powell, 1938, 7
11. Upton, 1971, 8
12. Green River, 1927, 9

Fewest average points allowed, season
1t. Byron, 1939, 0
1t. Sheridan, 1917, 0
3. Torrington, 1974, 0.67
4t. Saratoga, 1974, 0.75
4t. Worland, 1927, 0.75
6. Sheridan, 1921, 0.86
7. Green River, 1931, 0.88
8t. Buffalo, 1926, 1
8t. Upton, 1971, 1
8t. Worland, 1925, 1

Fewest total points scored, season
1t. Basin, 1931, 0
1t. Buffalo, 1935 0
1t. Cheyenne Central, 1917, 0
1t. Gebo, 1934, 0
1t. Guernsey, 1938, 0
1t. Lander, 1928, 0
1t. Lingle, 1926, 0
1t. University Prep, 1920, 0
1t. Upton, 1938, 0
10t. St. Mary’s, 1942, 2
10t. Sundance, 1934, 2

Fewest average points scored, season
1t. Basin, 1931, 0
1t. Buffalo, 1935 0
1t. Cheyenne Central, 1917, 0
1t. Gebo, 1934, 0
1t. Guernsey, 1938, 0
1t. Lander, 1928, 0
1t. Lingle, 1926, 0
1t. University Prep, 1920, 0
1t. Upton, 1938, 0
10. Sundance, 1934, 0.29

Most total points allowed, season
1. Midwest, 2014, 573
2. Hanna, 2012, 562
3. St. Stephens, 2013, 561
4. Meeteetse, 2012, 542
5. St. Stephens, 2014, 541
6. Guernsey-Sunrise, 2010, 528
7. Meeteetse, 2003, 525
8. Cheyenne South, 2011, 521
9. Farson, 2010, 517
10t. Farson, 2012, 515
10t. Wyoming Indian, 2014, 515

Most total points allowed, 11-man season
1. Cheyenne South, 2011, 521
2. Wyoming Indian, 2014, 515
3. Rawlins, 2002, 476
4. Cheyenne South, 2012, 444
5. Saratoga, 1967, 438
6. Rawlins, 2009, 422
7. Newcastle, 2002, 421
8. Kemmerer, 1967, 418
9. Basin, 1951, 413
10. Wyoming Indian, 2004, 409

Most average points allowed, season
1. St. Stephens, 2013, 70.13
2. St. Stephens, 2014, 67.63
3. Farson, 2010, 64.63
4. Ten Sleep, 2014, 64.43
5t. Farson, 2012, 64.38
5t. Wyoming Indian, 2014, 64.38
7. Hanna, 2012, 62.44
8. Meeteetse, 2011, 62.38
9. Normative Services, 2013, 62.29
10. Farson, 2009, 60.38

Most average points allowed, 11-man season
1. Wyoming Indian, 2014, 64.38
2. Cheyenne South, 2011, 57.89
3. Cheyenne Central, 1917, 55.80
4. Normative Services, 2010, 54.71
5. Rawlins, 2002, 52.89
6. Rawlins, 2009, 52.75
7. Wyoming Indian, 2004, 51.13
8. Burns, 2003, 51.00
9. Glenrock, 1992, 50.57
10. Hanna, 1928, 50.20

In the process of compiling these records, I’ve also removed all references to “1-0” final scores for forfeited games. Instead, all forfeited games are now noted with a text notation next to the game rather than a score notation.

–patrick

The logic — and the emotion — of a second high school in Gillette

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Get ready for the most obvious statement ever written on this blog:

Campbell County High School in Gillette is a big high school.

Ready for something less obvious? Gillette’s large enrollment stands alone in the region for a one-high school city.

Not only does CCHS have more students than any other Wyoming high school, CCHS is the largest school in an eight-state region for cities that have just one comprehensive high school.

With an average daily membership — the projected enrollment number the Wyoming High School Activities Association uses to classify its high schools every two years — of 2,439 students in grades 9-12, CCHS is about 255 students larger than the state’s second-largest high school, Natrona in Casper.

For years, the Campbell County School District has been faced with a tough decision: when, or if, to split Campbell County High School into two standalone comprehensive high schools.

So far, the district has not done so.

However, at a meeting last week, board trustees began to investigate the potential for a second high school, all while noting that a new school would only be implemented with two years’ advanced notice to the city.

The board said basically the same thing in March 2011.

Almost four years’ wait gave us, well… the same thing the board announced almost four years ago.

