(First posted Nov. 28, 2012; last updated Sept. 23, 2013)

Here is a list of Wyoming high schools who will have new head football coaches in 2013. As schools announce changes, they will be posted here.

Cody: Cody assistant coach Matt McFadden has been named the Broncs’ new head coach. McFadden, Cody’s defensive coordinator last season, replaces Cris Williams. Williams had been the head coach at Cody since 2000 and had compiled a 59-69 record. He led Cody to 11 playoff appearances and a state title game appearance in 2009. The Cody Enterprise reported Williams’ resignation in November.

Hanna: Zack Scott, an assistant coach with Hanna for 12 years, has been promoted to head coach. Hanna AD verified the hire to wyoming-football.com via email. He takes over for Tom Waring, who resigned after four years as head coach to become the coach at Rawlins. Waring went 16-22 in Hanna and led the team to a runner-up state finish in 2010.

Laramie: KOWB Radio in Laramie has reported that Thermopolis coach Chuck Syverson will take over as Laramie’s head coach. Syverson went 30-14 in four years with the Bobcats. He replaces Ted Holmstrom, who spent one year with Laramie and went 1-8 in 2012. Holmstrom confirmed his resignation via telephone with wyoming-football.com.

Meeteetse: Matt Jensen has been hired as Meeteetse’s football coach, he told wyoming-football.com. Jensen was previously the head coach at Stanley County (S.D.) and, prior to that, was an assistant at Winner, S.D. He will replace Levi Stephens, who compiled an 8-18 record in three seasons, although the Longhorns reached the Class 1A six-man semifinals in 2012. The Cody Enterprise broke the news of Stephens’ resignation on Twitter.

Normative Services: Jim Larson has been hired as the Wolves’ head coach, former NSI AD Shane Parker told wyoming-football.com via email. Larson was NSI’s coach in 2010 and 2011. He replaces Jon Rojo, who resigned after one season as head coach. NSI went 1-6 last season.

Rawlins: Hanna’s Tom Waring will take over as head coach in Rawlins. Rawlins AD Darlene O’Melia verified the hiring via email in June. Waring, who led Hanna to a state runner-up finish in 2010, takes over for Brian Anderson. Anderson went 1-23 with Rawlins, but did help the Outlaws break a 35-game losing streak in 2012.

Riverside: Former Lyman and Laramie coach Ted Holmstrom has been hired as the head coach, Holmstrom said in an email to wyoming-football.com. Holmstrom led Lyman for three years and was at Laramie in 2012. He replaces Adam Tri, who resigned after three seasons as head coach, in which he went 13-14.

Riverton: Pat Patterson will replace Jeremy McCormick as coach of the Wolverines, the Riverton Ranger and Casper Star-Tribune reported. Patterson was formerly coach at American Falls High School in Idaho. The Ranger of Riverton and the Casper Star-Tribune also both reported on McCormick’s resignation. McCormick went 23-27 in five years as coach.

Shoshoni: Tony Truempler will take over as Shoshoni’s head coach this fall, AD Max Mills said via email to wyoming-football.com in July. Truempler, who is also Shoshoni’s wrestling coach, will take over for Rick Linblad, who resigned after two seasons as coach. Linblad went 11-7 in his two years with the Wranglers.

Ten Sleep: Andy Ray replaced Jake Zent as the Pioneers’ head coach. Ray was previously the coach at Wind River. Zent went 21-23 in six years as head coach at Ten Sleep.

Thermopolis: Former Teton (Idaho) defensive coordinator Rob Anderson has been hired as Thermopolis’ head football coach. Anderson, who verified the hire via telephone with wyoming-football.com, will also be the Bobcats’ girls basketball coach. He replaces Chuck Syverson, who was hired as head coach in Laramie. Syverson went 30-14 in four seasons with the Bobcats, including 2A titles in 2009 and 2010.

Worland: Worland will use co-head coaches this season in Josh Garcia and Bryan Bailey after former coach Curt Mayer resigned less than 48 hours before the first practice, the Northern Wyoming Daily News reported. Mayer went 2-7 in his only year as head coach in Worland.

Do you have additions or corrections to this list? Please email me at pschmiedt@yahoo.com, tweet @wyomingfootball or post a comment below.

–patrick

Many people are caught by surprise when I mention that Wyoming-football.com has the results of every state basketball tournament game listed on the website, as well.

Although the basketball results don’t paint as complete a picture as the football results do (the basketball results are state tournament only), they do allow us to see how teams who qualified for state finished their respective seasons.

With the basketball regular season starting this week, I’d like to go a bit deeper, though, and find the record of every Wyoming state basketball champion.

I have the records of all state champions since 1999, but prior to that it gets a little (OK, a lot) shaky.

One of the reasons I want to do this is to have a little fun in the offseason with this blog. I’d like to post, for example, every undefeated state champion the state has ever had. In all, I have the records for 14 girls basketball teams and 13 boys teams that have finished a season unbeaten (updated 11-28-12; thanks to Cory Griffith for his help with the Lusk info!). But I know the list is incomplete.

Here is my list to this point, in reverse chronological order broken down by gender:

Girls
Snake River 2012 (28-0)
Tongue River 2005 (23-0)
Douglas 2005 (26-0)
Big Horn 2001 (26-0)
Burlington 1998 (24-0)
Mountain View 1998 (24-0)
Tongue River 1997 (22-0)
Lyman 1995 (23-0)
Gillette 1991 (23-0)
Lusk 1991 (22-0)
Lusk 1990 (21-0)
Riverton 1984 (23-0)
Rock Springs 1980 (24-0)
Lander 1978 (24-0)

Boys
Snake River 2012 (28-0)
Big Horn 2011 (28-0)
Thermopolis 2004 (25-0)
Cheyenne Central 1991 (23-0)
Torrington 1987 (23-0)
Southeast 1981 (22-0)
Glenrock 1978 (23-0)
Mountain View 1977 (24-0)
Lusk 1969 (23-0)
Goshen Hole 1967 (23-0)
Cheyenne Central 1962 (27-0)
University Prep 1961 (25-0)
St. Stephens 1960 (28-0)

I’m also compiling an unofficial list of state basketball champs who finished the season with losing records. So far, I’ve only found two: St. Stephens boys in 2004 (11-17) and Pine Bluffs girls in 1994 (10-12).

