School: Jackson
Nickname: Broncs
Colors: black and orange
Stadium: William T. McIntosh Stadium
State championships: 1981, 1986 and 2007
Times worth remembering: Jackson won most consistently in the 1980s, a decade in which the Broncs posted only two losing seasons in 10 years. It was also the decade that saw Jackson win two of its three state championships — a 9-0 campaign to win the 1981 title and a 6-4 season that was good enough for the 1986 championship.
Times worth forgetting: Not much of the 1990s was good to the Broncs, but the stretch from 1991-96, when Jackson went 1-7, 3-5, 1-7, 2-6, 1-7 and 0-8, was the toughest of them all. Combined in those five years, the Broncs went 8-40, and at one point failed to break double digits on offense for 12 consecutive games.
Best team: Although the Broncs twice had undefeated state champions (1981 and 2007), the 1982 team might have been the best of Jackson’s bunch. The 1982 team was better both offensively and defensively than the 1981 title team, and all that kept Jackson from a repeat championship was a late-season loss to eventual state champion Star Valley.
Biggest win: Of Jackson’s three championship-game victories, the buzz is still most electric around the 1986 title game, which Jackson won 17-16 on a field goal with 2:01 remaining by current coach Bill Wiley. The Broncs trailed 16-0 early in the third quarter, but Mike Rooks scored a pair of second-half touchdowns and the Jackson defense forced Douglas out of its offensive rhythm just in time to notch the victory.
Heartbreaker: The aforementioned 1982 team had the chance to turn Jackson into a mini-football dynasty, but that one loss — the 20-7 loss to Star Valley, in Jackson, in the second-to-last week of the season — kept the Broncs out of the playoffs altogether. Star Valley went on to beat Wheatland for the state championship; Jackson had to stay home and wonder about the opportunity it missed.
Cheyenne Central’s o-line sets the tone for efficient offense (Wyoming Tribune Eagle). … Laramie preps for title games (Laramie Boomerang). … Cody-Buffalo (Cody Enterprise).
–patrick
Sheridan-Kelly Walsh follow, championships preview and semifinal roundup (Casper Star-Tribune). … Southeast-Wind River and Lingle-Cokeville (Scottsbluff Star-Herald). … Cheyenne Central-Gillette and Alan Sisel breaks Gillette records (Gillette News-Record).
–patrick
Thermopolis, with or without a new coach with a new offensive approach, was going to be better in 2009.
The bulk of the Bobcats’ 2008 squad was back, and even though Thermopolis was only 2-7 last season, the seeds of improvement and respectability had been planted.
But who saw THIS coming?
Thermopolis is in the Class 2A championship game — and went through perennial power Kemmerer to make it to Laramie.
“Through” is the key word here. The Bobcats made the trek to Kemmerer, then acted like the Rangers were little more than another pesky foe to be dispatched than the program that had won state titles in 2005 and 2007 and finished second last year. The Bobcats won 33-13, a score that might have seemed improbable at the end of last season but, given what’s happened this season in Hot Springs County, shouldn’t be all that surprising anymore.
New coach Chuck Syverson and his son, quarterback Mitch, have injected life into the program. Colin Herold and Chris Leyba have been fantastic targets for Syverson’s passes and are 1-2 in 2A in receiving.
Now, Thermopolis travels to Laramie to face defending champion Glenrock in the 2A title game.
And with or without a victory next Friday, the Thermopolis turnaround remains one of the best high school football stories this year in Wyoming.
Second mad props go to the Kaycee Bucakroos, who earned a berth in the six-man championship game in their first year by knocking off Midwest 58-56. Kaycee rallied from a 40-28 deficit early in the third quarter and took a 44-40 lead with six minutes to go — and then the fun started:
Midwest grabbed a 48-44 lead with 3 1/2 minutes to go on a TD run by Riley Harshman… Kaycee re-took the lead 52-48 on a 35-yard touchdown run 30 seconds later… Harshman scored again on a 40-yard TD pass with 35 seconds to go to give Midwest a 56-52 lead… and then Kaycee notched the winning points with 14 seconds remaining on a 55-yard run by (fill in missing name of Kaycee player here…. post a comment below if you know who scored!).