The critics of this delay — a delay some view as well more than four years overdue — are numerous and vocal. They point to Gillette’s size: If split right down the middle, Gillette’s two high schools would still be among the state’s top 10 largest high schools, both larger than fellow 4A all-sport schools Sheridan, Laramie and Evanston and 4A non-football schools Green River and Riverton. They point to Gillette’s projected 9-12 enrollment in a decade, slated to be nearly 3,000 students. They point to Gillette’s athletic dominance, specifically in basketball and wrestling but also in a variety of other sports, that’s somewhat attributable to the school’s size.

Gillette’s defenders are not as numerous but just as vocal. They point to Gillette’s efforts to make the student experience more comfortable: The school has had two campuses, the North main campus and the South satellite campus, for more than a decade, easing the strain on infrastructure. They point to Gillette’s other educational needs and previous investments, which have been significant — the district built Hillcrest Elementary in 2009, Prairie Wind Elementary in 2010 and Buffalo Ridge Elementary in 2012, rebuilt both Lakeview Elementary and Westwood High, the district’s alternative high school, which both re-opened this fall, all while trying to address the need for a third junior high in addition to looking at a second high school. They point to Casper, where Natrona County School District No. 1 officials opted to keep two high schools — and keep the “school of choice” option going — rather than build a third standalone school, at least in part (in Gillette’s view and the views of many others) in an effort to keep the city’s athletic programs (specifically, Natrona football) strong.

The arguments for and against a second high school in Gillette go beyond the fiscal and the educational. The arguments invoke emotion, tradition, competition, opportunity — topics that can’t be debated logically.

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The regional fit

The quandary Gillette faces is not unique. Numerous cities in the region with only one high school have had to confront the same dilemma: When is the right time to add a second high school?

No one in Wyoming has had to face that question since the 1960s. In 1960, Cheyenne East high opened to give Cheyenne two high schools; Kelly Walsh opened in 1965 to give Casper its two high schools. (Cheyenne South, of course, opened in 2011 as Cheyenne expanded to three comprehensive public high schools.) No other Wyoming city has more than one standalone comprehensive high school.

Here are the largest schools in cities in the region that have just one comprehensive public high school (per 9-12 enrollment or projected 9-12 enrollment, based on figures provided by the states’ respective high school activities association or state department of education):

Montana: Bozeman, 1,961 students (largest high school in Montana)

North Dakota: Minot, 1,979 students (largest high school in North Dakota)

South Dakota: Aberdeen, 1,193 (estimated) students

Nebraska: Grand Island, 2,265 (estimated) students

Colorado (outside the Denver metro): Castle View HS (Castle Rock), 1,850 students

Colorado (outside Front Range): Fruita Monument (Fruita), 1,706 students

Utah (outside metros associated with SLC/Logan/Ogden/Provo): Box Elder (Brigham City), 1,839 (estimated) students

Utah (outside Logan/SLC/Provo corridor): Uintah (Vernal), 1,571 (estimated) students

Idaho: Lake City, 1,491 students (although Coeur d’Alene, Lake City and Post Falls are basically one big city)… Outside of the Boise metro and the CdA metro areas, the largest is Lewiston at 1,388 students.

Of these schools, a couple are near a crucial tipping point. In Nebraska, Grand Island school officials have been discussing adding a second high school; in Montana, the school district in Bozeman spent $1.1 million this summer for a tract of land on which to build a second high school.

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Recent splits

But those are the communities on the edge. A few other cities in the region have gone over that edge.

Several one-school cities in the region have recently opened a new, second, comprehensive high school. Two cities — Twin Falls, Idaho, and Kalispell, Montana — opened their second high schools in 2009, with Twin Falls opening Canyon Ridge High and Kalispell opening Glacier High. Elkhorn, Nebraska, on the outskirts of the Omaha metro, opened its second high school (Elkhorn South) in 2010. And West Fargo, North Dakota, on the edge of the Fargo metro area, opened its second high school, West Fargo Sheyenne, in 2013.

Together, the combined enrollments of three of the four recently split high schools are smaller than Gillette’s current enrollment. The only one that’s larger is the 2,781 students between Flathead and Glacier high schools in Kalispell; in Twin Falls, Twin Falls High and Canyon Ridge have a combined 2,228 students; in West Fargo, West Fargo and West Fargo Sheyenne have 2,273 students; and in Elkhorn, Elkhorn and Elkhorn South have 1,401.