Eventually, I do want the records of ALL state championship-winning teams, but being in Wyoming does limit my ability to research this much. … Nevertheless, it’s a project that’s been on the backburner for awhile and I wanted to put it out there to share.

First of all — do any readers out there know of any undefeated state champions that aren’t on the lists above? Post a comment below, and if you can, link to some documentation (scan of a newspaper article, for example, or a link to a site where I could verify a record). If you don’t want to post, you’re always welcome to email me information at pschmiedt@yahoo.com.

Conversely, if you happen to know the record of a state champ I have listed without a record, feel free to let me know (with as much documentation as you can provide to verify). Even if they weren’t undefeated, I would eventually like to know the records for all the state championship teams. First, double check to make sure I don’t already have the record listed, and then let me know!

Thanks!

–patrick

The 2012 Wyoming Coaches Association all-state football teams have been announced. You can check them out on the all-state page. If I have any names misspelled or classes wrong, please let me know via email (pschmiedt@yahoo.com) or just leave a comment below.

Some highlights from the all-state selections:

Kaycee’s James Caro became just the second player in the past 40 years to be named to the all-state team four consecutive years. The only other Wyoming player to accomplish that feat in that time is Meeteetse’s Ty Barrus from 1987-90.

Three-time selections included Vince Sleep (Powell), Cisco Taylor (Lyman), Brigham Teichert (Cokeville) and Zach Eisenbarth (Southeast). All four players are seniors this year.

In addition to Caro and the four three-time selections, 44 other players were chosen as repeat selections. They included Joe Ash and Austen Motily (Cheyenne East), Dani Fischer (Gillette), Colter Bentley, Adam Britton, Dan Reese, Brecken Biggs and Josh Flanigan (Natrona), Collin Eisenman (Sheridan), Aaron Fenner (Buffalo), Ty Etchemendy (Douglas), Dan Probst (Green River), Tony Lujan, Garrett Lynch, Brendan Phister and Dewey Schwahn (Powell), T.J. Galey and Xavier Webb (Riverton), Scott Passini and Matt Wigglesworth (Big Horn), Luke Barron (Big Piney), J.D. Pittsley (Glenrock), Matt Archibald (Kemmerer), Dino Collins and Dylan Hultgren (Lovell), Bransen Bradshaw and Kyle Stokes (Lyman), Ty Borgialli, J.T. Harper and Billie Gordon (Newcastle), Christian Syverson (Thermopolis), Cody Nate (Cokeville), Colter Larson (Lusk), Waddie Love (Saratoga), Josh Thoren (Shoshoni), Wyatt Somsen and Colton Stees (Southeast), Jesse Hawk and Cody Flynn (Dubois), Rylie Richardson (Hanna), Cam Ray (Midwest), Cole Gourlay and Manuel Quinteros (Snake River) and Friscoe Erdahl (Ten Sleep).

Seven players — Lujan, Lynch and Phister (all Powell), Nate (Cokeville), Somsen and Stees (both Southeast) and Ray (Midwest) — could become three-time selections next season. All were juniors this year.

State champions led the way on every all-state team, as Natrona (13 players at 17 positions), Powell (nine players), Lyman (seven players), Southeast (seven players) and Dubois (seven players) each led their respective classifications in total selections; Cokeville tied Southeast with seven players in Class 1A 11-man.

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Additionally, the Casper Star-Tribune named its 22nd annual Super 25 team this week. Selections are available here.

Lovell’s Dino Collins was named the Super 25 offensive player of the year, while Natrona’s Dan Reese was named the Super 25 defensive player of the year. The Super 25 coach of the year was Big Horn’s Michael McGuire.

McGuire was just the second coach to win Super 25 coach of the year honors in a year in which his team did not win the state championship, joining Shoshoni’s Harold Bailey, who won the award in 1994 after taking the Wranglers from a 1-7 record in 1993 to a 6-2 season in ’94. McGuire, in his first year with the Rams, led Big Horn to an undefeated regular season and a 10-1 record.

–patrick

The 2012 season has been uploaded to the database and all the changes have been made to all the relevant pages.

And, for final reference, my final 2012 picks record:

Last week: 4-1 (80 percent). This season: 256-45 (85 percent — my best in my eight years of picking games). Eight-year total: 1,852-493 (79 percent)

–patrick

The theme this weekend in Laramie is simple: retribution.

Four of this year’s five title games involve a one-loss team playing an undefeated team — and in every one of those games, the undefeated team gave the one-loss team its only loss of the season.

Gillette’s only loss? Natrona.

Star Valley’s only loss? Powell.

Lovell’s only loss? Lyman

Snake River’s only loss? Dubois.

The only classification in which that isn’t happening is 1A 11-man, where Southeast technically comes in with a 6-3 record after losing to Newcastle and Lusk in the regular season and notching a forfeit loss to Pine Bluffs. Even so, Lusk comes in unbeaten with Southeast one of its victims on the way.

So logic will tell us that the team that won in the regular season should also win the championship. If that happens, each classification would have an undefeated state champion.

And that is something the state has never seen with the five-classification setup.

In fact, we have the chance to see something we haven’t seen since 1977 — every state champ finishing unbeaten. The last time that happened, Cheyenne Central (10-0 in Class AA), Glenrock (9-0 in Class A) and Big Piney (9-0 in Class B) all finished unbeaten on their way to titles in ’77. Since the WHSAA re-instituted playoff brackets for all classifications in 1975, the undefeated sweep has only happened in one other year — the first year, 1975, when Natrona, Douglas and Pinedale all finished 10-0 seasons with state titles.

Undefeated state championship seasons are fairly common — about 40 percent of state champions in Wyoming finish unbeaten. But it’s super-rare to see an undefeated sweep, and, again, it’s never happened with the five-class setup.

