Zero Week picks: When a historically meaningful game gives you the ick

by ⋅ 1 Comment

Sheridan’s game with Cheyenne South on Friday will be a historic game, even before the opening kickoff.

The Broncs enter the 2024 season on a 31-game winning streak, just four short of the state record for consecutive victories and six short of the record for an unbeaten streak (which include ties).

Across the field will be Cheyenne South, losers of 38 consecutive games back to 2019, which in and of itself is already tied for the state record. A loss against Sheridan will put the Bison alone in “first” for this record.

Either streak alone would be deserving of attention. But the fact that they’re criss-crossing each other at this point, where each program’s streak is already at least 30 games, is truly historic.

Wyoming teams have built six winning streaks and nine unbeaten streaks that went at least 30 games. Oddly enough, Wyoming has also had programs build six losing streaks and nine winless streaks of at least 30 games.

But never in the history of Wyoming high school football have two teams on active streaks of 30 or more games — either unbeaten or winless, or any combination therein — played each other.

In fact, I can’t find a single instance of two teams with active unbeaten or winless streaks of even 20 consecutive games playing each other.

The closest I can find are three instances of teams putting 19-game streaks on the line against teams with streaks of at least 20 games. In all three cases, the games shaped up much like we will see on Friday — a team with a long losing streak facing a team with a long winning streak. In all three cases, the team with the winning streak continued to win, the team with the losing streak continued to lose:

  • Oct. 18, 1968: Saratoga took a 24-game losing streak into its game against Glenrock, which had an active 19-game winning streak. Glenrock won 72-0.
  • Oct. 20, 1989: Cokeville, winners of 20 straight, faced Kemmerer, losers of 19 straight. Cokeville won 49-20.
  • Oct. 1, 1999: Rocky Mountain, which had won 24 in a row, played Greybull, which had lost 19 in a row. Rocky Mountain won 60-18.

Although Cheyenne South could pull the absolute biggest upset ever seen in a century of Wyoming football — hey, the game always starts 0-0 — Sheridan is the obvious favorite entering Friday’s action.

I think this game, coincidentally scheduled to be the season opener for both squads, deserves special attention because of its historic nature.

However, I also think that the fact that these streaks are crossing paths at all should be a red flag for Class 4A football. Or, in the language of kids these days, it should give you the ick.

This game’s nature should be an indictment of 4A’s scheduling system as a whole.

Since 2009, Class 4A schools have used a 10-team, nine-game round-robin regular-season schedule, where each 4A team plays all the others. What this nine-week schedule does, though, is prohibit schools from seeking nonconference games. Every game is a conference game. And it’s the same teams over and over again every year. Long streaks aren’t a surprise in that kind of closed environment.

The thing that many people overlook? That round-robin schedule is just as bad for Sheridan as it is for Cheyenne South.

It means Sheridan has to wait for someone in 4A to rise up to give them a serious challenge to its winning streak. And it means the Broncs can’t look outside the state’s borders for a new challenge — say, from traditional regional rivals in Montana or for opportunities like Idaho’s Rocky Mountain Rumble, where state champions from across the region face off for a weekend full of games. Most coaches would rather face a tough opponent with the possibility of a nonconference loss in preparation for league games. They’d sacrifice a winning streak in August to make their team better for the games in November. Sheridan hasn’t even had the chance to make that choice since 2009.

The round-robin also means Cheyenne South can’t schedule a nonconference game against a more equitable regional opponent with the hopes of picking up a victory. Captain Obvious will note here that it’s not good for a program to lose 38 games in a row — for that program or for any of its opponents — but it might be even worse to hamstring that team’s schedule in a way where they can’t find teams of equal or near-equal talent to have both a chance to win and a chance to gain confidence even in a loss.

Personally, I’d love to see South go up against a 3A or 2A team like Green River, Lander, Torrington, Douglas, Wheatland, or any number of teams from western Nebraska or northern Colorado. But in its existence — its entire 13-season, 10-victory, 108-loss existence — the Bison have never had that freedom.

The intercepting streaks should be a call for a return to conference play, and nonconference freedom, for 4A’s biggest schools.

It’s kind of like income inequality. It’s better for society when everyone has a chance to be a part of it. And it makes for better for football when everyone has the chance to play at least a few games against opponents that fit your skill level and experience.

Conference play would mean fewer streaks like Sheridan’s and South’s, fewer opportunities for historic games where those streaks cross ways, fewer records.