Utah, Colorado and South Dakota have not had any non-metro cities open second high schools recently; Lehi, Utah, which is between Salt Lake City and Provo, had a groundbreaking for its second high school in April, but that groundbreaking came in a school district (Alpine) that already has 10 other comprehensive high schools.

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Logic and emotion in Gillette

At an estimated 2,439 students in grades 9-12, Gillette has the largest single standalone high school in a one-high school town in an eight-state region of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

By every mathematical measure, Gillette should have a second comprehensive high school. The district’s size, both current and projected, justifies a new high school. Regional comparisons only further justify this stance.

However, as noted, Gillette’s delay in adding a new high school isn’t mathematical or logical.

It’s emotional.

Gillette’s decision-making process is specific to Wyoming, a state with significantly fewer large schools than its regional brethren. Only eight high schools in Wyoming have more than 1,000 students, and only two are larger than 1,600. (After Gillette and Natrona, the third-largest school in Wyoming is Rock Springs at 1,562; Cheyenne East is fourth at 1,468.)

Casper’s decision to forego a second high school in favor of the CAPS (Center for Advanced and Professional Studies) building was, in some small part, a counter to Gillette’s hesitation to open a second high school. Gillette’s counter-move has been to delay its new high school plans even longer — now almost four years, and counting, from the Gillette school board’s initial commitment in March 2011.

In 2010, I called out the Natrona County School District for making what I thought was foolhardy move to open the CAPS campus rather than a third high school. I still feel the NCSD messed up with CAPS. But since 2010, Gillette’s K-12 population has continued to grow beyond its limits.

Logically, I don’t think Gillette can wait much longer to open a new high school. The numbers back that idea.

Emotionally, though… Gillette’s residents are strong and proud. CCHS has a unique place as the biggest, burliest, and arguably most successful top-to-bottom athletic program in the state. With the exceptions of boys golf, boys soccer and volleyball, every athletic program at Gillette has won at least one state title since 2008. Who wouldn’t want to preserve that? Statistical trends don’t change pride.

I still feel Casper’s CAPS decision has pushed back a third Casper high school by at least three decades.

Gillette may not be able to afford to wait that long.

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TIMELINE: A SECOND COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL IN GILLETTE

If the timeline below doesn’t show up, go here.

March 2011: Campbell County School District No. 1 approves a motion to build a new comprehensive high school, the city’s second.

June 12, 2012: In its annual request to the School Facilities Commission, CCSD makes the new high school its No. 1 priority (along with refurbishing of CCHS and rebuilding of current CCHS South Campus to be a junior high).

Sept. 6, 2012: In a special meeting, CCSD “engaged in discussion” about conversion of South Campus to a junior high.

Oct. 23, 2012: The board received an update on a study of the school’s proposed Enzi Drive location in relation to a fire station there.

March 26, 2013: CCSD approved a new option for its schools: Move ninth graders into the high school system; convert South Campus to a school for ninth and 10th graders and convert the North (main) Campus to a school for 11th and 12th graders. CCSD also addressed renovation of junior highs to meet capacity requirements and to build new K-6 schools. The board approved the change and notified the SFC.

Sept. 24, 2013: CCSD’s school board addressed an update to South Campus, in which the board said the architect hired to refit the school for ninth and 10th graders should be “thinking of needs for athletic fields as the building will likely be a stand alone high school at some point.

March 11, 2014: CCSD’s school board heard an update on the South Campus remodel, where “”lots of planning (is) completed, design to begin in the
summer and continue through the fall.”

Dec. 9, 2014: CCSD begins to re-examine the need for a second high school.

From information posted at http://www.campbellcountyschools.net/admin.cfm?subpage=1181847 (except the March 2011 and the Dec. 9, 2014, updates).

–patrick

A quick look back at 2014, and a peek ahead at 2015

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After a marathon session on Saturday night, the 2014 results have been updated to the site. Look around and let me know if I got anything wrong.

A few things I noticed as I went through my annual updates:

Gillette’s last-minute touchdown in its 30-7 4A title game loss to Natrona preserved a streak dating back to 2005. The Camels have now scored in 113 consecutive games. The last time Gillette was shut out was in the final game of the 2004 season, a 21-0 playoff quarterfinal loss to Cheyenne Central. Gillette’s streak is the third-longest in state history behind Buffalo’s 117 straight from 2001-13 and Cokeville’s current 173 straight back to 1997. Meanwhile, Natrona has now scored in 109 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in state history. You can see the longest of those streaks here.

