School colors and mascots: Eight alternatives for Wyoming’s newest high school

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Eventually, Wyoming will have a new high school.

Maybe in Gillette. Maybe in Casper. Maybe in Wamsutter, LaBarge or Linch.

And when that happens, the school will have to choose a mascot and colors for itself.

When Wyoming’s most recent new high school, Cheyenne South, opened in 2011, it went with a color scheme and nickname that surprised some people — the black and gold Bison. The surprise came not from the selection (Bison and Cheyenne are a good fit for a mascot) but from the fact that South used a color scheme and mascot already in use in Wyoming.

The black and gold on a Bison uniform? Yep, Buffalo High had been doing that for decades.

The repetitiveness of South’s choice is unique in the Equality State. Only four other pairs of schools repeat color schemes and mascots: Sheridan and Cody (the blue-and-yellow Broncs), Burns and Jackson (the black-and-orange Broncs), Cokeville and Powell (the black-and-orange Panthers), Moorcroft and Green River (the green and white/black Wolves). And one of those is pretty tenuous, as Cody has made a strong move to switch from yellow to gold in recent years.

However, none of these schools is new. They’ve all used their colors and mascots for decades. So when a new school repeated a color scheme and mascot of an existing school — especially when numerous other options were available — it rubbed some people the wrong way.

So what color scheme and mascot options exist for Wyoming’s next new school?

Color schemes

I took a look at existing NFL and major college (FBS) schools to see what unique color schemes aren’t being used in Wyoming right now. Then, using the Ripon Athetic jersey simulator, I made some templates. Some options include:

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Aqua and orange: Like the Miami Dolphins. Aqua would be a unique choice, what with Wyoming’s big blue skies and all, but I’m not sure the pairing with the orange would work. Still could make for a cool base color to pair with something else.

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Silver and black: Like the Oakland Raiders. But Raiders colors in Wyoming? Maybe not.

 

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Red and gold: Like the San Francisco 49ers. Red is a prevalent color in the state, but no Wyoming school has matched it with a true gold. Big Horn, Star Valley and now even Laramie mix maroon and yellow, but the state has no true red/gold combos.

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Light blue and gold: Like UCLA. This, especially accentuated with black, could be a good look. Arvada-Clearmont mixes a light blue and yellow and it looks pretty sharp, but gold would be a unique twist.

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Orange and white: Like Texas or Tennessee. Lots of Wyoming schools have orange, but it’s almost always paired with black. It’d be a bold step to do orange/white with NO black.

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Green and gold: Like South Florida. A bunch of Wyoming schools do green and yellow but, again, true gold is rare.

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Maroon and gold: Like Florida State or Boston College. Again, where’s all the gold uniforms in Wyoming? (Yeah, I know… the simulator I used has its maroon look really purplish.)

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Maroon and orange: Like Virginia Tech. Then again, I can see why no one has done this… blech.

The big takeaway here? Only three Wyoming teams really embrace gold as a GOLD consistently — Buffalo, Wright and Cheyenne South — and all three are black and gold mixes. Other schools dabble in gold on some uniforms and have yellow on others.

Maybe, in retrospect, Cheyenne South wasn’t all that far off in choosing gold. Maybe pairing it with something other than black would have assuaged the doubters and given the school a unique spin untouched by any other school in the state.

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Mascots

The top 20 most common high school mascots in the U.S., in order, per this site, are as follows: Eagles, Tigers, Panthers, Bulldogs, Wildcats, Warriors, Lions, Cougars, Indians, Knights, Mustangs, Falcons, Trojans, Vikings, Rams, Cardinals, Raiders, Spartans, Patriots, Pirates.

Of these, mascots that aren’t active in Wyoming right now are the Wildcats, Lions, Knights, Falcons, Cardinals, Raiders, Spartans and Pirates. Albin used to be the Wildcats, and Huntley used to be the Cardinals, and Goshen Hole used to be the Spartans, and Reliance used to be the Pirates. But they’re all closed now.

Surprisingly, no Wyoming high school has opted for the Cowboys. And “wild” but common mascots like the Falcons, Hawks and Bears make a lot of sense, but no active Wyoming school has opted for one of those, either.

Still, I think the best mascots are the unique ones — the ones that embody a community. A few years ago, I looked at the state’s best and worst mascots, and I noted that some of my favorites were the Punchers (Big Piney), the Miners (Hanna), the Doggers (Lingle) and the Oilers (Midwest) because of how well they embody the community they represent.

Ultimately, the decision for any new color scheme and mascot depends on the community in which the school is built.

In a state as small as Wyoming, though, a unique combination shouldn’t be that hard to find.

–patrick

Neutral-site games in the regular season: A Wyoming tradition unlike any other

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In a rural state like Wyoming, finding suitable opponents for high school sports teams can sometimes be a challenge.