But probably, it would mean better football, and better experiences for those playing and coaching.

The second option sounds like the better one.

+++

Some other action I’m keeping a closer eye on than usual this week:

The 4A schedule is absurdly front-loaded this season, with all four semifinal teams playing each other in the first five weeks of the season. That starts with Thunder Basin, who has the challenge of playing the other three semifinalists from 4A last year in the first three weeks. That journey starts with a trip to Casper on Friday to play Natrona in a super-intriguing, and important, season opener for both teams. …

One late change to the schedule has Lovell going to Buffalo instead of the other way around for their scrimmage. Lovell’s facilities are undergoing a bit of a facelift, and things weren’t going to be ready by this weekend, hence the switch. Newcastle and Thermopolis are also scheduled to be scrimmaging (quick-whistle special teams) in Buffalo on Friday night (in what could be the most intriguing showdown of the week across the state) in what will become Wyoming’s temporary football capital. …

Are jamborees dying? This season, only three jamborees are scheduled — Farson, Pine Bluffs and Greybull will host — with a total of 12 teams participating. That seems down. …

Evanston’s opponent this week, Ben Lomond, Utah, has already played two games. However, Evanston and Ben Lomond have scored an equal number of points so far this season. Do the math; I’ll wait.

+++

On to this week’s picks. By the way, the 2024 season is my 20th consecutive year of picking winners of Wyoming high school football games. Fortunately, I’m not always right, and the game and the sport are a lot more fun to follow with some chaos in the mix. I’ll still try, though, with projected winners in bold:

Friday
Class 4A
Cheyenne Central at Rock Springs
Cheyenne South at Sheridan
Kelly Walsh at Campbell County
Laramie at Cheyenne East
Thunder Basin at Natrona
Class 3A
Riverton at Powell
Class 1A nine-man
Wright at Shoshoni
Class 1A six-man
Midwest at Hanna
Ten Sleep at St. Stephens
Interclass
Glenrock vs. Jackson (at Riverton)
Interstate
Evanston at Ben Lomond, Utah
Lyman at Malad, Idaho
Shelley, Idaho, at Star Valley
Torrington at Gering, Neb.
Wheatland at Mitchell, Neb.
Saturday
Class 1A six-man
Kaycee at Casper Christian
Interclass
Mountain View at Green River
Rawlins at Burns

The Zero Week schedule also includes several scrimmages and jamborees. As usual, here are the guidelines I use to determine whether something played in Zero Week “counts” or not:

  • 1. Was the game played with four 12-minute quarters (10 for six-man) with normal timing rules?
  • 2. Were officials used? And were normal rules of play instituted for the game?
  • 3. Was score kept?

If these three criteria are met, I call it a game and record it as such on this site.

I reached out to most of the non-4A coaches and ADs this week for clarification. Turns out, a few of the scrimmages are just that — controlled contact, with coaches on the field and scenarios in play. A few of the scrimmages are almost games — no or limited special teams, quick-whistle plays, and so on. And there’s some stuff in between. Still others may not have their format decided until just before kickoff. So that’s fun. I tried to confirm every contest on the schedule this week with the coaches and ADs across the state, and almost everyone got back to me. The schedule I have is the best I can do. With that:

For a full schedule including kickoff times, click here.

+++

Which team do you see making that indelible impression on the 2024 season here in Zero Week? Leave a comment here, or hit me up on the Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you see here, consider a page sponsorship. 

–patrick

Wyoming high school football’s most anticipated season openers, ever

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

In case you missed it, the 2024 season starts on Friday — well, technically Thursday with a couple scrimmages, and then Friday with the first count-’em games of the year.

In the first week of the season, it’s hard for games to stand out. We just don’t know enough about the year to say which games are “big” ones (as if they aren’t all big, right?). Occasionally, though, the start of a season is marked by a highly anticipated game, one that everyone knows from the outset could make or break a season, or at minimum set its direction.

Here are 10 such games, in chronological order, where the season opener was one that everyone knew was going to be bigger than usual:

1956: Laramie 40, Cheyenne Central 7. The finish of the 1955 season came with controversy, as Laramie won a disputed 18-14 game against the Indians, who claimed “timing irregularities” in Laramie gave the Plainsmen the advantage (and, oh, Cheyenne players fought an official on the field). The game decided the AA title, as Laramie finished second in the polls (behind Class A champ Worland) and Cheyenne finished third. So when they faced off to start the 1956 season, the Plainsmen wanted to leave nothing to chance. They didn’t, as Larry Bowman scored four times in an absolute rout. Eventually, Laramie won its third consecutive AA title, finishing 8-1; Central finished 5-3 and as Class AA runners-up, with two of its three losses to Laramie.