After a 12-0 season, Cokeville coach Todd Dayton’s career record is now 294-52. The winningest coach in state history has won almost 85 percent of his games. Cokeville will enter 2015 on a 22-game winning streak, four short of tying the school record and 12 short of tying the state record.

The six-man title game between Guernsey and Dubois set some title-game scoring records. Guernsey’s 80 points broke the record for most points by one team in a title game (breaking the record of 76 Guernsey set in 2009), while the combined 110 points broke the combined points record in a title game (breaking the record of 101 points in Dayton’s 63-38 victory against Glenrock in the 1953 six-man title game).

A number that gets lost in Lusk’s title-game loss is the Tigers’ home winning streak. Lusk hasn’t lost at home since 2009, winning 29 consecutive games at home. They’re two home victories short of the unofficial state record of 31, set by Byron from 1953-61. (This record comes with the caveat that Byron has numerous missing games and unverified open weeks that could make their streak a lot longer, or shorter, than 31.)

Meanwhile, Natrona has won 19 consecutive true road games (not counting neutral-site games), and the Mustangs are within view of the state record of 25 consecutive road victories set by Rocky Mountain from 1994-2000.

Natrona coach Steve Harshman is now fifth all-time in victories with 166. He passed longtime Cody coach John McDougall during the season and now trails only Dayton, longtime Laramie coaches John E. Deti (205) and John R. Deti (188) and former Lusk coach Jerry Fullmer (174). Harshman could surpass Fullmer for fourth next season.

Meanwhile, Sheridan coach Don Julian jumped to 14th place in Wyoming with 131 victories. He could climb into the top 10 next season, but would need nine victories to do so.

And, for the record, my final picks tally, where I realize I’ve been picking these games for A DECADE:

Last week: 3-2 (60 percent). This season: 251-57 (81 percent). 10-year overall mark: 2,351-604 (80 percent).

Expect me to keep posting throughout the offseason. If you have any ideas for blog posts you’d like to see, let me know. No promises, but I’m always open to ideas. After all, it’s the readers of this site who keep it going. Thursday was the highest traffic day I’ve had in the history of the site. I appreciate all your support this season, and every season.

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This is often a busy season for coach resignations. If you hear of any coaches leaving or changing, please let me know by leaving a comment on the blog or emailing me directly at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

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Also, a little housekeeping on site updates:

I fixed Powell’s record in 1946; the Panthers were 3-3-2 that year, not 4-2-2.

I also added Rawlins’ Willie Jefferson to the all-America listings for 1983. Jefferson was a National High School Athletic Coaches Association all-America pick for that season. I also added Jefferson’s 4A back of the year award, as well as Rock Springs’ Erik Stensaas’ 4A lineman of the year award, to the all-state listings. Thanks to Jefferson’s son Isaiah for letting me know!

–patrick

What if: Six-man was rejected?

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Even in 2009, we knew the 2009 season represented an important turning point for Wyoming high school football.

The introduction of six-man football created seismic changes, and not only for Wyoming’s small schools. The ripples of six-man were felt throughout the state; as six-man came, so did reclassification, which gave us the 4A round-robin schedule, the massive conferences in other classifications and the schedules we continue to see today. (Let’s not forget that 2009 was the first year of the state championship games’ move to Laramie. But that’s a conversation for another time.)

But what if the addition of six-man had been voted down by the Wyoming High School Activities Association? What if Wyoming had remained an 11-man-only state?

The hypothetical ramifications are numerous.

No Patriots: You don’t see an Upton-Sundance co-op. With the enrollment cutoffs at where they would hypothetically be in 2014, the Upton-Sundance co-op would probably be ineligible for the 2A playoffs and would have to play in Class 3A. It’s more likely with that alternative that they’d stay split — and it’s possible that one or the other, or both, could forfeit a season due to low numbers.

No seasons: Hulett, Guernsey, Midwest and Dubois could also potentially forfeit seasons; each one of those four schools has fought numbers problems the past six seasons. Hulett actually did this while still in 11-man in 2010 before moving to six-man in 2011, and Guernsey’s six-man championship run in 2009 was completed with a roster of just 11 players. Actually, Hulett and Dubois in particular might have to end up dropping the sport entirely.