However, I think it’s worth noting that a five-class sweep is easier now than ever before. Class 4A schools and Class 1A six-man schools don’t play anyone outside their classification or outside the state, while expanded conferences in the 3A, 2A and 1A 11-man classifications mean fewer chances to lose in the nonconference season to a team in a different classification or in another state. All too often since 1990, a five-class unbeaten sweep was snuffed out in Week 1 by a tough regional nonconference foe, often by a team in a higher classification. Those games don’t happen much anymore; hence, it’s easier for the five-class undefeated sweep to happen.

Gillette, Star Valley, Lovell, Southeast and Snake River would love nothing more than to be the team that spoils the undefeated sweep and hoists the trophy by exacting some revenge for that early season loss. But do any of those five actually stand a chance of beating the team that beat them in the regular season — in four of five cases, the ONLY team that beat them?

My picks are below.

Friday
* Class 1A six-man championship, (1N) Dubois vs. (1S) Snake River, noon. Simply put, this game is Dubois’ to lose. Ever since Dubois put a stop to Snake River’s 22-game winning streak in Week 2 with a 43-36 victory, the Rams have been the top team in six-man. And it seems like in examining every common opponent result, Dubois has done just a little bit better against every team it has had in common with Snake River than the Rattlers have this season. Call it Dubois, as I think the Rams will win the first state football championship in school history, but call it uncomfortably close against a program filled with pride, poise and two state championships in tow: Dubois 54, Snake River 48.
* Class 3A championship, (2W) Star Valley vs. (1W) Powell, 3 p.m. Here’s the conversation that happened last week:
Ring, ring.
“Hello?”
“Powell?”
“Yes, this is Powell.”
“Powell, hey, it’s Green River. Just calling to give you your wake-up call. The score is now 13-3.”
“OK. Thanks, Green River.”
“No problem.”
The undefeated defending state champion Panthers had been cruising until last week, when Green River put a bit of a surprise into Powell by hanging somewhat close before falling. To be honest, every championship team needs that, and for Powell, it may be better that they got that reality check in the semifinal round rather than in the first half of the title game. My bet is that Powell comes out focused for the title game. Of course, that’s not to say that the Braves won’t put up a good fight: Powell 20, Star Valley 16.

Saturday
* Class 2A championship, (2W) Lovell vs. (1W) Lyman, 10 a.m. If the weather forecasts I’m reading are correct, by this time on Saturday, the precipitation will already be falling in Laramie. That will make this game — already set up to be a defensive showdown between two of the top three defenses in 2A — even more of a slugfest. Forget the fact that these are the top two yardage AND scoring offenses in 2A. Defense has the advantage in this one. Because of that, I think this game will come down to the final possession, and the only reason I’m picking Lyman is because the home blues will show up better against the sky (and the stuff that will probably be falling from it) than Lovell’s road whites. And that’s the last time I pick a game based on uniform color. … Lyman 12, Lovell 8.
* Class 1A 11-man championship, (2E) Southeast vs. (1E) Lusk, 1 p.m. Everything these two teams do is predicated by defense. The formula for both teams is simple: stop the run first, defend the pass as necessary, force punts and turnovers. Both teams execute these plans really well. Remember Lusk 7, Southeast 6, earlier this year? I think it’ll be close again. I think one of these two teams will score late in the fourth quarter. I think someone’s going to go for the win rather than the tie. And I think that decision will effectively boil down the state championship to one three-yard play. Lusk 14, Southeast 13.
* Class 4A championship, (2) Gillette vs. (1) Natrona, 4 p.m. Yeah, yeah, I know. Gillette has Sheridan, Natrona has Kelly Walsh. But when two programs sustain excellence for as long as these two programs, a rivalry is natural. And this may be Class 4A’s best rivalry. Since 1993, Natrona has had just one losing season; since 1997, Gillette has had losing seasons just twice. For five consecutive years from 1999-2003, the Mustangs and Camels played against each other in the playoffs, including the title games in ’99 and ’03; they’ve also played each other in the postseason in 2007 and 2010. Points may be easier to come by than they were in the regular-season finale — after all, these are the top two offenses in 4A — but I think the Mustangs’ stout defense keeps Gillette’s offense in check just enough for NC to polish off an undefeated season. Natrona 28, Gillette 20.

For the second straight week, I’m making predictions that would buck a historically significant trend. And for the second straight week, I would not be surprised to see any one of the teams I’ve picked against make sure that history does, indeed, repeat itself. The margins I’ve outlined for each game should make it clear that I think every single game will come down to the last possession.

Quite simply, this may be the best set of five title games since the event moved to Laramie four years ago. Every single game should be a good one.

Kind of makes me sad I don’t live in Wyoming anymore. Kind of…

Last week: 8-2 (80 percent). This season: 252-44 (85 percent).

–patrick

The 2013 Wyoming high school football schedule was released Tuesday, and although school classification changes are only coming in Class 1A, changes to the schedule have been made in every classification.

Major schedule overhauls were conducted in Class 4A and Class 1A.

Class 1A, both 11-man and six-man, saw the most changes, as three schools departed 11-man for six-man this year and another joined six-man from the junior-varsity ranks. The Class 4A schedule was completely overhauled, as well, while minor changes were made in the Class 2A and 3A schedules.

The Wyoming High School Activities Association has produced the schedules for all Wyoming varsity football teams since 2001. Schedules were distributed to the schools this morning.

Class 1A overhauls are major

The biggest changes in 2013 come in Class 1A, where Normative Services, Saratoga and Wyoming Indian will depart the 11-man ranks for six-man. Six-man also has St. Stephens moving up to the varsity ranks after two seasons of junior-varsity play. Conversely, six-man has been restructured into East and West conferences, with seven schools in each — Guernsey, Hanna, Hulett, Kaycee, Midwest, Normative Services and Saratoga in the East and Dubois, Farson, Meeteetse, St. Stephens, Snake River, Ten Sleep and Wyoming Indian in the West. All six-man schools will play six conference games and two nonconference games.

In 1A 11-man, the conferences remain East-West, with six programs in the West (Burlington, Cokeville, Riverside, Rocky Mountain, Shoshoni and Wind River) and five in the East (Lingle, Lusk, Pine Bluffs, Southeast, Upton-Sundance). The schedule was built to accommodate a split in the Upton-Sundance coop, a pairing scheduled to end after the 2013 season. All but one 1A 11-man program will play a 2A school in the season opener; Pine Bluffs, which has an open week in Week 1, is the lone exception.

Interconference play has been expanded in 1A 11-man this year, as schools play two teams from the opposite conference in the regular season — one at home, one away. One of the marquee regular-season matchups will be a Week 2 showdown between Cokeville and Southeast in Lincoln County.

New 4A schedule switches some home-away patterns; 3A, 2A classes have minor changes

Despite no changes in the classification’s structure, the Class 4A schedule was completely retooled. No school plays a flip-flop schedule from 2012; every team will make at least one road trip that’s exactly the same as the 2012 season. Key among these is the Oil Bowl, which will be played at Kelly Walsh for a second consecutive season next year.

The Class 3A schedule saw the fewest changes. The schedule was flipped from the 2012 schedule in all but two instances, and they’re both in Week 1 — Rawlins will play at Kemmerer rather than Wheatland, and Torrington will play at Glenrock rather than having an open date. The rest of the schedule mirrors the 2012 schedule, with home and road games switched.

In Class 2A, the West Conference schedule was flipped from 2012, but the East Conference schedule was shifted slightly, with the Week 8 schedule moving to Week 2 and the calendar moving down a week thereafter — 2012’s Week 2 will be 2013’s Week 3, Week 3 becomes Week 4 and so on. The changes in 1A’s schedules have shifted some of the Week 1 nonconference opponents, as only three Class 2A schools (Big Horn, Greybull and Mountain View) retain the Week 1 nonconference foe they had in 2012. Big Horn and Greybull continue to play each other, while Mountain View kept its game with Cokeville.

Class 3A, 2A and 1A schools may schedule Week 0 contests on their own, if they so choose. Those games and scrimmages will be set later this year.

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Key games

Here’s a quick glance at some key games, week by week:

Week 0: Cheyenne South at Evanston. The Bison almost picked up their first victory in varsity play in 2012 against the Red Devils. It will be interesting to see if South can finish the job and end the losing streak in the 2013 season opener.

Week 1: Saratoga at Snake River. How will the Panthers stack up in six-man? We’ll find out quickly, as they travel to play one of the most successful programs in the state regardless of classification in the opening week. Other key games: Cheyenne East at Natrona, Douglas at Green River, Riverton at Powell.

Week 2: Big Horn at Newcastle. The two frontrunners in the 2A East in 2012 didn’t meet until Week 8; in 2013, they’ll open the conference slate with each other. Other key games: Green River at Riverton, Southeast at Cokeville, Meeteetse at Snake River.

Week 3: Gillette at Natrona AND Lyman at Lovell. Two rematches of 2012 title games come in the same week in 2013. Other key games: Star Valley at Douglas, Shoshoni at Burlington, Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens.

Week 4: Kemmerer at Thermopolis. The past couple years, this game has been pivotal for success in the second half of the season. Other key games: Cheyenne East at Kelly Walsh, Douglas at Buffalo, Hulett at Kaycee.

Week 5: Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne East, Natrona at Kelly Walsh, AND Sheridan at Gillette. Rivalry week is back! Other key games: Powell at Star Valley, Big Horn at Glenrock, Shoshoni at Wind River, Rocky Mountain at Burlington.

Week 6: Star Valley at Cody. This could be a trap game for the Braves, one week after what is likely to be an emotional rematch against Powell. Other key games: Sheridan at Cheyenne Central, Lyman at Mountain View, Pinedale at Big Piney, Cokeville at Rocky Mountain, Guernsey at Midwest.

Week 7: Lusk at Southeast AND Dubois at Snake River. Once again, the 2013 schedule has paired two title-game combatants from 2012 against one another in the same week. Other key games: Natrona at Sheridan, Cody at Powell, Douglas at Riverton, Green River at Star Valley, Mountain View at Thermopolis, Burlington at Cokeville, Kaycee at Midwest.

Week 8: Powell at Green River. These two schools have gotten very familiar with each other the past two years…. Other key games: Gillette at Cheyenne East, Glenrock at Burns, Shoshoni at Cokeville, Hanna at Saratoga.

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The complete schedules, both by week and by school, are posted below:

By week

Week 0 (Aug. 24-25)
Class 4A
: Cheyenne South at Evanston; Gillette at Kelly Walsh; Natrona at Cheyenne Central; Rock Springs at Cheyenne East; Sheridan at Laramie.
Class 3A, Class 2A and Class 1A Week 0 schedules will be set by individual schools.

Week 1 (Aug. 30-Sept. 1)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne South; Cheyenne East at Natrona; Evanston at Gillette; Kelly Walsh at Sheridan; Laramie at Rock Springs.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Worland; Douglas at Green River; Lander at Cody; Riverton at Powell.
Class 2A: Greybull at Big Horn; Lyman at Wheatland.
Class 1A six-man: Farson at Midwest; Hanna at Meeteetse; Hulett at Ten Sleep; Kaycee at Wyoming Indian; Normative Services at Dubois; St. Stephens at Guernsey-Sunrise; Saratoga at Snake River.
Interclass: Big Piney at Riverside; Burlington at Thermopolis; Burns at Southeast; Cokeville at Mountain View; Glenrock at Torrington; Lusk at Newcastle; Moorcroft at Upton-Sundance; Pinedale at Shoshoni; Rawlins at Kemmerer; Rocky Mountain at Tongue River; Wind River at Lovell; Wright at Lingle.
Interstate: Star Valley at Snake River, Idaho; Teton, Idaho, at Jackson.
Open: Pine Bluffs.

Week 2 (Sept. 6-8)
Class 4A: Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East; Gillette at Cheyenne Central; Natrona at Laramie; Rock Springs at Kelly Walsh; Sheridan at Evanston.
Class 3A: Cody at Douglas; Green River at Riverton; Lander at Star Valley; Powell at Buffalo; Rawlins at Jackson; Torrington at Worland.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Newcastle; Burns at Wright; Kemmerer at Lyman; Lovell at Pinedale; Moorcroft at Glenrock; Mountain View at Greybull; Thermopolis at Big Piney; Wheatland at Tongue River.
Class 1A 11-man: Lingle at Burlington; Riverside at Pine Bluffs; Shoshoni at Lusk; Southeast at Cokeville; Upton-Sundance at Rocky Mountain.
Class 1A six-man: Farson at Dubois; Guernsey-Sunrise at Hulett; Kaycee at Hanna; Meeteetse at Snake River; Normative Services at Midwest; St. Stephens at Ten Sleep; Wyoming Indian at Saratoga.
Open: Wind River.

Week 3 (Sept. 13-15)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Rock Springs; Cheyenne East at Sheridan; Evanston at Laramie; Gillette at Natrona; Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne South.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Green River; Cody at Riverton; Jackson at Lander; Powell at Torrington; Star Valley at Douglas; Worland at Rawlins.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Burns; Big Piney at Mountain View; Greybull at Thermopolis; Lyman at Lovell; Newcastle at Moorcroft; Pinedale at Kemmerer; Tongue River at Glenrock; Wheatland at Wright.
Class 1A 11-man: Cokeville at Wind River; Lingle at Lusk; Rocky Mountain at Riverside; Shoshoni at Burlington; Southeast at Pine Bluffs.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Hulett; Hanna at Guernsey-Sunrise; Normative Services at Kaycee; Saratoga at Midwest; Snake River at Farson; Ten Sleep at Meeteetse; Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens.
Open: Upton-Sundance.

Week 4 (Sept. 20-22)
Class 4A: Cheyenne East at Kelly Walsh; Cheyenne South at Gillette; Laramie at Cheyenne Central; Natrona at Evanston; Rock Springs at Sheridan.
Class 3A: Douglas at Buffalo; Green River at Cody; Jackson at Powell; Riverton at Rawlins; Star Valley at Worland; Torrington at Lander.
Class 2A: Big Piney at Lyman; Burns at Newcastle; Glenrock at Wheatland; Kemmerer at Thermopolis; Lovell at Mountain View; Moorcroft at Tongue River; Pinedale at Greybull; Wright at Big Horn.
Class 1A 11-man: Burlington at Upton-Sundance; Cokeville at Lingle; Lusk at Riverside; Pine Bluffs at Shoshoni; Wind River at Southeast.
Class 1A six-man: Guernsey-Sunrise at Farson; Hulett at Kaycee; Meeteetse at Dubois; Midwest at Hanna; St. Stephens at Snake River; Saratoga at Normative Services; Ten Sleep at Wyoming Indian.
Open: Rocky Mountain.

Week 5 (Sept. 27-29)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne East; Evanston at Rock Springs; Laramie at Cheyenne South; Natrona at Kelly Walsh; Sheridan at Gillette.
Class 3A: Cody at Jackson; Lander at Douglas; Powell at Star Valley; Rawlins at Torrington; Riverton at Buffalo; Worland at Green River.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Glenrock; Kemmerer at Big Piney; Lovell at Greybull; Mountain View at Pinedale; Newcastle at Wright; Thermopolis at Lyman; Tongue River at Burns; Wheatland at Moorcroft.
Class 1A 11-man: Lusk at Pine Bluffs; Riverside at Cokeville; Rocky Mountain at Burlington; Shoshoni at Wind River; Upton-Sundance at Southeast.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Ten Sleep; Farson at St. Stephens; Kaycee at Saratoga; Midwest at Hulett; Normative Services at Guernsey-Sunrise; Snake River at Hanna; Wyoming Indian at Meeteetse.
Open: Lingle.

Week 6 (Oct. 4-6)
Class 4A: Cheyenne East at Laramie; Cheyenne South at Natrona; Gillette at Rock Springs; Kelly Walsh at Evanston; Sheridan at Cheyenne Central.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Lander; Green River at Jackson; Rawlins at Douglas; Star Valley at Cody; Torrington at Riverton; Worland at Powell.
Class 2A: Big Horn at Wheatland; Burns at Moorcroft; Greybull at Kemmerer; Lyman at Mountain View; Newcastle at Glenrock; Pinedale at Big Piney; Thermopolis at Lovell; Wright at Tongue River.
Class 1A 11-man: Burlington at Wind River; Cokeville at Rocky Mountain; Pine Bluffs at Lingle; Riverside at Shoshoni; Upton-Sundance at Lusk.
Class 1A six-man: Guernsey-Sunrise at Midwest; Hanna at Normative Services; Hulett at Saratoga; Meeteetse at Kaycee; St. Stephens at Dubois; Snake River at Wyoming Indian; Ten Sleep at Farson.
Open: Southeast.

Week 7 (Oct. 11-13)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Kelly Walsh; Evanston at Cheyenne East; Laramie at Gillette; Natrona at Sheridan; Rock Springs at Cheyenne South.
Class 3A: Cody at Powell; Douglas at Riverton; Green River at Star Valley; Jackson at Worland; Lander at Rawlins; Torrington at Buffalo.
Class 2A: Big Piney at Greybull; Glenrock at Wright; Kemmerer at Lovell; Lyman at Pinedale; Moorcroft at Big Horn; Mountain View at Thermopolis; Tongue River at Newcastle; Wheatland at Burns.
Class 1A 11-man: Burlington at Cokeville; Lingle at Upton-Sundance; Lusk at Southeast; Rocky Mountain at Shoshoni; Wind River at Riverside.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Snake River; Hulett at Hanna; Kaycee at Midwest; Meeteetse at St. Stephens; Saratoga at Guernsey-Sunrise; Ten Sleep at Normative Services; Wyoming Indian at Farson.
Open: Pine Bluffs.

Week 8 (Oct. 18-20)
Class 4A: Cheyenne Central at Evanston; Cheyenne South at Sheridan; Gillette at Cheyenne East; Kelly Walsh at Laramie; Rock Springs at Natrona.
Class 3A: Buffalo at Rawlins; Douglas at Torrington; Jackson at Star Valley; Powell at Green River; Riverton at Lander; Worland at Cody.
Class 2A: Glenrock at Burns; Greybull at Lyman; Lovell at Big Piney; Mountain View at Kemmerer; Newcastle at Wheatland; Thermopolis at Pinedale; Tongue River at Big Horn; Wright at Moorcroft.
Class 1A 11-man: Pine Bluffs at Upton-Sundance; Riverside at Burlington; Shoshoni at Cokeville; Southeast at Lingle; Wind River at Rocky Mountain.
Class 1A six-man: Dubois at Wyoming Indian; Farson at Meeteetse; Guernsey-Sunrise at Kaycee; Hanna at Saratoga; Midwest at St. Stephens; Normative Services at Hulett; Snake River at Ten Sleep.
Open: Lusk.

+++++++

By team
All schedules listed starting with Week 1, except Class 4A, which starts with Week 0

Class 4A
Cheyenne Central: vs. Natrona; at Cheyenne South; vs. Gillette; at Rock Springs; vs. Laramie; at Cheyenne East; vs. Sheridan; at Kelly Walsh; at Evanston.
Cheyenne East: vs. Rock Springs; at Natrona; vs. Cheyenne South; at Sheridan; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Laramie; vs. Evanston; vs. Gillette.
Cheyenne South: at Evanston; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Cheyenne East; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Gillette; vs. Laramie; at Natrona; vs. Rock Springs; at Sheridan.
Evanston: vs. Cheyenne South; at Gillette; vs. Sheridan; at Laramie; vs. Natrona; at Rock Springs; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Cheyenne East; vs. Cheyenne Central.
Gillette: at Kelly Walsh; vs. Evanston; at Cheyenne Central; at Natrona; vs. Cheyenne South; vs. Sheridan; at Rock Springs; vs. Laramie; at Cheyenne East.
Kelly Walsh: vs. Gillette; at Sheridan; vs. Rock Springs; at Cheyenne South; vs. Cheyenne East; vs. Natrona; at Evanston; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Laramie.
Laramie: vs. Sheridan; at Rock Springs; vs. Natrona; vs. Evanston; at Cheyenne Central; at Cheyenne South; vs. Cheyenne East; at Gillette; vs. Kelly Walsh.
Natrona: at Cheyenne Central; vs. Cheyenne East; at Laramie; vs. Gillette; at Evanston; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Cheyenne South; at Sheridan; vs. Rock Springs.
Rock Springs: at Cheyenne East; vs. Laramie; at Kelly Walsh; vs. Cheyenne Central; at Sheridan; vs. Evanston; vs. Gillette; at Cheyenne South; at Natrona.
Sheridan: at Laramie; vs. Kelly Walsh; at Evanston; vs. Cheyenne East; vs. Rock Springs; at Gillette; at Cheyenne Central; vs. Natrona; vs. Cheyenne South.

Class 3A
East Conference
Buffalo: at Worland; vs. Powell; at Green River; vs. Douglas; vs. Riverton; at Lander; vs. Torrington; at Rawlins.
Douglas: at Green River; vs. Cody; vs. Star Valley; at Buffalo; vs. Lander; vs. Rawlins; at Riverton; at Torrington.
Lander: at Cody; at Star Valley; vs. Jackson; vs. Torrington; at Douglas; vs. Buffalo; at Rawlins; vs. Riverton.
Rawlins: at Kemmerer; at Jackson; vs. Worland; vs. Riverton; at Torrington; at Douglas; vs. Lander; vs. Buffalo.
Riverton: at Powell; vs. Green River; vs. Cody; at Rawlins; at Buffalo; vs. Torrington; vs. Douglas; at Lander.
Torrington: vs. Glenrock; at Worland; vs. Powell; at Lander; vs. Rawlins; at Riverton; at Buffalo; vs. Douglas.
West Conference
Cody: vs. Lander; at Douglas; at Riverton; vs. Green River; at Jackson; vs. Star Valley; at Powell; vs. Worland.
Green River: vs. Douglas; at Riverton; vs. Buffalo; at Cody; vs. Worland; at Jackson; at Star Valley; vs. Powell.
Jackson: vs. Teton, Idaho; vs. Rawlins; at Lander; at Powell; vs. Cody; vs. Green River; at Worland; at Star Valley.
Powell: vs. Riverton; at Buffalo; at Torrington; vs. Jackson; at Star Valley; vs. Worland; vs. Cody; at Green River.
Star Valley: at Snake River, Idaho; vs. Lander; at Douglas; at Worland; vs. Powell; at Cody; vs. Green River; vs. Jackson.
Worland: vs. Buffalo; vs. Torrington; at Rawlins; vs. Star Valley; at Green River; at Powell; vs. Jackson; at Cody.