1968: Byron 40, Cokeville 32; 1969: Cokeville 20, Byron 18. Both Byron (7-0-1) and Cokeville (7-0) had finished the 1967 season undefeated, and they finished second and third, respectively, in the final Class B rankings at the end of the season behind Tongue River. With that in mind, the two teams scheduled a home-and-home for the 1968 and 1969 seasons, with Byron heading to Cokeville in 1968 and Cokeville making the trip north to Byron in 1969 in games sure to be decisive statewide for eight-man bragging rights. In both seasons, the season opener helped decide the eventual Class B champion. In 1968, Byron came back from a 25-7 deficit to win 40-32 as the Eagles outscored the Panthers behind four touchdowns from Rick Tanner. By the end of the season, Byron was 9-0 ranked first, tying with Glenrock in the final UPI poll for state champion; Cokeville didn’t lose again and finished third in the rankings at 7-1. In the rematch one year later, the Panthers eked out a two-point victory. The victory was the start of a historic 1969 season in Cokeville where the Panthers went 8-0; Byron only lost one more game the rest of the season, in the finale against Basin, and finished 7-2.

1973: St. Mary’s 18, Glenrock 6: The 10-0 Gaels and 9-0 Herders split the 1972 Class A championship in the final polls, with Glenrock winning the AP poll and St. Mary’s the UPI poll — and the other team finishing second in both. When the 1973 season opener came around, a lot of pride was on the line for two teams that would have preferred to be an outright champion the year before. Months of what-if talk culminated in Glenrock, where the Gaels sapped all the air out of the matchup by taking an 18-0 lead in the first half and then holding on to win. It didn’t change the 1972 results, but it did give the Gaels temporary bragging rights.

1975: Basin 30, Tongue River 24, 2OT: The Eagles entered the 1975 season on the momentum of two consecutive 9-0 seasons, but they knew they couldn’t take the season opener against the Bobcats for granted. After all, the year before, Basin’s only loss in a 7-1-1 season came against Tongue River in a 15-8 slugfest. The rematch lived up to the hype, as the Bobcats won in double overtime with Mike Dellos’ three touchdowns leading the way. Basin eventually reached the first modern version of the Class B playoffs at 7-2; Tongue River finished 5-3 and out of the playoff bracket.

1990: Meeteetse 29, Hanna 7. As Class 1A nine-man went through a transitional year in 1990 — the first year of a five-class system in Wyoming and the second year of nine-man football — a couple things were clear. First, Hanna was the defending champ and had enough firepower to contend again. Second, Meeteetse had been one of the state’s most consistent winners in the late 1980s, and with the preseason No. 1 ranking, that trend was expected to continue into the 1990s. The Longhorns made more good on their potential than the Miners did on the momentum of their trophy, as Chris Miller’s two second-half touchdowns put the Miners away for good. With the victory, Meeteetse set the standard for the rest of the classification to follow. The Longhorns stayed ranked No. 1 all season but lost to eventual champion Lingle in the semifinals; Hanna recovered from a 1-3 start to win its final four games but missed the playoffs after a loss to — get this — Lingle left them out of the playoff chase.

2003: Natrona 48, Rock Springs 6. After back-to-back 11-0 seasons and consecutive Class 5A championships, the question circling throughout the 2003 offseason was simple — is the Tigers’ run over? Natrona emphatically answered that question in the season opener: Yes. The Mustangs jump-started an undefeated season of their own by ending the Tigers’ 22-game winning streak behind three touchdowns from Scott Cogdill. Rock Springs rebounded to finish 6-4 and make the 5A semis, but the Tigers haven’t won a state title since; Natrona won Class 5A’s title that year.

2005: Buffalo 45, Lander 20. Everyone knew the Buffalo Bison of 2005 were something special, long before the first snap of the season. By season’s end, the Bison had back-to-back 11-0 seasons, a trio of Super 25 players and maybe the best/worst original season highlight rap ever. However, the preseason thinking was that if anyone could give the Bison trouble, it just might have been the Tigers, the team Buffalo beat in the 2004 Class 4A championship. Actually, a 25-point Buffalo victory was one of the closer games the Bison had; the Tigers were still ranked by season’s end but finished 5-4.

