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Four questions to answer

Well, it’s 3A. Star Valley and Cody the favorites? Yep. This year is no different from, what, the past decade? No exaggeration, either. These two programs have combined to win the past 10 Class 3A championships, and with the number of all-staters coming back — Cody with six from its runner-up team, Star Valley with five from its championship team — this classification looks like more of the same up top.

Any spoilers in the mix? Just one — Powell. The Panthers return three all-state players, which isn’t on par with Cody’s six or Star Valley’s five but is significantly better than the rest of 3A, where the other nine teams combine to have three returning all-state players. The Panthers boast a big senior class and are inspired by a first-round loss last year, and in most other years they’d have the preseason goods for a No. 1 ranking.

Honestly, no one else is a title threat? Not really. I mean, Torrington, last year’s 2A champion, is now a part of 3A, and that’ll make it fun. Douglas and Buffalo are consistently tough to beat, but both programs will have new head coaches this fall. Riverton and Evanston both showed they’re on the rise after big seasons under first-year head coaches, but they have to replace big senior classes. And everyone else is unproven.

Well, now that we know what Laramie will look like — what else should we watch for in 3A this year? Defensive playmakers. In all, four of the top seven players in defensive points last year in 3A are back (see below), and several other defensive stat-line fillers are also back this season. With all that experience on that side of the ball, points might be harder to come by, and more games might be decided by a turnover or defensive stop instead of by a long bomb or big run.

Preseason class MVP

Maddax Ball, Cody. The Broncs’ quarterback was one of 3A’s best players regardless of position last fall. He was super-efficient, completing 67.5% of passes, and racked up 2,130 passing yards. He threw for 27 touchdowns and ran for another nine with his legs — something opposing defenses also have to account for. As a senior, he’ll be relied in big part to carry Cody’s offensive responsibilities.

Preseason class breakout player

Adam McCorkle, Buffalo. The Bison are right there with the top contenders in 3A this season, and even with some change — new coach, new quarterback — the transition should go smoothly. That starts with McCorkle, who new coach Ross Walker said was good enough to start under center most seasons last year but had to wait until his senior year for the opportunity to lead the Bison offense. Buffalo will need to break in some new receivers, but McCorkle also has an ally in returning senior Zayne Huber, the team’s top pass-catcher last season.

Other players to watch

Carter Archuleta, Douglas. I mean — what else does he have to do? He was No. 1 in Class 3A in defensive points per game last season; as a sophomore he ranked third in 3A in the same category; as a freshman, he led Douglas in defensive points and tackles. He’s led the classification in total tackles each of the past two seasons, with 129 two years ago and 117 last year. As the centerpiece of Douglas’ defense for a while now, Archuleta has always responded to the challenge. Look for more of the same in 2024.

Grant Thomson, Star Valley. You’ve got to be a pretty special player to start on the Star Valley defense for three consecutive years. Well, put the special crown atop Thomson’s head. He led the Braves with 92 tackles last year, but he’ll have to help along younger players to fill roles in a defense where eight of the top 10 tacklers from last year have graduated.

Chase Hatch, Cody. Cody’s top tackler last year as a junior, Hatch has a defensive motor that’s hard to account for. His 110 total tackles were second in Class 3A last season, and he had a classification-high 62 solo tackles. He also broke up eight passes and generally just made life hard for opposing offenses to get much done against the Broncs.

Keona Wisniewski, Powell. Aside from having THE most memorable name in 3A, he’s a heck of a football player, too. He led Powell’s defense with 91 tackles, including 18 for loss. He was also a key member of the offensive game plan, and his versatility (he could be quarterback or fullback this season for the Panthers’ offense) makes him incredibly valuable to the Panthers’ approach.

Four key games

Cody at Powell, Sept. 27. Can the Panthers be the spoilers they hope to be? We’ll find out in the West Conference opener for both teams in Week 4, where Powell has the chance to make a huge statement if it can pull off the big victory at home. But don’t think Cody doesn’t know this.

Riverton at Buffalo, Oct. 4. ‘Member how Riverton upset Buffalo last year to make a three-way tie atop the East Conference standings, and Buffalo ended up on the road in the first round of the playoffs because of it? Riverton does. Trouble is, Buffalo does, too, and the Bison will likely be ready for this year’s rematch.