It sounds like the type of game no one should lose. But someone had to. Kaycee just ended up with the last score in a back-and-forth game, and now they’ve earned a spot in Laramie in their first season. That’s quite an accomplishment… and for Kaycee, it’s made all the more impressive by the fact that the Buckaroos had to win two road playoff games — at Ten Sleep in the first round, then at Midwest in the semis — to make it to the title game. That’s a lotta moxie for a program that’s just getting started.
From Saturday: Third mad props to Lingle, which fell behind early but rallied to beat previously unbeaten Cokeville 25-14. In winning, the Doggers set up a rematch with the only team to beat them this season — Southeast. The Doggers lost to the Cyclones 27-11 back in Week 8, but you can bet that the rematch in Laramie will be a bit different if Lingle has anything to say about it. The Doggers’ effort on Saturday is not to be discounted, either. They beat Cokeville in Cokeville — not an easy task — and gave the Panthers their first loss of the year. And it’s not a short trip from Lingle to Cokeville. The Doggers overcame not only the Panthers but the road trip, as well. That should be a great confidence booster for Lingle, which will be playing in its first state championship game since winning the 9-man championship in 1990.
Some other stuff that not only turned my head, but my torso, too:
The Central defense is underrated. I was fortunate enough to catch the Central-Gillette game on Friday in Cheyenne, and even though I’ve watched Central play several times this year, I’ve never seen that defense play that well. It was almost scary how efficient the Indians were at stopping Gillette’s offense — the Camels had minus-13 net rushing yards and barely more than 100 total yards for the game.
And speaking of 4A, how about that game between Sheridan and Kelly Walsh? The Broncs eked out a 9-7 victory after a 28-yard field goal by Drew Slikker with 9.2 seconds remaining. Once again, it was the type of game neither team should lose. For Sheridan, it’s an exciting portion of a trip to a larger goal in Laramie… and, for Kelly Walsh, it’s the type of game that stings more than it should. Give it 10 or 20 years, guys, and it’ll be the type of game you’re just glad to be a part of.
I say next Sunday, Douglas meets up with the winner of the Central-Sheridan game….
Who says experience doesn’t count for anything? Just ask Southeast. Or Wind River. Players learn something about how to get the job done when you win three consecutive championships.
So what else turned your torso this weekend? Which championship game looks most appealing to you next weekend? Post a comment below and let me know.
More later this week.
This week: 7-3 (70 percent). This season: 234-58 (80 percent).
–patrick
Glenrock-Greybull, Sheridan-Kelly Walsh and Cheyenne Central-Gillette (Casper Star-Tribune). … Cheyenne Central-Gillette (Wyoming Tribune Eagle). … Douglas-Worland (Douglas Budget). … Guernsey-Hanna (Rawlins Daily Times).
–patrick
Gillette kickers square off for starting spot (Gillette News-Record). … Central d-line becomes formidable (Wyoming Tribune Eagle). … Kelly Walsh o-line keeps improving, and Kelly Walsh-Sheridan preview (Casper Star-Tribune). … Greybull-Big Horn (Greybull Standard). … Southeast-Riverside (Basin Republican-Rustler). … Kemmerer-Wright (Kemmerer Gazette). … Wind River-Lusk (Lusk Herald). … Guernsey-Farson (Guernsey Gazette). … Cokeville-Pine Bluffs (Pine Bluffs Post).
–patrick
As I examined the brackets for the semifinal pairings this week, I couldn’t stop shaking my head.
This has to be one of the most interesting semifinal rounds in recent memory. All 20 teams deserve to be here — none of them “snuck” their way here. They’re all solid programs, and any one of the 20 are viable threats to win state championships.
The parity in nearly each division is astounding.
In Class 4A, Kelly Walsh at 6-4 has the worst record of any of the four teams. The Trojans play top-seeded Sheridan in the semifinals — yet it was Kelly Walsh that gave Sheridan its only loss this season, and that was by 22 points.
Although 3A looks like Douglas’ classification to lose, the other three teams in the bracket — Worland, Cody and Buffalo — have all proven themselves capable of at least making the Bearcats work for the victory, even capable of pulling off the upset. No team is safe, even Douglas, and every team is legit.