2017: Glenrock 12, Greybull 7: It doesn’t happen often — No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a season opener. But that’s what we got in Class 2A in 2017, when the Herders and the Buffs staged a classic season opener as both teams fought for early supremacy of a tight classification. The game was a rematch of the 2016 2A semifinals when Greybull upset Glenrock in Converse County before falling to Big Horn in the championship. The hype faded, though, as Greybull eventually lost in the 2A quarterfinals while Glenrock fell to Mountain View in the 2A title game that year.

2022: Pine Bluffs 34, Shoshoni 26: In the most talent-filled and anticipated season of nine-man football since its return in 2020, this season opener between the defending champion Wranglers and upset-in-the-semifinals Hornets was a huge one — well, as huge as a non-conference season opener can get, anyway. The Hornets staked an early lead and held off the Wranglers as they tried to rally. This game was a precursor of what was to come, as both teams held up their ends of the bargain in their respective conference schedules and throughout the playoffs. They met again a couple months later in Laramie in the 1A nine-man championship game, with Pine Bluffs winning 33-27. Shoshoni’s only two losses in its title defense season were to the Hornets.

What game are you most looking forward to for the start of the 2024 season? And, looking back, what season openers stand out to you in retrospect from any season? Leave your thoughts in a comment below; I’d love to hear from you.

–patrick

Class 4A season preview: Streaking Broncs, Bison draw attention for opposite reasons

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

Four questions to answer

What are you watching for in 4A this year? Two big streaks. Sheridan enters the season with a 31-game winning streak and three consecutive state championships in their rearview mirror, but continuing the streak to record-breaking proportions will take some significant growth from the Broncs’ younger players. That said, four more victories would break the state record for longest winning streak. Sheridan’s fourth opponent this year is Cheyenne East, the team that faced the Broncs in last year’s championship game.

You said TWO big streaks — what’s the other? Well… this one isn’t as positive. But Cheyenne South enters this season tied for the state’s longest losing streak ever at 38 games. If the Bison can shake the streak, it would mean a lot to the program and to players who have never known a varsity victory. In an odd twist of the schedule, Cheyenne South’s first opponent this season is Sheridan, in Sheridan. So the team chasing the record for the longest winning streak in state history will play the team that already has the state’s longest losing streak in the season’s first game. How crazy would it be if… nah, never mind. Well… wait, forget it. But…

Can anyone else catch Sheridan? Absolutely. The Broncs aren’t loaded with returning talent — no all-staters return and just one all-conference player, senior kicker/punter Ty Gilbertson, is back. The challenge is that many of 4A’s other teams find themselves in similar circumstances. Only four players come back with all-state accolades — two from Thunder Basin, one at Campbell County and one at Cheyenne Central — making the classification as wide open as it’s been in a while. It’s the usual suspects in Natrona, East and Thunder Basin giving chase, but Campbell County is also ready for a breakthrough after several years on the periphery of 4A’s discussion.

Any programs on the rise? Well, three of the four programs who finished near the bottom of the 4A standings last year have new head coaches, so anything could happen. Rock Springs (3-6 in 2023), Kelly Walsh (2-7) and Laramie (1-8) have new coaches in Kasey Koepplin, Randy Roden and Jake Chick, respectively. Each of the new coaches will bring fresh perspectives and energy to programs in need of them. All three have the potential to establish longstanding successful programs if they can build some positive momentum in their first seasons.

Preseason class MVP

Mason Drube, Campbell County. It’s been a hot minute since an in-state quarterback has committed to Wyoming’s only in-state university. And it’s Drube, who caught the attention of several big-name college programs before verbally committing to the Cowboys this summer. He is 4A’s top returning passer, having thrown for 2,067 yards last season and is careful with the ball, completing 22 touchdowns while only four interceptions.

Preseason class breakout player

Bridger Peldo, Sheridan. The only full-time starter who’s returning for either Sheridan’s offense or defense, Peldo is an offensive lineman who will be a key piece of the Broncs’ success this fall. He’s drawing attention from several college programs because of his talent and his frame (6-foot-5, 290 pounds). After learning the process last season, Peldo should be a leader — the type of lineman a team can base its running attack on having.

Other players to watch

Logan Mendoza and Cort Catlin, Thunder Basin. The ‘Bolts will be contenders this year, and this time around it will be because of a stacked defense led by these two. Mendoza was Thunder Basin’s No. 1 tackler last year with 68, while Catlin was second, and not far behind, with 64. They’re the leaders of an experienced defensive group that will keep Thunder Basin in the conversation for a deep playoff run.