Cody at Star Valley, Oct. 11. Duh. Have you been paying attention the past few minutes, months, or years? This is 3A’s best rivalry, and the winner will likely be 3A’s team to beat come the postseason.

Torrington at Douglas, Oct. 25. It’s nice to see this game back on the schedule. These two teams had played each other every year since 1967 before taking a two-year break the past two years. Now that Torrington is back in 3A, this game is big for regional bragging rights but could be even bigger for the playoff race in the East.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Buffalo, Douglas, Riverton, Torrington, Rawlins, Lander. West Conference: Star Valley, Cody, Powell, Evanston, Jackson, Green River.

Preseason top five: 1. Star Valley, 2. Cody, 3. Powell, 4. Buffalo, 5. Douglas.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Star Valley 30, Cody 24. If it’s anyone but these two in Laramie — again — it’ll be a shock. But it’s 3A, and weirder things have happened.

Are Star Valley and Cody simply the best, or is there someone else in all the rest ready to spring a surprise on us all? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick

Four questions to answer

Is there a clear-cut favorite in Class 2A? Yes, but it’s complicated. Big Horn was the most consistently named program by coaches this summer when asked who the favorites might be. That said, several other teams have the potential for deep playoff runs, including but not limited to Mountain View, Lyman, Cokeville, Worland, Wheatland, Upton-Sundance, Lovell and Newcastle. Even though the Rams might start at No. 1 by default due to their runner-up finish last year and who they have back this year, their grip on the top spot is tentative at best, through no fault of their own.

Why Big Horn? Because of last year. The Rams were East Conference champions and runners-up to Torrington, and then Torrington made the move to Class 3A. That leaves Big Horn as the top remaining team in the classification from last year’s playoffs, a bracket where the majority of games were decided by single-possession margins. Big Horn also returns two all-staters (seniors Avon Barney and Kolby Butler); no other team in 2A has more than one.

Wait… what was that about Worland? Oh, yeah. Worland is a Class 2A team now. And they’re not even the biggest 2A team — that honor goes to Pinedale. But after years and years and years of 3A play, the Warriors’ student population has fallen far enough for the move to 2A to happen. That will mean an opportunity for a fresh start for a program that’s had 14 consecutive losing seasons but will enter 2024 with a new schedule, a new coach and a new chance to build something special.

Is the West Conference ahead of the East? Yep. Even though it was two East teams in the title game last year, the West looks like the more challenging conference in 2024. And with Worland’s addition to the conference, watch out. At least one team that’s strong enough to make a deep playoff run won’t even make the playoffs; that’s how much parity could exist in a traditionally tough conference this season.

Preseason class MVP

Avon Barney, Big Horn. Not many quarterbacks who crack the 2,000-yard passing barrier are underclassmen, but that’s what Barney did last year as a junior while earning all-state accolades. He threw for 2,016 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also contributed 47 tackles on defense and ran for 10 touchdowns, too.

Preseason class breakout player

Kashton Walker, Cokeville. The keys to the Panthers’ offense will likely land in the hands of a sophomore. As Cokeville moves last year’s quarterback, senior Kayson Walker (Kashton’s older brother), to running back, it’s the younger Walker who will be responsible for leading the offense. Kashton isn’t a stranger to varsity play, though, playing significantly as part of Cokeville’s defense last year as a freshman.

Other players to watch

Davin Crosby, Lovell. Class 2A’s leading passer in terms of yards per game last year (213.9), Crosby was both efficient (56.9% completion) and a long-ball threat (15 yards per completion). He also had 46 tackles, good for fifth on the Bulldogs last season. His presence as Lovell’s only returning all-stater makes the senior both a target and a leader.

Eli Gill, Upton-Sundance. This man is a tackling machine. As a sophomore two years ago, he was second in 2A in defensive points per game (25.1); last year, he led 2A (26.0) and tied for the classification lead with nearly 15 tackles per game. And, oh by the way, he was second for Upton-Sundance last year in all-purpose offense. As the Patriots try to regain playoff form, Gill will be at the forefront of those plans.