The 2A classification finally has something other than Glenrock and Kemmerer, even though Glenrock and Kemmerer are still the odds-on favorites to face off in Laramie. Greybull, at 9-1, played its first home playoff game in 20 years last week and travels to Glenrock; Thermopolis, at 8-1, has only lost to Glenrock (and that was only by six) and has since won five in a row and will head to Kemmerer.
Meanwhile, the 1A 11-man division has more parity than them all. Cokeville (9-0), Southeast (8-1), Wind River (8-1) and Lingle (8-1) are all, in the words of Mitch Hedberg, “potential lunch winners.” All of them have what it takes to win a state title, which makes the bracket extremely intriguing — and unpredictable.
The 1A six-man division is clearly not quite as dramatic. Undefeated Guernsey is the clear favorite, but nothing is a given in the playoffs. That’s what Hanna, Kaycee and Midwest are all banking on: hope.
Anyway, here are my semifinal picks, with potential lunch winners in bold:
Class 4A
Kelly Walsh at Sheridan: Even though the Trojans match up well with the Broncs — and even though KW gave Sheridan its only loss of the season in Week 0 — I think Sheridan is playing too well right now to be derailed. Turnovers really hurt Sheridan in the first matchup, and I don’t see those troubles happening again. But KW will keep it close and is probably only one or two big plays away from a trip to Laramie itself. Call it 34-28 Broncs. 6 p.m. (Last meeting: Kelly Walsh beat Sheridan 42-20 on Aug. 28 in Sheridan.)
Gillette at Cheyenne Central: The way the Indians beat the Camels a month ago wasn’t a fluke. Central is that good. But they also caught Gillette playing what was probably its worst game of the year. The Camels are improved and won’t get blown out in this game. They have the talent and the skill to make this one close and interesting. Call it 24-20 Indians. 7 p.m. (Last meeting: Central beat Gillette 48-14 on Oct. 2 in Cheyenne.)
Class 3A
Buffalo at Cody: It’s been really hard to get a feel for this game. Both teams have proven they can be successful, but neither team has exhibited the type of dominance you think about when you think of state championship contenders. If anything, I think this game will be close, hard-fought, low-scoring and probably won by a key play on defense — something that either sets up a short touchdown drive or turns into points on its own. Call it 13-10 Broncs. 6 p.m. (Last meeting: Buffalo beat Cody 23-0 on Nov. 7, 2008, in Cody.)
Worland at Douglas: In short, no team in 3A has been close to catching Douglas this fall. For as good as Worland is — and don’t get me wrong, Worland deserves to be here and is good enough to give Douglas a challenge — the Warriors just can’t match up with the Bearcats. No team in 3A can. Worland will keep it interesting, though. Call it 27-14 Bearcats. 7 p.m. (Last meeting: Douglas beat Worland 19-8 on Oct. 22, 2004, in Worland.)
Class 2A
Thermopolis at Kemmerer: Both teams have great offenses, but what separates the Rangers from the Bobcats is their defensive prowess. The Rangers have 2A’s best yards-against defense, something that will pay off against Thermopolis’ flashy offense. Call it 34-26 Rangers. 1 p.m. (Last meeting: Kemmerer beat Thermopolis 46-0 on Oct. 17, 2008, in Kemmerer.)
Greybull at Glenrock: Two run-heavy teams will grind it out — and two solid run defenses will try to halt the charge — in an intriguing, old-school semifinal. Don’t plan on a ton of scoring, because both defenses are legit and both offenses will probably turn conservative with a possible trip to Laramie on the line. Call it 20-12 Herders. 7 p.m. (Last meeting: Glenrock beat Greybull 47-13 on Sept. 29, 2006, in Glenrock.)
Class 1A 11-man
Wind River at Southeast: In short, I have no idea what to expect in this one. I really think this one can go either way; no team is the clear favorite here. Statistically, Wind River has the better offense and the better defense in terms of yards gained/allowed, but Southeast has the experience of three consecutive championships and home-field advantage behind them…. and with the mix of intangibles for both sides, don’t be surprised to see it come down to the final drive or even overtime. Call it 18-16 Cyclones. 6 p.m. (Last meeting: First meeting.)