No future: Ten Sleep and Meeteetse found temporary refuge in Montana, as did a couple of Idaho schools. However, when Wyoming formed its six-man league, Montana reorganized its six-man play to include only Montana teams. Whether Montana would have done the same without Wyoming’s shifts in 2009 is uncertain; either way, Meeteetse and Ten Sleep wouldn’t be playing in any Wyoming leagues right now if not for six-man’s introduction in 2009.

No teams: Snake River, Farson, Kaycee, St. Stephens, Rock River? Those five programs never see the field without six-man.

The look in 2014, minus six-man: The addition of Cheyenne South in 2011 does create some shifts, most notably bumping Riverton to 3A and Wheatland to 2A. Otherwise, most conferences remain fairly close to their 2008 statuses, with only minor juggling to adjust for enrollment changes.

With 58 football schools (instead of the 64, including 51 11-man and 13 six-man schools), all playing 11-man, the WHSAA has an easier time making a schedule that fits school needs. Of course, that assumes no schools will forfeit seasons or drop the sport….

Last, if all the shifting that happened in 2009 doesn’t happen, Wyoming might have stay with the alignments it had in 2008: with 11 schools in 5A and 4A; 12 in 3A and 2A and the rest in 1A. (Remember, in 2008, Wyoming Indian was opting down from 3A to 1A.)

Here’s what I think would be the current conferences without six-man:

Class 5A North: Gillette, Natrona, Kelly Walsh, Sheridan, Cheyenne South
Class 5A South: Rock Springs, Cheyenne East, Cheyenne Central, Laramie, Evanston, Green River
Class 4A East: Riverton, Douglas, Rawlins, Torrington, Buffalo
Class 4A West: Star Valley, Jackson, Cody, Powell, Worland, Lander
Class 3A East: Wheatland, Burns, Newcastle, Glenrock, Lovell, Greybull
Class 3A West: Pinedale, Mountain View, Lyman, Big Piney, Kemmerer, Thermopolis
Class 2A East: Wright, Moorcroft, Lusk, Pine Bluffs, Sundance, Southeast
Class 2A West: Big Horn, Tongue River, Wyoming Indian, Wind River, Rocky Mountain, Shoshoni
Class 1A East: Upton, Lingle, Guernsey, NSI, Midwest, Hulett
Class 1A West: Saratoga, Riverside, Burlington, Cokeville, Hanna, Dubois

Football survives, and thrives, in Wyoming without six-man. Football expands, and diversifies, in Wyoming with six-man.

One of those two options sounds better to me.

–patrick

Quarterfinal picks: A look at why regular-season results don’t mean all that much in Wyoming football playoff rematches

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In a state as sparsely populated as Wyoming, this situation is bound to happen: You beat a team once, only to play that same team again in the playoffs.

For Equality State football programs, the playoff rematch is fairly common: In the 982 playoff games the state has had since 1931, Wyoming high school football teams have played rematches of regular-season games 375 times. So 38.2 percent of all playoff games have been rematches of regular-season games.

Of course, the advantage in those rematch games goes to the team that won in the regular season. But quite often, that regular-season success actually hasn’t paid off in the rematch that really counts. In fact, in those 375 playoff rematches, the team that won in the regular season lost 78 times — or in more than 20 percent of the games.

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Last year’s playoffs had four games where the regular-season loser was the postseason winner. Two of those four were in the Class 4A semifinals: East avenged its loss to Sheridan, as did Natrona against Gillette. Natrona also beat Kelly Walsh in the 4A quarterfinals after losing in the regular season. The last one is in on a technicality but counts all the same, as Midwest beat Farson in the 1A six-man quarterfinals after having to forfeit its regular-season game to the Pronghorns.

Recently, Wyoming’s playoffs have had a few teams that have avenged those regular-season losses in the playoffs. The 2012 and 2011 playoffs had three reversals of fortune; 2010 had four; 2009 had five; 2008 had only one. And there’s no real pattern. The recent high came in 2005, when six playoff game rematches ended with the regular-season loser winning, but that scenario didn’t happen at all one year prior in the 2004 playoffs.

In the bulk of those “reversal” games, the regular-season game was close. Even so, almost no margin of victory in the regular season translates into a favorites’ position in the postseason. In 37 of the 78 games won by the regular-season loser, the regular-season game was decided by eight points or less. Do the math, and you can see that 41 times, a team lost its playoff rematch after winning in the regular season by eight or more points.

Even teams that win by relatively large margins in the regular season aren’t safe in the playoffs. The biggest turnarounds, ranked by the size of the margin of victory in the regular season, are:

34 points (2006): Mountain View beat Glenrock 41-7 in the regular season; Glenrock won the rematch 7-0 in the 3A quarterfinals.