Brody Thiel, Worland. Class 2A won’t need long to get acquainted with Thiel. The Warriors’ only returning all-state choice is a throwback fullback/tight end/linebacker who causes a lot of havoc on defense, notching 69 tackles, including 12 for loss, last season. On a Warrior defense full of returners, Thiel will set the pace.

Max Gregory, Lyman. One of Class 2A’s most efficient defensive players, Gregory has led the Eagles in defensive points each of the past two years and also was effective as a freshman; over three years, he has 270 tackles, including 46 for loss. His disruptive abilities on defense, coupled with his role on Lyman’s offensive line, make Gregory a must-stop player for opposing game plans.

Four key games

Wheatland at Big Horn, Sept. 13. Are the Rams the East’s best again? Well, this conference opener against the Bulldogs will tell the tale. Wheatland traditionally has good numbers and has some good athletes returning, so the Rams’ early expectations will have a good early test.

Upton-Sundance at Newcastle, Sept. 13. Both the Patriots and the Dogies figure to be improved teams this fall. When they meet in their East Conference openers, we’ll all find out really quick whose hopes are legit and whose hopes need some refinement.

Worland at Cokeville, Oct. 18. Try going back in time 20, 30, 40 years. Explain to someone from that time how this is a conference game now. Worland (ADM 343) and Cokeville (ADM 68) are on different ends of the enrollment spectrum but both figure to be players in the West Conference title chase. This Week 7 game will be the first football game between the schools, and it could decide a ton in the 2A West.

Lyman at Mountain View, Oct. 25. There’s just something that feels right about having the rivalry game at the end of the regular season. Both the Eagles and the Buffalos should be among the top teams in the West title chase this year, and the fact that they’re only six miles apart is a nice little added cherry on top of an already sweet dessert at the end of the regular season.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Big Horn, Newcastle, Wheatland, Upton-Sundance, Tongue River, Burns, Glenrock, Moorcroft. West Conference: Mountain View, Worland, Lovell, Cokeville, Lyman, Thermopolis, Kemmerer, Pinedale.

Preseason top five: 1. Big Horn, 2. Mountain View, 3. Worland, 4. Lovell, 5. Cokeville.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Big Horn 27, Mountain View 22. This may be the least predictable 2A race in years. At least 10 teams are legitimate threats to be hoisting the championship trophy come November. For now, the Rams and Buffalos are on top thanks to their stability under center, but my goodness, this will be a fun year.

Agree? Disagree? Either way, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick

Four questions to answer

Who’s the one team coaches are singling out as this year’s favorite? Lingle, and it’s not even close. The Doggers have earned a lot of respect, especially after winning their first nine games last year before falling to eventual champion Big Piney in the semifinals. They also return four all-state players from last year, including nine-man’s offensive player of the year, and they also get back Kaiden Riggs, an all-stater who they’d lost to transfer to Torrington and was a huge cog in the Trailblazers’ 2A title last year. Yep, the Doggers are loaded.

Anyone else in the chase? Not really, to be honest. There will be tons of teams ready to step in if Lingle stumbles, chief among them Rocky Mountain and Southeast, as well as defending champ Big Piney and always tough Pine Bluffs. That said, if Lingle plays up to the dangerous word that’s being thrown around the Doggers a lot this summer (you know, “potential”), it’ll be tough going for the rest of nine-man to break the Doggers’ hold on the top spot.

Any favorites out of that group? No, because uncertainty. The challenge in predicting 1A nine-man this year is twofold — first, most of last year’s best teams (except Lingle) had sizable losses to graduation, and second, most of last year’s also-rans return enough players to be better than last year. That kind of turnover could make for a lot of parity, and more experienced teams like Wright, Lusk, Greybull, Saratoga and Shoshoni, and last year’s runner-up Wind River, could be part of the title conversation, too. Expect a lot of parity, and unpredictability, because of that.

What’s new? The head coach at Southeast. One of the most significant coaching changes in recent memory happened over the summer when longtime Southeast coach Mark Bullington retired. He did so as the No. 6 coach in state history in victories with 172. Longtime assistant coach Shawn Burkart is more than capable of helping the Cyclones continue without missing a step, but it will feel weird for a while not having Bullington behind it all.

