Want to know what I was up to this weekend? Click here and here and here and here….
The final weekend of the high school football season was highlighted by a pair of blowouts (Snake River over Dubois and Sheridan over Cheyenne East), a pair of hard-fought victories (Lovell over Lyman and Cokeville over Southeast) and what may have been the best high school football game I have ever seen (Powell over Douglas).
First, the blowouts. Dubois and Cheyenne East were both decided underdogs going into their games, and although both teams tried to keep their games close early, their chances slipped away late — East’s under a steady stream of Jordan Roberts’ running, Dubois thanks to Snake River’s slow-down second half.
Second, the hard-fought victories. Lovell built a 21-0 lead and then survived as Lyman came back; the Eagles may have won if high school quarters were 15 minutes long instead of 12. Cokeville produced a solid defensive effort to hold down Southeast and win its second consecutive 1A 11-man championship, beating an undefeated team from the East Conference in Laramie for the second consecutive year.
Finally, the game of the weekend. With a score like 15-14, you would think the excitement of this game was reserved for just a few key moments. Nope. This game was full of exciting, dramatic plays at every step of the way. Douglas out-gained Powell 420-332 and the Bearcats’ Tanner Miller ran for 280 yards, but most of the yards went for naught. Powell stopped Douglas at the 4-yard line on the Bearcats’ first drive, establishing the theme of the game: Douglas also came away without points on drives that ended at Powell’s 22-yard line, Powell’s 31-yard line and Powell’s 1-yard line. In the crunch, Powell always had the upper hand on Douglas. Of course, never was that clearer than with 15 seconds to go, when Douglas, down 15-14 after a touchdown catch by Braidy Parks on fourth down, elected to go for the two-point conversion and the victory. However, Powell’s Olie Olson stepped in front of a Luke Andrews pass on the conversion try to seal the Panthers’ victory in one of the most dramatic finishes to a state championship game.
Snow at War Memorial Stadium, Laramie.
The weekend was capped by — what else? — snow. I made the mistake of trying to drive home Saturday night; not long after I left Laramie for Casper via Cheyenne, Interstate 80 closed on me. I only went in the ditch once (drove off the road because I couldn’t see the road, literally) and it only took me an hour and 40 minutes to get from Laramie to Cheyenne (and then another almost four hours from Cheyenne to Casper while fighting the wind), but I arrived home safe. Frazzled, but safe. Quite an end to the season….
And, maybe, quite an end to what I do here. I recently accepted a position teaching journalism at North Dakota State University in Fargo, and my wife and I will move up to that area in December. What I will do with the blog and the rest of the site remains uncertain. What is certain is that my book on Wyoming high school football — now officially titled “A Century of Fridays: Wyoming High School Football, 1894-2011” — will be available for purchase here as soon as it is completed. Hopefully that’s soon.
A Century of Fridays cover. Book by Patrick Schmiedt.
Thanks to everyone who has embraced what I have done the past seven years. An even bigger thanks to those who have shared what I’ve been doing with others. And a big rochambeau kick to those who have used the information I have provided on this site without crediting me (I know who you are).
This week: 5-0 (100 percent). This season: 254-50 (84 percent — my new best one-season mark!). Seven-year total: 1,596-448 (78 percent)
–patrick
Huge thanks for the amazing amount of research you have undertaken — and completed — so that this history will be preserved. You are a gentleman — and a scholar.
I want to second what Sal said. Outstanding job, Patrick! I know other states have similar sites devoted to high school football, but I’d put yours up against any of them.
I also say a big thanks to you Patrick for your hard work and dedication. Congrats on your new job, I hope you get a chance to check in on this site every so often
Yes…I also echo their comments. I must tell you I loved reading your comments every weekend and your particuliar slant on Wyoming High School Football…you will be missed
Patrick, Im guilty. I just sometimes forget. You have done an amazing job. I want the book—-let us know when we can get a copy. North Dakota wins, Wyoming losses. I have been working countless hours on Green River football, you not only included Green River, but added the entire state. Thanks again. Steve Core
Pat,
Hmmm…where to begin? I’ve always enjoyed your enthusiasm for high school football, from watching you play and by following you through your sports reporting. We’ll never be seated together for hours of our endless chats anymore but I thoroughly enjoyed our visits. Best of luck in North Dakota and thank you for all you’ve done for Wyoming’s football history.
Good luck in North Dakota! Enjoyed your blog and wish you well. Fargo has all the state championchip games played there but they have a dome so you may get spoiled!
thank you for everything pat, i read your blogs everyday when i played in high school, from the trib to now, and it helped me stay informed throughout the past few years, good luck with everything. can’t wait for the book.
Patrick, thanks so much for all your hard work. You will be missed. Hopefully another energetic sports journalist can continue what you have laid the foundation for, but I am sure you will have no equal.
Congrats on the new job and another big thank you for all that you have done for high school football in the state of Wyoming. NDSU is very fortunate to have you.
Thanks Patrick for all that you have done. North Dakota has certainly won when they get to have you….thanks for making so many memories here on this blog!
what can i say that hasn’t been mentioned above? Patrick, thank you and best of luck in ND. i apologize for an occasional slip up by failing to give you credit (but never intentionally), where credit is due. Like the others admitted, you have inspired me to dig into Lusk Tiger football archives, and see what i can find.
Can’t wait for the book!
Hey Patrick, I haven’t been as active on the site this year but am constantly checking in. You are awesome. Good luck in the future. I appreciate the blog and your comments, especially how you took the time to respond to each post. The history research you have done is incredible. Thanks for doing all the leg work so the rest of us could enjoy football a little more in this state. GO RANGERS!!
Patrick,
Thanks for all you have done, not only for prep football, but for prep sports in Wyoming. I also thank you for your fair and unbiased coverage of the sports you covered that I was coaching while you were prep sports editor for the CST. Please let us all know when you complete your book and it is published as I am sure it will rival “Pigskin Pulpit” about prep football in Texas. Which is more important? It depends on where you live! Well done, young man, and best of luck teaching the future prep sports editors of paper throughout the country. You will do a great job
Thanks for all the kind words, everyone. It was folks like you that kept me going — people that appreciated the work I was doing made doing the work much, much easier. I don’t think I could have completed this research without you. Thank YOU!
–patrick
Thanks for everything Patrick. You have done a wonderful job and we are all grateful. Best wishes at NDSU. What an awesome opportunity. You will do what you have always done…committed, dedicated, passionate and professional work. Merry Christmas, It has been a pleasure.
Thanks Patrick for all you have done for Wyoming high school football. You did a great job covering all of the schools and never over-looked the little schools. You were very fair and balanced. Good Luck to your future and a big THANK-YOU!
Congratulations Patrick, and thank you for your work and coverage of Wyoming high school sports. From what I hear, Fargo is quite the town and a teaching position at NDSU is an accomplishment.
Good job and thank you.
From myself and the Shrine Bowl Board Of Directors let me say “Thank You” for all you have done for Wyoming High School football. Your support in our annual game has been invaluable and what you have supplied to me for our web page would never have been possible without all of your hard work. Good luck in your new undertaking and don’t be a stranger to your Wyoming followers. Let us know how you are doing. Fargo and North Dakota is getting one heck of a good man.
Dang, Patrick, I don’t think that cover image could get any Big(ger). I’d like to reiterate everything I said after state football.
Patrick, I can’t thank enough for what you have done. Best of luck