35 points (2010): Big Horn beat Thermopolis 42-7 in the regular season, but Thermopolis won the rematch 13-9 in the 2A championship game.

42 points (2010): Evanston beat Cheyenne East 42-0 in the regular season; East won the rematch 30-20 in the 4A quarterfinals just two weeks later.

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Meanwhile, close games in the regular season are no guarantees of close games in the playoffs. Last year’s NC-KW rematch was one of the extreme examples of that. The biggest turnarounds, ranked by the size of the margin of victory in the postseason:

33 points (2013): Kelly Walsh beat Natrona in the Oil Bowl last year 21-20 but lost in the rematch 33-0 in the 4A quarterfinals.

34 points (2012): Lusk beat Southeast 7-6 in the regular season; Southeast won the rematch 40-6 in the 1A 11-man championship in Laramie.

35 points (2002): Mountain View beat Glenrock 28-19 in the regular season but lost the rematch 35-0 in the 3A title game.

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Finally, sometimes, the regular-season game is a perfect indicator of what will happen in the postseason. The “Why did we do this, again?” award for exact same scores in both the regular-season game and the rematch (and, in all three cases, both games were in the same place, too) goes to:

Southeast and Upton: In 2008, Southeast beat Upton 34-0 both in the regular season and in the 1A quarterfinals more than a month later; both games were in Yoder.

Riverton and Cody: In 2004, Riverton beat Cody 48-7 both in the regular season and in the 5A quarterfinals three weeks later; both games were in Riverton.

Pine Bluffs and Guernsey-Sunrise: In 1991, Pine Bluffs beat Guernsey-Sunrise 20-14 both in the regular season and in the 1A semifinals almost two months later; both games were in Guernsey.

In short: Regular-season success only gives you about an 80 percent chance of winning that rematch in the postseason. Beware overconfidence, and respect the history. This happens more than you might think.

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This year, half of the 20 quarterfinal playoff games are rematches — all four Class 4A games, two games in 3A (Powell-Riverton and Star Valley-Douglas), three games in 2A (all except Thermopolis-Mountain View), and one game in 1A six-man (Hanna-Snake River). If statistical tradition holds, two of the 10 teams that won in the regular season will lose in the rematch….

On to the picks, where statistical tradition is ignored, but I still choose a few road teams to win first-round games. Projected winners in bold, like I’ve done for years, but hey, this might be your first visit here and you’re learning how I do things. So there you go:

