Every couple of years, when the WHSAA has to build a new football schedule to accommodate changes to classifications and conferences, we get to see several matchups that we have never seen before.
In 2011, with Cheyenne South coming into the mix and several other schools in new conferences or classifications, we see more first-time matchups than we have in years.
Obviously, the biggest change comes with South, as the Bison will play their first year of varsity football in 2011. Therefore, it only makes sense that the Bison will establish new series with all of its opponents. This year, that’s all of 4A (Gillette, Sheridan, Natrona, Kelly Walsh, Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne East, Laramie, Rock Springs and Evanston).
South’s move prompted one other big schedule shift: that of Wheatland. With the Bison coming to 4A, the Bulldogs got bumped to 2A and will play four schools this year that they have never played before — all new conference rivals (Big Horn, Tongue River, Moorcroft and Wright).
Hulett and Dubois, both moving from 11-man to six-man, will also play several new opponents in 2011.
In all, there are 21 new matchups in 2011. Here is a quick week-by-week breakdown at the games involving teams that have never faced each other before (not counting any Week 0 games that aren’t 4A, which aren’t scheduled by the WHSAA):
Week 0: Cheyenne South-Natrona.
Week 1: Cheyenne Central-Cheyenne South; Pine Bluffs-Wyoming Indian; Wind River-Kemmerer; Rawlins-Sidney, Neb.
Week 2: Cheyenne South-Sheridan; Wheatland-Wright; Snake River-Dubois; Lusk-Hill City, S.D.
Week 3: Laramie-Cheyenne South; Hulett-Kaycee.
Week 4: Cheyenne East-Cheyenne South; Wheatland-Moorcroft; Kaycee-Dubois.
Week 5: Cheyenne South-Evanston; Big Horn-Wheatland.
Week 6: Cheyenne South-Kelly Walsh; Farson-Hulett.
Week 7: Gillette-Cheyenne South.
Week 8: Rock Springs-Cheyenne South; Wheatland-Tongue River.
Click here to see the 2011 schedules in full.
–patrick