Schools are often stuck with a difficult conundrum — they have to schedule a team that’s significantly worse (or better) but nearby, or schedule a team of nearly equal talent that’s hours and hours away.

Neither option is preferable. In Wyoming, though, they may be the only options available.

But this isn’t anything new to those born and raised in the Equality State. Long road trips are normal. The average this year was 192 miles, one way, per road trip.

For many years, Wyoming schools opted to stay close to home, even if that meant playing in the occasional 50-0 slaughter.

In the mid-1980s, though, a few far-flung but equally talented schools hit on an idea: Why not just meet halfway?

The idea of a neutral-site game wasn’t new. They were a staple of playoff games, either because schools decided to meet halfway or a host team decided to shift to a larger nearby stadium for a the larger crowd anticipated at a postseason game. And some rivalries got moved to neutral sites — like the Thunder Bowl between Big Horn and Tongue River, which was played at Sheridan off and on for years. And every once in a while, a couple of schools that weren’t too far apart just decided to meet in the middle, like Green River and Superior playing in Rock Springs (which happened in 1936).

But two teams deciding to meet “halfway” to fill a hole in both squads’ regular-season schedules? In the 1980s, this was almost completely new.

And in 1986, it took off. Two of the five neutral-site games that season involved Pine Bluffs, which in back-to-back games played Pinedale and Cokeville at Hanna.

The fad peaked in 1990, when seven neutral-site games were played. However, several schools embraced the neutral-site games and made them nearly annual events.

  • Hulett and Ten Sleep played each other in Buffalo seven times between 1988 and 1999 (and they played in 2000 in Big Horn). Ten Sleep, in fact, played four neutral-site games in just two seasons, 1988 and 1989.
  • Wright also hit the neutral-site bandwagon hard, playing four games in 1990 and 1991 and a fifth in 1992.
  • Gillette played some big out-of-state schools via the neutral site in the 1980s and 1990s: Montrose, Colorado; Hastings, Nebraska; and Oakdale Tartan, Minnesota. Sheridan got neutral-site games against Overland, Colorado, and Lincoln Pius X, Nebraska.

Although neutral-site meetings faded a bit when the WHSAA took over varsity scheduling in 2001, a few schools have revived the trend. Last year, six-man schools Hanna and Hulett met in Midwest in the state’s first true neutral-site football game — the first one where both teams traveled more than an hour to play and was pre-scheduled — since 2010.

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The list below is of the neutral-site midpoint games played since the first in 1923; this list does not include conference or state playoff games, including triangular playoffs; games played at temporary home sites (like Burns had this year while its stadium was under construction); neutral-site games in the same city as one of the teams (like Natrona and East had this year playing at South); or traditional rivalry games at neutral sites (like the Thunder Bowl in Sheridan).

S28/1923 Cheyenne Central 21 Chappell (NE) 3 at Pine Bluffs

O14/1925 Rawlins 0 Lander 13 at Casper

S30/1933 Gebo 12 Ten Sleep 21 at Worland

O3/1936 Green River 6 Superior 27 at Rock Springs

O8/1936 Ten Sleep 63 Fort Washakie 0 at Riverton

O14/1938 Lingle 19 Manville 14 at Lusk

N18/1939 Douglas 0 Midwest 46 at Casper

O4/1940 Jackson 6 Reliance 32 at Rock Springs

O16/1940 Manville 26 Upton 13 at Newcastle

O22/1947 Pine Bluffs 8 Harrisburg (NE) 6 at Albin

O13/1955 Huntley 6 Lingle 35 at Torrington

S25/1964 Guernsey-Sunrise 0 Huntley 34 at Torrington

S5/1969 Shoshoni 20 Dubois 8 at Morton

S24/1982 Byron 0 Cokeville 21 at Lander

A29/1986 Pine Bluffs 14 Pinedale 34 at Hanna

S5/1986 Natrona 7 SLC Highland (UT) 24 at Evanston

S5/1986 Pine Bluffs 20 Cokeville 40 at Hanna

S12/1986 Cody 24 Torrington 6 at Casper

S12/1986 Pinedale 13 Rocky Mountain 24 at Lander

S19/1987 Farson 0 Burlington 46 at Riverton

S25/1987 Pinedale 41 Rocky Mountain 0 at Lander

S3/1988 Kelly Walsh 15 Dickinson (ND) 47 at Spearfish (SD)

S3/1988 Hulett 12 Ten Sleep 46 at Buffalo

S10/1988 Burlington 0 Farson 42 at Shoshoni

S17/1988 Douglas 29 Rock Springs JV 12 at Laramie

O22/1988 Ten Sleep 42 Farson 8 at Shoshoni

S2/1989 Kelly Walsh 22 Dickinson (ND) 28 at Spearfish (SD)