Friday
Class 4A
(8) Evanston at (1) Natrona: The Mustangs haven’t lost yet and beat Evanston 48-6 about a month ago. NC should keep rolling. First playoff meeting since the 1995 quarterfinals.
(5) Cheyenne Central at (4) Sheridan: Cheyenne Central’s last-minute victory against Evanston last week was the Indians’ second straight victory. But that momentum doesn’t mean much to the Broncs, who are 2-2 in their last four but still the favorites. First playoff meeting since the 2009 title game.
(7) Kelly Walsh at (2) Cheyenne East: KW is 1-4 in its past five games, and the one game the Trojans won, they won by one point. And even though KW played East tough in the regular season, the T-Birds should win at home. Throw in the twist that this is the first playoff game at the new Okie, and East will be sure to protect the home turf. First playoff meeting.
(6) Laramie at (3) Gillette: Laramie’s steady improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Plainsmen could be pesky. Then again…. Nah. Gillette beat Laramie two weeks ago. The 4A hierarchy sustains itself. First playoff meeting since the 2000 4A title game.
Class 3A
(4E) Rawlins at (1W) Cody: Rawlins’ turnaround under first-year coach Corey Wheeler has been fun to watch. A team so mired in losing deserves to have some success. However, Cody has not-so-quietly emerged as the team to beat from the West Conference. First playoff meeting.
(3W) Powell at (2E) Riverton: This one is brutal. Riverton beat Powell 20-14 at Wolverine Stadium on Sept. 19. I like what the Wolverines have done and I like their chances. But it’s so hard to ignore what Powell has done the past three years. The Panthers know how to win in the playoffs. Ugh… OK. Wolverines. First playoff meeting since the 2010 quarterfinals. (BTW, Riverton was the last team to beat Powell in the playoffs in that 2010 meeting.)
(4W) Star Valley at (1E) Douglas: The Braves are the best 2-6 team in the state. Douglas is still a notch or two above that, though. The Bearcats’ run through the East Conference was really impressive, and I think that momentum continues deep into the playoffs. Rematch of a semifinal playoff game from last year.
(3E) Torrington at (2W) Jackson: These two schools have never faced each other in football prior to this game. They’re both greatly improved and have both the momentum and the ability to go deep in the playoffs. If it’s close, though, you take the team at home — not the team that’s traveling 400-some miles one way to play. First meeting.
Class 2A
(4E) Thermopolis at (1W) Mountain View: This one might be closer than it appears; Mountain View overcame its only loss with style, but Thermopolis has been quietly consistent. And we all remember what Thermop did as a 4-seed in last year’s playoffs. Right, Burns? Rematch of a semifinal game from a year ago.
(3W) Greybull at (2E) Newcastle: This might be the toughest playoff game to choose. Greybull has made great strides this season and were impressive in knocking off Lovell last week, and they’re a better team than the one that lost to Newcastle by 20 earlier this year. I still like the Dogies at home, though, in a close one. First playoff meeting since the 2010 quarterfinals.
(4W) Lovell at (1E) Big Horn: This rivalry has been fun to watch develop the past three years. This time, though, the unbeaten Rams have the decided advantage, in part due to the 25-0 victory Big Horn put on Lovell in Week 1. Third consecutive year they’ve met in the playoffs after semifinal showdowns in 2012 and 2013.
(3E) Wheatland at (2W) Lyman: Remember back in Week 1? When Wheatland went all the way across the state and beat Lyman 13-0 on the Eagles’ home field? So does everyone else who will step on that same field just shy of two months later. Just like the other 2-3 2A game, this one’s really tough to choose, but I’ll stick with the team that won this game the first time around. Rematch of a 2012 quarterfinal game.
Class 1A 11-man
(3E) Upton-Sundance at (2W) Rocky Mountain: Rocky Mountain’s most impressive victory of the season was probably the one the Grizzlies put up last week against Burlington. The Griz clearly aren’t the team that lost to Tongue River in Week 1. Then again, Upton-Sundance’s most impressive victory of the season was probably the one they put up last week against Southeast. I think the Patriots get the program’s first playoff victory. First playoff meeting.
(4E) Tongue River at (1W) Cokeville: Watching Tongue River’s continuous improvement has been fun to watch this year. Watching Cokeville’s domination of a classification for three decades has been fun, too. Just the second meeting between these programs; the first was in the 1956 six-man state title game.
(3W) Shoshoni at (2E) Lingle: Something lit a fire under Shoshoni after starting 0-3, and the Wranglers have won five in a row. Lingle, though, has lost only to Lusk and presents a strong challenge to the Wranglers’ momentum. This one will be fun to watch. First playoff meeting.
Class 1A six-man
(4E) Midwest at (1W) Dubois: Since losing to Farson in Week 3, Dubois has been on a tear. The West was full of parity this year, but the Rams are the top seed from that conference for a reason. Fourth consecutive playoff meeting after semifinal games the past three years.
(3W) Meeteetse at (2E) Kaycee: This one will be fun. I honestly don’t know who to pick — the Longhorns, the defending champs, or the Buckaroos, who are probably the odds-on favorites to be the 2015 champs? Again, this one will be fun. Rematch of a quarterfinal game from last year.
(4W) Farson at (1E) Guernsey-Sunrise: Farson deserved better than this for the fantastic season it’s had. Unfortunately for the Pronghorns, they draw the top-ranked Vikings in the first round. First playoff meeting since the 2009 quarterfinals.
(3E) Hanna at (2W) Snake River: Hanna’s kind of in the same boat as Farson: Great season. A couple tough losses. Better than you think. Capable of giving opponent a good game. Still the underdogs. In this case, though, Snake’s already beaten Hanna once this year, and it wasn’t neighborly (76-44 in Week 1). First playoff meeting since the 2010 title game.
Saturday
Class 1A 11-man
(4W) Riverside at (1E) Lusk: Riverside had to win a triangular playoff game against Wind River just to make it to the postseason. Lusk is undefeated, got to rest up with a Week 8 bye and is playing at home. Advantage Tigers. Rematch of a quarterfinal game from a year ago, a game Lusk won by 68.

Last week: 27-5 (84 percent). This season: 220-53 (81 percent).

For a full season schedule, including kickoff times for this week’s games, click here.

