Separated by just 33 miles and one county line, Thermopolis and Worland were destined by geography to be rivals.
For more than 15 years, though, the two teams have had to put their football rivalry on hold, a rivalry that dates back to the start of both programs and to the origins of the sport itself in Wyoming.
It didn’t take long for the bad blood to start in this rivalry. In fact, it took less than a month, during both programs’ first seasons.
Thermopolis won the first game between the programs on Oct. 12, 1921, by a modest score of 32-19. Worland won the rematch, played on Nov. 11 of the same year, by the less modest score of 109-7. Yes, 109-7. Apparently, some dude named Meadows went ham for Worland, scoring 12 touchdowns and kicking 11 extra points, scoring 83 total points in one game.
A rivalry was born.
They’ve only had one sustained gap in their rivalry — from 1976 to 1979, when Thermopolis was struggling as a Class A team and Worland was a Class AA contender, they took a short break. They renewed the rivalry in 1980; Thermopolis needed only one season after that to win the rivalry game once again. (They also didn’t play each other in 1933, when Worland failed to field a team.)
They stuck with it, playing 97 total games in the rivalry — Worland winning 58, Thermopolis 34, five ties. But since 2008, the Warriors and Bobcats have not played each other on the gridiron.
When the two teams stopped playing after the 2008 season, you could say it was time. Worland had won 12 in a row in the rivalry, including two playoff games. Thermopolis hadn’t, and still hasn’t, beaten Worland since 1998.
Oh sure, the rivalry has continued in other sports. And in football, they’ve sprinkled in a Zero Week contest here and there, a scrimmage to break a sweat and see someone other than a teammate.
Worland’s offseason move from Class 3A to Class 2A, where Thermopolis had long been classified, prompted the official renewal of the rivalry. There were other casualties, too; to get its rivalry with Thermopolis back, Worland had to give up longstanding series with Lander (90 games), Riverton (88 games) and Cody (88 games). Worland’s series with Powell, 81 games rich, continued only through a nonconference game last week.
But Thermopolis is back on the Warriors’ schedule, and vice versa. Neither has played any other opponent more. The delayed 98th chapter will be written Friday.
While chances are good that the score won’t end up 109-7, that doesn’t mean the game will be any less memorable for those who play in it on Friday.
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Other contests drawing my attention this week more than the usual game:
Conference play starts this week across a litany of leagues — 2A East and West teams, (most) 1A nine-man East (and one game in 1A nine-man West) teams, and (most) 1A six-man North teams will get going with conference games this week. Among the most intriguing are in the 2A West, where Lyman travels to Cokeville and Mountain View takes the trip to Lovell in games that will be critical in the title chase. Also, don’t overlook the Pinedale/Kemmerer matchup; both squads have struggled recently but posted big victories in Week 1. The winner there could be the state’s biggest surprise team this fall. The fourth and final 2A West game? Thermopolis/Worland…
Class 4A continues its early-season grind with two more huge games pairing up last year’s semifinalists, with Sheridan traveling to Natrona and Thunder Basin heading to Cheyenne East. Three of these teams are 2-0, with Thunder Basin the outlier at 0-2. 4A’s only other 2-0 team is Campbell County, who hosts 1-1 Rock Springs in what might be the most intriguing game of the week. …
Streak watch: Sheridan has now won 33 games in a row. A victory against Natrona on Friday would tie Laramie’s 1959-63 state record for consecutive victories. Any guess where Laramie’s streak ended in that ’63 season? That’s right, literally the same patch of earth Sheridan will visit on Friday — the one at NCHS. And guess what the date was when Laramie’s streak ended? Sept. 13, 1963. Sheridan’s visit comes exactly 61 years later, to the date, to the place. This can’t be coincidence. …
Only one out-of-state game is on the docket this week, but it’s a doozy as Star Valley travels to play Sugar-Salem, Idaho. Sugar-Salem has won 25 games in a row and 33 out of its past 34, including three victories over Star Valley. In its 3-0 start so far this season, the Diggers have outscored their opponents 140-6. Conversely, Star Valley has beaten its two (Idaho) foes by a combined 93-13. Maybe this is the Braves’ time? …
In Class 3A, the only team without a victory is Green River. Meanwhile, in the 2A East, the only team with a victory is Big Horn. And in the 1A nine-man West, the only team with a victory is Wyoming Indian. Early season standings are weird. …
Also, real quick, I want to note Hulett’s 85-74 victory against Hanna last week. With a combined 159 points, it’s the second-highest scoring game in state history, behind only Dubois’ 102-60 victory against Ten Sleep in 2015. Hanna’s 74 points also ties the state record for most points scored in a loss, set last year. Pretty remarkable.
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Are you new here? This is where I pick games every week. I bold the teams I think will win. If you’re new here, you probably are reading this. If you’re not, you’re not, because you know how this works by now.
Thursday
Interclass
Cheyenne Central JV at Torrington
Shoshoni at Cheyenne East sophs
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Laramie
Cheyenne South at Kelly Walsh
Rock Springs at Campbell County
Sheridan at Natrona
Thunder Basin at Cheyenne East
Class 3A
Cody at Douglas
Evanston at Riverton
Jackson at Buffalo
Lander at Powell
Rawlins at Green River
Class 2A
Burns at Tongue River
Glenrock at Moorcroft
Lyman at Cokeville
Mountain View at Lovell
Pinedale at Kemmerer
Upton-Sundance at Newcastle
Wheatland at Big Horn
Worland at Thermopolis
Class 1A nine-man
Lingle at Lusk
Pine Bluffs at Guernsey-Sunrise
Saratoga at Wind River
Wright at Southeast
Class 1A six-man
Kaycee at Burlington
Interclass
Farson at St. Stephens
Interstate
Star Valley at Sugar-Salem, Idaho
Saturday
Class 1A nine-man
Big Piney at Wyoming Indian
Class 1A six-man
Meeteetse at Dubois
Riverside at Hulett
Ten Sleep at Midwest
Interclass
Powell JV at Greybull
Encampment played Natrona’s JV on Tuesday. Casper Christian, Hanna, Rocky Mountain and Snake River have open weeks.
For a full schedule including kickoff times, click here.
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Here are the results of my picks from last week and this season:
Last week: 26-8 (76 percent). This season: 38-12 (76 percent).
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Who was your surprise Week 1 team, and how do you see them shaping up for Week 2? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.
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–patrick