Lingle at Cokeville: The two top rushing offenses in 1A — and two of the three top rushing defenses — meet in what should be a classic semifinal game. Again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either team win. They’ve both proven they belong here… but Cokeville, at home, has just a little bit of an advantage, even in the short week. Call it 21-17 Panthers. 1 p.m. Saturday. (Last meeting: Cokeville beat Lingle 39-0 on Oct. 22, 1999, in Cokeville.)
Class 1A 6-man
Hanna at Guernsey: Once again — the only thing that can stop Guernsey is Guernsey. The Vikings have been dominant against every opponent they’ve faced this season. And while Hanna will present some challenges, Guernsey just has too much. Call it 65-25 Vikings. 1 p.m. (Last meeting: Guernsey beat Hanna 72-12 on Sept. 19 in Hanna.)
Kaycee at Midwest: The second time around will be tougher for the Oilers than the first, but I still think they’re up to the challenge. The only worry Midwest might have is that Kaycee got pushed harder in the first round than the Oilers did, so the Buckaroos might be a bit more focused and ready for the postseason atmosphere…. but that probably won’t be enough for Kaycee to pull off the upset. Call it 52-42 Oilers. 6 p.m. (Last meeting: Midwest beat Kaycee 42-29 on Sept. 22 in Kaycee.)
Wow. I just realized I’m calling for the home team semifinal sweep. I know I’m wrong, of course. Several of these road teams have big-time potential. So what do you think? Who will be playing in Laramie next weekend and who will be watching from the stands? Let me know what you think might be coming this week by posting a comment below.
–patrick
Hanna-Guernsey preview (Rawlins Daily Times). … Glenrock-Lovell and Lingle-Rocky Mountain (Lovell Chronicle). … Buffalo-Star Valley and Kaycee-Ten Sleep (Buffalo Bulletin). … Douglas-Lander (Douglas Budget, you’re welcome). … Cody-Torrington, Lingle-Rocky Mountain and Southeast-Riverside (Torrington Telegram). … Kelly Walsh-Green River (GR Star).
–patrick
School: Thermopolis
Nickname: Bobcats
Colors: purple and yellow
Stadium: Bobcat Field
State championships: 1990, 1991 and 1992
Times worth remembering: Three years, three championships. It’s hard to do much better than the Bobcats did from 1990-92. Those three years, Thermopolis won the 2A title and had unbeaten seasons in 1990 (11-0) and ’92 (9-0) and finished 27-3 combined for all three seasons. Thermop outscored its foes by an average of 34-9 for the three seasons and notched 10 victories by shutout — and won all three championship games on its home field.
Times worth forgetting: The years leading up to the three-peat were anything but pleasant. From 1982-89, Thermopolis went 9-55. Of the losses, 18 were by shutout. The bottom came in an 0-9 1986 season in which the Bobcats were competitive but consistently on the wrong side of close games — including losses of 14-8 and 17-14.
Best team: What made the 1992 Thermopolis team unique was not only its undefeated 9-0 record, but how it won. The Bobcats were a dominating team; aside from a 28-26 win over Mountain View in the Bridger Valley, no other teams came close to touching the Bobcats in the regular season or the postseason. Thermopolis, led by 2A player of the year Colte Russell, won its games by an average score of 40-8 and held its final seven opponents to a total of 26 points.
Biggest win: Drama dripped from Thermopolis’ 21-20 overtime victory over Lovell in 1990 in the 2A championship, a game Bobcats actually never led the game until its final play and Richie Mitchell’s extra point in overtime. Rick McKinney scored both Bobcat touchdowns in regulation and Corey Wahler added the TD that led to the winning point in overtime, securing Thermopolis’ first state championship and providing the impetus for an early 1990s dynasty.
Heartbreaker: After losing in the semifinals in 1993 to end their championship run, the Bobcats appeared headed for another state championship in ’94. They came into the championship game ranked first in 2A at 9-0 and had the right to host the title contest again, this time against Kemmerer. However, Thermopolis’ offense couldn’t muster any consistent offensive threats, and Kemmerer took advantage of turnovers to post a 16-6 victory. It was the Bobcats’ best chance to win another championship; the team also lost title games in 1996 and 1997 and hasn’t returned to a title game since.
Kemmerer-Wright (Gillette News-Record). … Cody-Torrington (Cody Enterprise). … Worland-Riverton and Thermopolis-Big Piney (Northern Wyo Daily News, click today).
–patrick