The first week of the playoffs is usually pretty predictable. What team do you think is best poised to pull an upset? Which road teams have the ability to keep their seasons rolling? Which favorites should be booking rooms in Laramie? Comment below and let’s chat about it.

–patrick

What if: Modern enrollments, 1976 alignment rules for Wyoming high school football

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The past couple weeks, we’ve looked at how the seasons of 1976 and 1985 would have shaped up if given modern conference and classification alignments. But what if, like many other aspects of Wyoming life, the WHSAA was resistant to changing a classification setup? What if, in 2014, we were still using the 1976 classification and conference alignments — with the largest 14 schools in Class AA, the next 15 in Class A and the rest in Class B?

Well, we’d likely have conferences and classifications that look like this:

Class AA East
1. Gillette, 2,439
4. Cheyenne East, 1,468
5. Kelly Walsh, 1,395
6. Cheyenne Central, 1,269
7. Cheyenne South, 1,223
8. Sheridan, 1,017
9. Laramie, 991

Class AA West
2. Natrona, 2,184
3. Rock Springs, 1,562
10. Evanston, 918
11. Green River, 817
12. Riverton, 788
13. Star Valley, 717
14. Jackson, 673

Class A East
16. Douglas, 516
17. Rawlins, 507
21. Torrington, 399
22. Buffalo, 328
24. Wheatland, 298
25. Newcastle, 237
27. Glenrock, 222

Class A West
15. Cody, 661
18. Lander, 493
19. Powell, 484
20. Worland, 426
23. Pinedale, 303
26. Mountain View, 222
28. Lovell, 215
29. Thermopolis, 210

Class B Northeast
35. Big Horn, 157
36. Wright, 156
37. Moorcroft, 153
41. Tongue River, 123
45. Sundance, 103 (contingent on co-op breakup)
50. Upton, 81 (contingent on co-op breakup)
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*57. NSI, 65
*58. Midwest, 63
*60. Hulett, 51
*62. Kaycee, 47

Class B Southeast
34. Burns, 166
42. Lusk, 116
44. Pine Bluffs, 109
46. Southeast, 101
51. Lingle, 80
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*56. Guernsey, 65
*67. Rock River, 33

Class B Northwest
33. Greybull, 175
38. Wyoming Indian, 139
39. Wind River, 128
40. Rocky Mountain, 124
43. Shoshoni, 115
48. Riverside, 97
49. Burlington, 82
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*53. St. Stephens, 70
*59. Dubois, 52
*66. Meeteetse, 40
*68. Ten Sleep, 33

Class B Southwest
30. Lyman, 204
31. Big Piney, 198
32. Kemmerer, 177
47. Saratoga, 100
52. Cokeville, 74
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*55. Hanna, 68
*61. Farson, 49
*63. Snake River, 46

This week, we could be prepping for that big Natrona-Jackson showdown. Or the Converse rivalry game between Douglas and Glenrock. Or the top-tier showdown between Cody and Mountain View. … However, the uneven split in Class AA might force us to split up the two Casper schools, or consider moving Laramie to the West, or consider a North-South arrangement instead of the East-West split used in 1976 (with a North of Gillette, Sheridan, Natrona, Kelly Walsh, Riverton, Star Valley and Jackson and a South of Cheyenne East, Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne South, Laramie, Rock Springs, Evanston and Green River).

Meanwhile, 13 of the state’s smallest programs would be left to the breeze, maybe unable to field a team at all, as six-man is but a distant memory in our three-class 2014. Of those 13, only a handful would be in existence in 2014, large enough to support an 11-man squad. (Of course, in 1976, a few squads opted to play eight-man together instead — a plausible scenario in our alternate 2014.)

Oddly enough, with only three classifications, Wyoming might be able to squeeze all three of its title games into one epic day (instead of one epic weekend) at War Memorial Stadium.

In short, our Fridays (and our old Championship Saturday) would be quite different.

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One of the things to consider is that, with fewer classifications, reclassification would be a much bigger deal. With fewer schools switching classifications from one cycle to the next, and therefore a smaller percentage of schools changing classifications, each move would cause huge shifts in conference balance, competitive equity and a host of other concerns that are somewhat minimized by having more numerous classifications.

Does this alignment look better to you than the one Wyoming uses now? In some ways, I actually like this one better; in some ways, I’m incredibly happy to see the changes time has brought to Wyoming high school football. Share some thoughts and let’s talk reclassification options… if you’re so inclined.

–patrick