S2/1989 Hulett 0 Ten Sleep 46 at Buffalo

S9/1989 Sheridan 0 Overland (CO) 20 at Douglas

S15/1989 Cokeville 49 Riverside 0 at Shoshoni

S16/1989 Gillette 13 Montrose (CO) 12 at Craig (CO)

21/1989 Farson 32 Ten Sleep 20 at Shoshoni

A31/1990 Wright 6 Tongue River 7 at Gillette

S7/1990 Rocky Mountain 0 Pinedale 6 at Riverton

S7/1990 Lingle 50 Hulett 0 at Lusk

S15/1990 Greybull 22 Wright 6 at Buffalo

S29/1990 Encampment 0 Burlington 21 at Shoshoni

O5/1990 Lyman 26 Greybull 7 at Lander

O13/1990 Wheatland 8 Jackson 25 at Shoshoni

S7/1991 Gillette 36 Hastings (NE) 3 at Sidney, NE

S20/1991 Burns 20 Wright 6 at Lusk

O24/1991 Hulett 32 Ten Sleep 6 at Buffalo

O25/1991 Wind River 41 Wright 24 at Casper

S4/1992 Sundance 6 Rocky Mountain 39 at Dayton

S18/1992 Wright 19 Burns 44 at Guernsey-Sunrise

S3/1993 Wheatland 28 Mountain View 12 at Rawlins

S3/1993 Pine Bluffs 24 Sundance 14 at Lusk

S18/1993 Ten Sleep 6 Hulett 54 at Buffalo

O2/1993 Moorcroft 38 Greybull 12 at Buffalo

O14/1993 Lovell 20 Kemmerer 15 at Shoshoni

S2/1994 Big Piney 18 Greybull 6 at Lander

S3/1994 Sundance 12 Pine Bluffs 42 at Lusk

S9/1994 Kelly Walsh 14 Evanston 42 at Rawlins

O1/1994 Moorcroft 0 Greybull 31 at Buffalo

O14/1994 Kemmerer 28 Lovell 6 at Riverton

S8/1995 Kelly Walsh 7 Evanston 21 at Rawlins

S9/1995 Lincoln Pius X (NE) 27 Sheridan 20 at North Platte (NE)

S15/1995 Rocky Mountain 48 Saratoga 19 at Riverton

O6/1995 Hanna 0 Upton 32 at Lingle

S14/1996 Hulett 18 Ten Sleep 32 at Buffalo

S20/1996 Wheatland 13 Kemmerer 54 at Rawlins

S20/1996 Rocky Mountain 43 Saratoga 12 at Riverton

S6/1997 Big Piney 18 Moorcroft 6 at Casper

S26/1997 Burns 6 Wright 38 at Lusk

O9/1997 Wind River 53 Custer JV (SD) 8 at Wright

S5/1998 Big Piney 34 Moorcroft 0 at Kelly Walsh

S12/1998 Gillette 24 Oakdale Tartan (MN) 7 at Mitchell, SD

S12/1998 Hulett 12 Ten Sleep 8 at Buffalo

S25/1998 Wright 20 Burns 13 at Guernsey

S11/1999 Hulett 46 Ten Sleep 0 at Buffalo

S9/2000 Hulett 20 Ten Sleep 6 at Big Horn

A31/2002 Guernsey-Sunrise 41 Riverside 14 at Casper

O20/2006 Dubois 14 Upton 28 At Casper, NCHS

A25/2007 Gillette 6 Logan (UT) 36 At Ogden UT

A25/2007 Mountain View 12 Logan JV (UT) 39 At Ogden UT

A25/2007 Star Valley 0 Park City (UT) 46 At Ogden UT

A31/2007 Upton 13 Dubois 28 At Casper, NCHS

A30/2008 Gillette 21 Sky View (UT) 55 At Green River

A30/2008 Kelly Walsh 17 Rock Springs 13 At Riverton

S19/2008 Hanna 0 Hulett 63 At Casper (NCHS)

O3/2008 Dubois 7 Upton 38 At Casper (NCHS)

O10/2008 Burns 47 Sundance 6 At Newcastle

S4/2009 Dubois 0 Upton 25 at Casper, NCHS

O3/2009 Southeast 67 Normative Services 8 at Casper, NCHS

S3/2010 Dubois 48 Upton 0 at Casper, NCHS

S17/2010 Douglas 40 Star Valley 6 at Riverton

O2/2010 Normative Services 0 Southeast 56 at Casper, NCHS

S7/2013 Wright 18 Lingle 35 at Douglas

O7/2013 Midwest 50 Hulett 40 at Moorcroft

S12/2014 Moorcroft 8 Tongue River 28 at Sheridan

S13/2014 Hulett 18 Hanna 62 at Midwest

Which of these games seems the most bizarre to you? Which ones would you like to see on the schedule again? Or should all regular-season games be played either as true home/road games? Leave a comment and we can chat about it!

–patrick

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