Throughout its history, the Cokeville Panther football program has been among Wyoming’s best. Longtime coach Todd Dayton, though, took Cokeville’s success to unparalleled heights.
Cokeville had an all-time record of 126-96-10 before Dayton arrived as head coach in 1980. The Panthers’ pre-Dayton winning percentage of .565 would have it just outside the top 10 for active Wyoming programs.
Then Dayton arrived and turned the program into a juggernaut. Dayton’s career record at Cokeville is 282-52 — a .844 winning percentage — and Cokeville’s record of 408-148-10 gives it a winning percentage 0f .730, which is the best among active Wyoming programs by a wide margin.
Consider this: Natrona, which is second to Cokeville in active programs with a .664 winning percentage, would have to win 211 consecutive games to reach Cokeville’s .730 winning percentage.
Consistency is what has given Cokeville its success. In fact, the Panthers are trying to notch their 27th consecutive winning season and their 29th consecutive non-losing season in 2014. Both streaks are the longest in state history.
Through 2013 season, here are Wyoming’s longest streaks of winning, non-losing, non-winning and losing seasons. The asterisk (*) denotes a current streak:
Top 10 winning (better than .500)
1. Cokeville, 26, 1988-2013*
2. Southeast, 16, 1997-2012
3. Glenrock, 15, 1963-77
4t. Byron, 14, 1963-76
4t. Natrona, 14, 1932-45
6t. Douglas, 13, 1948-60
6t. Lusk, 13, 1991-2003
6t. Natrona, 13, 1993-2005
9t. Laramie, 12, 1954-65
9t. Star Valley, 12, 1961-72
9t. Torrington, 12, 1947-58
Top 10 non-losing (.500 or better)
1. Cokeville, 28, 1986-2013*
2. Glenrock, 24, 1956-79
3. Byron, 23, 1954-76
4. Torrington, 22, 1937-58
5. Natrona, 19, 1927-45
6t. Southeast, 17, 1997-2013*
6t. Torrington, 17, 1966-82
8t. Mountain View, 16, 1991-2006
8t. Natrona, 16, 1993-2008
10. Pine Bluffs, 15, 1959-73
Top 10 losing (worse than .500)
1. Newcastle, 22, 1984-2005
2. Sundance, 14, 1941-54
3t. Laramie, 13, 2001-13*
3t. Rawlins, 13, 2001-13*
3t. Wyoming Indian, 13, 1983-95
6t. Burns, 12, 1941-73 (gaps, 1945 and 1947-66)
6t. St. Mary’s, 12, 1960-71
6t. Rawlins, 12, 1987-98
9t. Big Horn, 11, 1959-69
9t. Manville, 11, 1930-41 (gap 1933)
9t. Worland Institute, 11, 1951-61
Top 10 non-winning (.500 or worse)
1. Wyoming Indian, 24, 1983-2006
2. Newcastle, 22, 1984-2005
3. Torrington, 18, 1996-2013*
4. Thermopolis, 17, 1973-89
5. Kelly Walsh, 15, 1987-2001
6t. Basin, 14, 1922-35
6t. Cheyenne East, 14, 1986-99
6t. Greybull, 14, 1963-76
6t. Sundance, 14, 1941-54
10t. Farson, 13, 1940-53 (gap 1952)
10t. Laramie, 13, 2001-13*
10t. Meeteetse, 13, 1941-54 (gap 1943)
10t. Rawlins, 13, 2001-13*
These streaks have been added to the streaks page.
–patrick