Together, Gillette and Natrona have given us some amazing football games.
Since 1999, the two teams have played each other 22 times, including eight playoff games and three state championship games.
Not surprisingly, the two largest high schools in the state — by a wide margin, according to the WHSAA’s most recent release of enrollment numbers — have also been two of the most successful. In the past 15 years, the schools have combined to win eight state championships and have only had three losing seasons between them.
One team’s success always seems to come at the expense of the other. And for this series, the rule is simple: The home team wins.
In the past 22 games between the Camels and Mustangs, the home team is 18-3 (one neutral-site game). Natrona won home games in 1999 (twice), 2001, 2003 (twice), 2005, 2007, 2010 (twice) and 2012; Gillette won home games in 2000 (twice), 2001, 2002 (twice), 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Only on three occasions since 1999 has this rule been broken: Natrona won in Gillette in 2004 and 2011, while Gillette won in Casper in the 2007 playoffs.
In part, the home-field success speaks to the success of both teams. Often, they’re so even that where the game is played decides who wins. We saw this last year, didn’t we? The Mustangs nipped the Camels at home in a battle of unbeaten teams in the final week of the regular season. The two teams met three weeks later in the state championship game in Laramie and Natrona, buoyed by the confidence of their regular-season victory, steamrolled Gillette in the state title game.
This year, both the Camels and Mustangs are again among the best in Class 4A. They play each other Friday. The winner gains a precious foothold in an interesting 4A race.
And Natrona has home-field advantage this week.
As if we need to emphasize it again, we will, with one more odd piece of trivia: Gillette, despite all its recent success, hasn’t won in Casper during the regular season since 1997.
No matter the result, though, when Saturday morning rolls around and either the Camels or Mustangs have won, we won’t be able to help but think how the game might have been different if it had been played in Gillette instead of Casper.
History shows us it would have been.
What else I’m watching this week: Big Horn has to make the long trip to Burns in a key 2A East game. Burns has had a great start but to be taken as a serious contender for the 2A title, the Broncs have to win home games like this one. … Another big 3A East-West cross-conference rivalry week is highlighted by a couple interesting matchups: Star Valley-Douglas and Cody-Riverton. Both will be telling. … Saratoga-Midwest may be for the 1A six-man East title (although Hulett and Kaycee and Guernsey-Sunrise will have plenty to say about that). … Wyoming Indian and St. Stephens have a well-documented basketball rivalry. This may be the only time these two schools meet on a varsity gridiron, though. Forget the 0-2 records; this is a big one. … Lingle’s been easy to overlook, even at 2-0. The Doggers can make a huge statement this week against Lusk. … How did I get this far without mentioning this one: Lyman-Lovell? The 2A title game the past two years has involved these two schools. … Gillette-Natrona gets the nod this week, but another 4A game is just as big: East at Sheridan. They’re both undefeated.
++++
Here are this week’s picks, with the teams I think will win in that more emphatic type:
Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Rock Springs
Cheyenne East at Sheridan
Evanston at Laramie
Gillette at Natrona
Kelly Walsh at Cheyenne South
Class 3A
Buffalo at Green River
Cody at Riverton
Jackson at Lander
Powell at Torrington
Star Valley at Douglas
Worland at Rawlins
Class 2A
Big Horn at Burns
Big Piney at Mountain View
Greybull at Thermopolis
Lyman at Lovell
Newcastle at Moorcroft
Pinedale at Kemmerer
Tongue River at Glenrock
Wheatland at Wright
Class 1A 11-man
Cokeville at Wind River
Lingle at Lusk
Rocky Mountain at Riverside
Shoshoni at Burlington
Southeast at Pine Bluffs
Class 1A six-man
Hanna at Guernsey-Sunrise
Normative Services at Kaycee
Saratoga at Midwest
Snake River at Farson
Ten Sleep at Meeteetse
Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Dubois at Hulett
Open: Upton-Sundance.
For a full schedule including kick times, check out the 2013 schedule and results page.
Last week: 28-4 (88 percent). This season: 62-16 (79 percent).
Now I turn the floor over to you. What games jump out to you? Which games do you want to watch? Post your thoughts below and let’s chat.
–patrick
I agree Riverton-Cody and Douglas-SV should be telling. I think Douglas should win but its a long trip. I think GR beats Buffalo and I think Cody-Riv comes down to who has the fewest turnovers with a Riverton win. That could be wishfull thinking though.
Interesting picks in 3A….here are my two bits
Jackson over Lander 42-12 Lander can’t stop the run.
Worland over Rawlins 35-28 To evenly matched teams. This game will be decided by turnovers.
Powell over Torrington 56-0 Enough said
Cody over Riverton 16-13 The loss in Douglas was a wake up call for the Broncs. I still think the west is much stronger than the east.
Buffalo over Green River 21-6 Green River just isn’t who we thought they would be.
This is my upset of the week if you want to call it an upset.
Star Valley over Douglas 31-6….the Braves will run all over the Douglas, provided they take care of the ball. Cody put up good yardage on the Bearcats which tells me….Burton can and will put up 150-200+ yards. Just like last year with Brough. The only hang up will be the long trip…but every trip is long for the Braves.
Riverton, are you thinking that Douglas goes to Star Vally? That game is in Douglas, and you are correct, it’s a long drive and I see Douglas dominating the game. I’m not sure about the Buffalo/GR game – could be interesting. I also think Riverton will beat Cody. Not sure why, Cody seems like a much safer bet, but something tells me Riverton is going to step up, especially at home.
Who figured both Green River AND Buffalo would be winless at this point in the season? Show of hands?
–patrick
Tim B, you put the homer pick on the Green River-Buffalo game–Remember, Green River outgained Riverton last week 423 to 277, but had five turnovers—Ill take the homer route, Wolves will win, I think?. Cody will beat Riverton, Douglas beats Star Valley, Jackson, Powell and Worland win—-Douglas is the class of the East—–
I was thinking Douglas went to Star Valley. At home I don’t believe SV can match up with Douglas much less run all over them. GR may have out gained Riv but the game was never close with lots of JV kids playing. That can make stats deceiving. I think GR wins and are dangerous but they could not stop the run at all. Hope to see a good game with Cody.
Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens has been moved up to 1pm.
Rawlins, thanks for the heads up! I’ll update my schedule.
–patrick
The Lyman Lovell game could be the game of the week. The last six games over the last four years have all been good ones. In 2009 Lyman had the lead going into halftime but Lovell (On the legs of Dino Collins) blew it open in the 4th quarter. 2010 Lyman wins (Triggered by a Bobby Wingeleth interception) in overtime. In 2011 both games could have gone either way and again in 2012 both games could have gone either way. Should be another classic tonight.