Preseason class MVP

Louden Bremer, Lingle. Bremer was Class 1A nine-man’s offensive MVP last season after leading the Doggers in both rushing and receiving. He had 1,106 rushing yards and 405 receiving yards, combining for 24 total touchdowns on offense. He was also Lingle’s leading tackler with 104 of those bad boys.

Preseason class breakout player

Carsten Freeburg, Pine Bluffs. As a sophomore, Freeburg found his way onto the field for the Hornets. He was most effective on defense, where had 54 tackles and a couple picks. Offensively, though, he didn’t have as many opportunities. That will likely change this year, as the junior developed into a leader during the basketball season over the winter and should be one of the classification’s most athletic and exciting players this fall.

Other players to watch

Caden Clifford, Big Piney. The number 1,286 — the number of yards Clifford had last season — sticks out like crazy among nine-man’s returners. But he is also Big Piney’s top returning tackler, a huge role that he’ll need to fill on a Puncher team that’s coming off both a state championship and the loss of a huge senior class.

Kaiden Riggs, Lingle. After a one-year stopover in Torrington, where he helped the Trailblazers win a Class 2A championship by running for 1,275 yards and 10 TDs, Riggs is back where it all started for his senior season. He was an all-state pick as a sophomore at Lingle, too, and will be a welcome addition back to an already stacked Dogger squad.

Tucker Jackson, Rocky Mountain. If you had three pick-sixes last year, step forward… and here he is. Jackson led Rocky with six interceptions and was also the Grizzlies’ top receiver with 23 catches for 452 yards (that’s 19.7 yards per catch, by the way). A threat to score from anywhere on the field, on both sides of the ball, Jackson probably won’t score as many defensive touchdowns this year, but it’ll be fun to see the journey.

Ayden Desmond, Southeast. An all-state pick a year ago, Desmond nearly got the Cyclones to Laramie from under center. He threw for 1,097 yards and ran for 714 more and was responsible for 30 touchdowns between the two. He was also a handful on defense, finishing with five interceptions and 70 tackles as one of Southeast’s safeties.

Four key games

Rocky Mountain at Big Piney, Sept. 27. How much did graduation losses hurt the Punchers’ repeat chances? Are the Grizzlies really the West’s heir apparent? We find out in the first week of West Conference games, with the Grizzlies making the long trip to Sublette County and the winner emerging as the West’s best title threat.

Lingle at Southeast, Oct. 10. It would be easy to overlook the Doggers’ Goshen County neighbors this year. However, the Cyclones may represent Lingle’s biggest East Conference challenge this season. While Southeast gets to play Lingle in Yoder, Lingle does get a bye week before this Thursday game to help prepare.

Wind River at Big Piney, Oct. 12. It’s hard to look away from a state championship rematch, but this game will far from resemble the one that happened in Laramie last November. Both teams had heavy losses due to graduation. But that doesn’t mean this one won’t be important for playoff position, something the Punchers and Cougars both count on being a part of in a confusing and muddled West Conference chase.

Pine Bluffs at Lingle, Oct. 18. Not for nothing, but… this Week 7 showdown might feature two undefeated teams. You heard it here first (I’m assuming). If Pine Bluffs doesn’t blow a 24-point lead and doesn’t lose in overtime to the Doggers last season, maybe we’re talking about the Hornets as this year’s frontrunners. So, yeah, it’s safe to say the emotions, and stakes, will likely be high for this one.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Lingle, Southeast, Pine Bluffs, Lusk, Wright, Saratoga, Guernsey. West Conference: Rocky Mountain, Big Piney, Wind River, Greybull, Shoshoni, Wyoming Indian.

Preseason top five: 1. Lingle; 2. Rocky Mountain; 3. Southeast; 4. Pine Bluffs; 5. Big Piney.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Lingle 38, Rocky Mountain 26. On paper, Lingle has one of the best 1A nine-man teams since the classification restarted in 2020. Games aren’t won on paper, though. The Doggers still have to go out and prove they can get the job done, and those other contenders are absolutely ready to pounce if Lingle shows it isn’t up to the task.

Y’all understand what I’m saying? If not, I’m open to explaining. Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick