Cheyenne made up 50% of the teams in last year’s Class 4A semifinals.
If you believe what you read, there’s a good chance Cheyenne teams could make up 100% of the teams in this year’s 4A championship.
The Cheyenne hype train will leave the Capital City on Friday, bound for Casper and Gillette. Upstart Cheyenne Central will make its way to the Oil City to face Natrona; annual contender Cheyenne East moves through the Powder River Basin to play Thunder Basin.
Cheyenne victories here? Everyone’s chase goes through Laramie County.
Cheyenne losses here? The Thunderbirds and Indians are left doing the chasing.
These games will, one way or another, establish Class 4A’s hierarchy in the early goings of this season. A loss in the opener won’t make or break anyone’s season in 4A — Sheridan in 2009 won the 4A title after losing its opening game by 22, Gillette did the same in 2008 after losing its opener by 34, and Central did that in 2005 after falling by 38 to open its year. But, hey… no team since 2009 who’s lost its opener has won a 4A title, so there you go.
Their opponents are formidable. Natrona is always tough, with just one losing season since 1993. Thunder Basin was unbeaten until mid-November last year.
Barring anything catastrophic, the 2020 season will ultimately be decided in November. August, though, is a good time to set some expectations — and to make everyone else follow your lead.
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Other games I’m watching this (abbreviated) week:
Seven interstate games are on the docket for this week, and each one brings its own unique angle to it. I’m most interested to see how the 3A West does, as Jackson heads to Teton, Idaho, and Star Valley hosts Summit Academy, Utah. …
Although the nine-man super-jamboree has been canceled, we’ll still see some interesting nine-man scrimmages pop up this week. Two are in Casper — an extra treat for central Wyoming fans who just can’t get enough football.
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On to some picks, which I do weekly ’round these parts. Teams I think will win are in bold, because it’s the simplest way to show you, and I’m a simple guy.
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Natrona
Cheyenne East at Thunder Basin
Cheyenne South at Kelly Walsh
Laramie at Sheridan
Rock Springs at Campbell County
Class 3A
Riverton at Powell
Interclass
Natrona sophs at Glenrock
Rawlins at Wheatland
Interstate
Jackson at Teton, Idaho
Lead-Deadwood, S.D., at Upton-Sundance
Lyman at Malad, Idaho
Newcastle at Hot Springs, S.D.
Ben Lomond, Utah, at Evanston
Summit Academy, Utah, at Star Valley
Torrington at Gering, Neb.
Saturday
Class 2A
Tongue River at Lovell
The rest of the schedule is scrimmages and jamborees. No picks here, because no winners or losers here. But hey, it’s football, so everybody wins because it’s being played at all.
Friday
Big Piney, Cokeville at Kemmerer jamboree
Cody at Douglas
Dubois, Farson, Guernsey-Sunrise at Encampment jamboree
Lander at Pinedale
Lingle at Pine Bluffs
Mountain View at Green River
Saturday
Big Horn at Buffalo
Greybull vs. Lusk, at Casper (Kelly Walsh)
Kelly Walsh frosh/sophs at Midwest
Meeteetse at Cody JV
Moorcroft at Southeast
Shoshoni vs. Wright, at Casper (Natrona)
Thermopolis at Worland
Open: Burlington, Burns, Hanna, Hulett, Kaycee, NSI, Riverside, Rocky Mountain, Saratoga, Snake River, Ten Sleep, Wind River.
For a full schedule including kickoff times, as well as results from past weeks, go here. Click on “Week 0” on the top of the page for this week’s schedule.
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What game has you the most charged up for the opening of the season? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.
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–patrick
Hey I really enjoy all the stuff you put off is there going to be a team preview like there was last year, I really enjoyed it.
Hopefully soon! Yes! But it’s out of my hands right now and in the hands of the publishers.
–patrick
Pretty good picks for the week Patrick. I was able to catch the Cody/Douglas scrimmage. These are two teams that will be competitive in the end and could surprise someone down the road if they don’t take them seriously.
Hopefully we get a whole season to pick and talk Wyoming Football!
Thanks, Matt. I caught bits and pieces of the Cody/Douglas scrimmage on the livestream, and you’re right. I liked what I saw from both of them. I think last week helped prove 3A is as wide-open as it’s been in a long time.
–patrick