Class 2A
East Conference
Big Horn: vs. Greybull; at Newcastle; at Burns; vs. Wright; at Glenrock; at Wheatland; vs. Moorcroft; vs. Tongue River.
Burns: at Southeast; at Wright; vs. Big Horn; at Newcastle; vs. Tongue River; at Moorcroft; vs. Wheatland; vs. Glenrock.
Glenrock: at Torrington; vs. Moorcroft; vs. Tongue River; at Wheatland; vs. Big Horn; vs. Newcastle; at Wright; at Burns.
Moorcroft: at Upton-Sundance; at Glenrock; vs. Newcastle; at Tongue River; vs. Wheatland; vs. Burns; at Big Horn; vs. Wright.
Newcastle: vs. Lusk; vs. Big Horn; at Moorcroft; vs. Burns; at Wright; at Glenrock; vs. Tongue River; at Wheatland.
Tongue River: vs. Rocky Mountain; vs. Wheatland; at Glenrock; vs. Moorcroft; at Burns; vs. Wright; at Newcastle; at Big Horn.
Wheatland: vs. Lyman; at Tongue River; at Wright; vs. Glenrock; at Moorcroft; vs. Big Horn; at Burns; vs. Newcastle.
Wright: at Lingle; vs. Burns; vs. Wheatland; at Big Horn; vs. Newcastle; at Tongue River; vs. Glenrock; at Moorcroft.
West Conference
Big Piney: at Riverside; vs. Thermopolis; at Mountain View; at Lyman; vs. Kemmerer; vs. Pinedale; at Greybull; vs. Lovell.
Greybull: at Big Horn; vs. Mountain View; at Thermopolis; vs. Pinedale; vs. Lovell; at Kemmerer; vs. Big Piney; at Lyman.
Kemmerer: vs. Rawlins; at Lyman; vs. Pinedale; at Thermopolis; at Big Piney; vs. Greybull; at Lovell; vs. Mountain View.
Lovell: vs. Wind River; at Pinedale; vs. Lyman; at Mountain View; at Greybull; vs. Thermopolis; vs. Kemmerer; at Big Piney.
Lyman: at Wheatland; vs. Kemmerer; at Lovell; vs. Big Piney; vs. Thermopolis; at Mountain View; at Pinedale; vs. Greybull.
Mountain View: vs. Cokeville; at Greybull; vs. Big Piney; vs. Lovell; at Pinedale; vs. Lyman; at Thermopolis; at Kemmerer.
Pinedale: at Shoshoni; vs. Lovell; at Kemmerer; at Greybull; vs. Mountain View; at Big Piney; vs. Lyman; vs. Thermopolis.
Thermopolis: vs. Burlington; at Big Piney; vs. Greybull; vs. Kemmerer; at Lyman; at Lovell; vs. Mountain View; at Pinedale.

Class 1A 11-man
East Conference
Lingle: vs. Wright; at Burlington; at Lusk; vs. Cokeville; open; vs. Pine Bluffs; at Upton-Sundance; vs. Southeast.
Lusk: at Newcastle; vs. Shoshoni; vs. Lingle; at Riverside; at Pine Bluffs; vs. Upton-Sundance; at Southeast; open.
Pine Bluffs: Open; vs. Riverside; vs. Southeast; at Shoshoni; vs. Lusk; at Lingle; open; at Upton-Sundance.
Southeast: vs. Burns; at Cokeville; at Pine Bluffs; vs. Wind River; vs. Upton-Sundance; open; vs. Lusk; at Lingle.
Upton-Sundance: vs. Moorcroft; at Rocky Mountain; open; vs. Burlington; at Southeast; at Lusk; vs. Lingle; vs. Pine Bluffs.
West Conference
Burlington: at Thermopolis; vs. Lingle; vs. Shoshoni; at Upton-Sundance; vs. Rocky Mountain; at Wind River; at Cokeville; vs. Riverside.
Cokeville: at Mountain View; vs. Southeast; at Wind River; at Lingle; vs. Riverside; at Rocky Mountain; vs. Burlington; vs. Shoshoni.
Riverside: vs. Big Piney; at Pine Bluffs; vs. Rocky Mountain; vs. Lusk; at Cokeville; at Shoshoni; vs. Wind River; at Burlington.
Rocky Mountain: at Tongue River; vs. Upton-Sundance; at Riverside; open; at Burlington; vs. Cokeville; at Shoshoni; vs. Wind River.
Shoshoni: vs. Pinedale; at Lusk; at Burlington; vs. Pine Bluffs; at Wind River; vs. Riverside; vs. Rocky Mountain; at Cokeville.
Wind River: at Lovell; open; vs. Cokeville; at Southeast; vs. Shoshoni; vs. Burlington; at Riverside; at Rocky Mountain.

Class 1A six-man
East Conference
Guernsey: vs. St. Stephens; at Hulett; vs. Hanna; at Farson; vs. NSI; at Midwest; vs. Saratoga; at Kaycee.
Hanna: at Meeteetse; vs. Kaycee; at Guernsey; vs. Midwest; vs. Snake River; at NSI; vs. Hulett; at Saratoga.
Hulett: at Ten Sleep; vs. Guernsey; vs. Dubois; at Kaycee; vs. Midwest; at Saratoga; at Hanna; vs. NSI.
Kaycee: at Wyoming Indian; at Hanna; vs. NSI; vs. Hulett; at Saratoga; vs. Meeteetse; at Midwest; vs. Guernsey.
Midwest: vs. Farson; at NSI; vs. Saratoga; at Hanna; at Hulett; vs. Guernsey; vs. Kaycee; at St. Stephens.
NSI: at Dubois; vs. Midwest; at Kaycee; vs. Saratoga; at Guernsey; vs. Hanna; vs. Ten Sleep; at Hulett.
Saratoga: at Snake River; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Midwest; at NSI; vs. Kaycee; vs. Hulett; at Guernsey; vs. Hanna.
West Conference
Dubois: vs. NSI; vs. Farson; at Hulett; vs. Meeteetse; at Ten Sleep; vs. St. Stephens; at Snake River; at Wyoming Indian.
Farson: at Midwest; at Dubois; vs. Snake River; vs. Guernsey; at St. Stephens; vs. Ten Sleep; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Meeteetse.
Snake River: vs. Saratoga; vs. Meeteetse; at Farson; vs. St. Stephens; at Hanna; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Dubois; at Ten Sleep.
Meeteetse: vs. Hanna; at Snake River; vs. Ten Sleep; at Dubois; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Kaycee; at St. Stephens; vs. Farson.
St. Stephens: at Guernsey; at Ten Sleep; vs. Wyoming Indian; at Snake River; vs. Farson; at Dubois; vs. Meeteetse; vs. Midwest.
Ten Sleep: vs. Hulett; vs. St. Stephens; at Meeteetse; at Wyoming Indian; vs. Dubois; at Farson; at NSI; vs. Snake River.
Wyoming Indian: vs. Kaycee; at Saratoga; at St. Stephens; vs. Ten Sleep; at Meeteetse; vs. Snake River; at Farson; vs. Dubois.

