A simple look at the scores told you Laramie was going to be better in Week 7 than in Week 4.
But did anyone see this coming? Even Laramie?
Did anyone see the Plainsmen exploding for 28 fourth-quarter points to beat Green River? Did anyone see the Plainsmen finding the fortitude to rally from a 20-0 third-quarter deficit?
In the end, it doesn’t matter if anyone saw it coming. Because it happened.
Just like that, Laramie is back in the playoff conversation. An eight-game losing streak that dated back to last season is snapped. A suddenly winnable game against Cheyenne East looms in the season finale.
All of a sudden, the Plainsmen are back in vogue. It ain’t quite 1964, but for the first time in a long time, the Plainsmen have momentum.
And how. Laramie had every reason to pack it in on Friday night after falling behind 20-0 on the road to Green River — a team that beat Cheyenne Central last week in comeback fashion. Of course, Central put 56 points up on Laramie in the first half earlier this year…
Never mind any of that now. Laramie forgot about it midway through the third quarter and burst forth for 35 points in the game’s final 19 minutes. For perspective, remember that Laramie had scored just 33 points in its past six GAMES.
But I digress. I keep finding myself bringing up these numbers about how badly the Plainsmen struggled up to about 8:15 on Friday. In part, that makes Friday’s comeback all the more impressive, because no one saw it coming.
Except, maybe, the guys in maroon and yellow. It happened. Believe it. And believe in the Plainsmen.
Staying in 4A, second mad props to Cheyenne Central, which overcame seven turnovers to beat Sheridan 28-21 in one of the weirdest, and most exciting, games I have ever attended. It was a case of opportunism at its finest. Central cashed in on its opportunities. Sheridan, which only scored seven points off the seven turnovers, did not. Sheridan came in banged up and shorthanded — and left that way, too — but, considering all the struggles the Broncs have undergone this fall, they really put up a gritty fight. Central just neutralized every bad play it made with two good ones.
Third mad props to Lander, which strengthened its playoff profile considerably — and damaged Star Valley’s considerably, too — by beating the Braves 27-20. This game, too, looked like a weird back-and-forth affair, especially in the first half, when Lander zoomed out to a 17-0 lead only to watch Star Valley score 2o points in the second quarter and enter halftime tied at 20. The defenses took over in the second half, but Lander prevailed. And in the process, secured a playoff berth and actually moved into fantastic position to host a first-round playoff game, something they can secure if they beat Powell next week.
Fourth mad props to Burns, big winners (42-14) over Glenrock. It may be hard to believe with a score like that, but this game was actually that close, tense, tight game I predicted entering the fourth quarter. Then Burns decided it wanted to stay in the playoff race and scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to pull away. Now, the Broncs are in a fun, if slightly desperate, position — win next week against Wright and they’re in the playoffs, lose and they’re out. No excuses there. And after that dominating fourth quarter, the Broncs should be full of that dangerous tonic, confidence, that coaches love for their teams to gulp down this time of the season.
And that’s all I missed this week. But some other items caught my attention this week, too:
How about those Dubois Rams? The 67 points the Rams put up on Riverside were the second-most ever for a Dubois team in a single game against a team not named Wyoming Indian (topped only by a 69-point output against Hanna in 1994). It will definitely help the Rams to play that first-round playoff game at home, against either Lingle or Southeast, which has to make the long trip west. …
Here’s a number for you: Gillette put up 723 yards of total offense against Kelly Walsh. I guess those yards do add up fast when you have five touchdowns of at least 48 yards like the Camels did Friday. …
Just a random observation, but I’ve noticed a lot of teams going with decal-less helmets this fall. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like a lot more teams than usual are going for the stark look on their headgear. Anyone else noticing this? Any explanation why? …
Am I crazy for thinking that neither one of the 3A conference champions should be the favorite for the 3A title once the playoffs start? I like Cody and I like Douglas, but my goodness, I am really liking Buffalo right now. …
Week 8 talk, of course, will be all about playoff seeding. I tried to put together all the scenarios (except for the mess at the bottom of 4A) here (either click or just scroll down a bit). If I truly get inspired, I might tackle the “bottom of 4A” possibilities.
Anything you noticed this week? Any great players/teams/performances from the past week that caught attention you might not normally have focused there? Any playoff predictions? Post your thoughts below.
This week: 27-4 (87 percent). This season: 188-45 (81 percent).
–patrick
Central Seridan – some of the most unknown officiating in memory. Have you ever seen a team be allowed to run a play while the other team is on the sideline. Easy touchdown. Have a punt blocked recover it, and be awarded a first down 15 yards short of the 1st down marker. Huh?????
JJ, both plays looked correct to me. Timeouts only last a minute and it’s up to the coaches to have their teams back on the field when the refs wind the clock. Yeah, it’s not normally executed by the book like that, but Sheridan was ready and took advantage. (Usually one of the line judges gives the team a 15-second warning or something like that. Not sure that was the case on this play, but even if it wasn’t, the responsibility still falls on the coach.)
As for the punt, the rules are pretty clear on that — the ball was touched by a member of the receiving team beyond the line of scrimmage. After that, it’s a live ball and anyone can recover it. Because it’s technically a change of possession, anywhere Sheridan recovered it would have made it a first down. (If it had been touched by Central BEHIND the line of scrimmage, then it’s not a change of possession and it doesn’t matter where Sheridan touches/recovers the ball, it’s Central’s ball, just like downing a punt. But since the ball was touched by the receiving team BEYOND the line of scrimmage, it’s a live ball just like a fumble, and change of possession allows for the ball to be recovered wherever by either team and it’s a fresh set of downs.)
–patrick