–patrick

State championships
At War Memorial Stadium, Laramie
Friday, Nov. 9
Class 1A six-man championship, (1N) Dubois vs. (1S) Snake River, noon
Class 3A championship, (2W) Star Valley vs. (1W) Powell, 3 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10
Class 2A championship, (2W) Lovell vs. (1W) Lyman, 10 a.m.
Class 1A 11-man championship, (2E) Southeast vs. (1E) Lusk, 1 p.m.
Class 4A championship, (2) Gillette vs. (1) Natrona, 4 p.m.

Second team listed is “home” team.

–patrick

For what it’s worth, and really anymore it’s only worth the color of the jerseys, here is who would wear the dark jerseys in Laramie, based on the WHSAA’s rotating host model outlined in its handbook. The highest remaining seed will wear its home jersey next week in Laramie. Seeds of the remaining teams break down this way this year based on the host rotation and conference seeding entering the playoffs:

4A: 1. Natrona; 2. Gillette; 3. Sheridan; 4. East.

3A: 1. Powell; 2. Star Valley; 3. Green River; 4. Cody.

2A: 1. Big Horn; 2. Lyman; 3. Newcastle; 4. Lovell.

1A 11-man: 1. Cokeville; 2. Lusk; 3. Burlington; 4. Southeast.

1A six-man: 1. Snake River; 2. Dubois; 3. Midwest; 4. Meeteetse.

In short, the top seed, if it wins, can only wear the home jerseys; the fourth seed, if it wins, can only wear its road jerseys; seeds 2 or 3 could wear either depending on who wins the other semifinal game.

And that’s your fashion update for the week….

–patrick

Last week, I wrote about the struggles road teams have had in the first round of the playoffs.

You won’t find such comments here this week. Instead, what I’ve found is that road success in the semifinals is more common — and in many ways more consistent — than road success in the first round.

In fact, the statewide semifinal consistency is almost scary.

Every year since 2003, in the 10 semifinal games per year, road teams have won either two or three games every single postseason.

The last time that the number of road teams winning in the semifinal round was neither two nor three was 2002, when only one road team won in the semifinals. (I just happened to be at that game in 2002, a cold day in Casper when Gillette beat Kelly Walsh 14-7. I remember nothing except the final score, sitting with my friends and having numb feet.)

The last time more than three road teams won in the semis was 2001, when four won. Six road teams won in 1999, the last year the majority of semifinal victors were road teams.

And while home teams have usually had the upper hand, they’ve never had the 10-game semifinal sweep.

Since moving to the five-class system in 1990, the state has never had a semifinal playoff round in which every home team has won. In fact, the last year in which every semifinal home team won was 1984; that year, Class 4A and 3A schools didn’t have semifinals (those classes only a championship game) and 2A and 1A playoff brackets only had four teams apiece. So it’s really not saying much that the home teams won four games that year….

Which brings me to my picks, and a pattern I noticed only after my choices were made: Despite everything I’ve written above, I’m calling for the home-team sweep in 2012.

Even though you may call me boring for choosing all the home teams, considering the history in Wyoming, I think it’s downright brave to pick every home team to win this week.

I feel like I’ve already given it away, but here are my picks. The home teams are the one in bold because they’re the ones I’m picking to win:

Friday
Class 4A

Cheyenne East at Natrona: R-E-V-E-N-G-E. Find out what it means to NC. Last year’s semifinal loss to East is all the motivation the Mustangs need this year.
Sheridan at Gillette: Speaking of revenge, last year’s “other” semifinal was just as rough on the Camels. They’ll be looking for a little payback, too.
Class 3A

Green River at Powell: Detecting a trend here? Last year, Green River was the favorite at home and Powell eked out the victory in the final moments. I’m sure the Panthers remember that and don’t want it to happen TO them this year.
Cody at Star Valley: 39-0. That’s how bad Star Valley beat Cody the first time around this year. And although Cody’s first-round upset of Riverton is praiseworthy, and although I think it’ll be closer than 39-0, the Braves still get the nod. First playoff meeting since the 1991 3A title game, Cody’s last championship year.
Class 2A

Lovell at Big Horn: Nope. Don’t want to pick this one. Game of the year potential right here. Flipped a coin… landed heads for home team. First meeting ever between these two programs.
Newcastle at Lyman: Last week, a Bridger Valley program made the trip to Newcastle. Didn’t go so well. This week, Newcastle makes the trip to the Bridger Valley. Closer, but the edge is still to the home team. This semi is also the first meeting ever between these two programs.
Class 1A 11-man

Southeast at Cokeville: The Cyclones have been solid all season, but I can’t go against an undefeated defending state champion at home in the playoffs. That, and Cokeville has ended Southeast’s season the past two years in a row.
Burlington at Lusk: This may be your game of the week right here if Lovell-Big Horn somehow doesn’t pan out. Burlington has been one of the scarier teams out of the West and has what it takes to give Lusk fits. Second meeting ever between these schools; Lusk won the first in the ’10 quarterfinals.
Class 1A six-man

Midwest at Dubois: Since moving to six-man last year, Dubois is 3-0 against Midwest, including a semifinal playoff victory at home last year.
Meeteetse at Snake River: The Longhorns’ turnaround this season has been fun to watch. And even though Snake won the first game between these two this year (56-44), Meeteetse could pull the upset if enough little things go their way. First playoff meeting.

Last week: 19-1 (95 percent). This season: 244-42 (85 percent).

Thoughts? You should post them below. Because by now, less than a third of the teams that started the season are left, and chances are your team is out, which means you’re more likely to be objective…. Or your team’s still in it and you’re more subjective than ever. Whatever. It’s fun either way!

–patrick