Brycen Bailey, Cheyenne Central. The classification’s only returning all-stater who plays on the interior, Bailey’s presence will be key for Central’s ability to stay in the championship conversation. The bulk of Central’s roster will be pretty young this year, and coach Mike Apodaca is counting on his linemen and linebackers to carry the team, especially early.

Trent Rosenau, Campbell County. In a normal offseason, Rosenau would be getting significantly more attention. After all, it’s not often that 4A’s top rusher comes back the next season. But here Rosenau is, with 1,107 yards to his name last season, including 15 touchdowns, as well as an all-state nod. His rise mirrors his team’s rise, though, meaning Rosenau won’t have to do it all on a team that is multidimensional.

Tucker Sides, Natrona. Riddle me this — how does the player who finishes first in tackles per game (9.5), second in total tackles and second in defensive points per game in Class 4A NOT make the all-state team? Well, that’s what happened to Sides last season, who put up a huge number of tackles, 105 to be exact, to lead a stingy Natrona defense that ranked first in 4A in yards allowed per game last season.

Four key games

Cheyenne East at Sheridan, Sept. 20. Sheridan drew a brutal start to the season, with games against Thunder Basin, Natrona and Cheyenne East all coming in the first four weeks of the season. Those three teams, along with Sheridan, represented the four semifinal teams in last year’s 4A playoffs. If the Broncs can somehow come through unscathed in the first three games, this one right here represents what could be consecutive win No. 35 — the one that would set the state record for most consecutive victories. Don’t look too far ahead, though, Broncs…

Natrona at Cheyenne East, Sept. 27. The schedule this season put a bunch of big games early. The four semifinal teams (East, Sheridan, Thunder Basin, Natrona) all play each other in the first five weeks of the season, capping with this game between the Mustangs and T-Birds in Week 4; in fact, Thunder Basin’s first three games are against the other semifinalists. We’ll find out a lot about 4A’s frontrunners early in the season, for better or for worse.

Campbell County at Thunder Basin, Oct. 11. When Thunder Basin opened its doors eight years ago, this game — this one, right here — is the game everyone knew was possible in Gillette. It took a while to get there, but the Camels’ absolution has been astonishing to watch come together. And it’s been beautiful to watch this rivalry come to its full fruition in the past couple years.

Campbell County at Sheridan, Oct. 18. Hey, Camels: One week after what will likely be a highly emotional cross-town rivalry game (are we on board with the Coal Bowl yet?), guess what? You get the defending champs, on the road, in a renewal of our good, old friend the Energy Bowl. These two weeks, and these two road games, could make or break the Camels’ hopes this year.

Predicted order of finish

Sheridan; Campbell County; Cheyenne East; Thunder Basin; Natrona; Cheyenne Central; Rock Springs; Kelly Walsh; Laramie; Cheyenne South.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Sheridan 38, Campbell County 28. Of all of the seasons in Sheridan’s current championship run, this one is the most tenuous. That leaves opportunities for several of the teams that have been close to breaking through for a title of their own with a good chance to do so. The first few weeks will be telling to a season that seems full of uncertainty at the outset.

I’m curious about your favorite 4A team — how do you see them working out in 2023? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick

” … And one” (or “one and … “): Wyoming high school football’s barely interrupted winning and losing streaks

by ⋅ 1 Comment

On the streaks page on this site, I keep track of the state’s longest winning and losing streaks. Entering the 2024 season, that is of particular focus as Sheridan approaches the state record for consecutive victories and Cheyenne South does the same for consecutive losses.

Looking at those streaks got me thinking about the almost-streaks — those winning or losing streaks only interrupted by one game, one of the “if not for” scenarios that I love to explore.

For example, what happens if Hulett kicker Mike Nacey has his plant foot slip, he misses that field goal (credited as an 11-yarder, by the way) and Hulett and Sundance go to overtime in 1974 — does Hulett have the state record for consecutive losses at a full 58? What happens if Cokeville doesn’t fumble with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter and Pinedale’s Doug Robbins doesn’t run 90 yards with it the other way for the deciding points (in a game where, by the way, Cokeville led 14-0 but Pinedale scored two defensive touchdowns to rally) — does Cokeville have the state record for consecutive victories at 44?

The ideas for historical fan fiction abound.

With that in mind, I explored the records and found the teams with the longest winning and losing streaks that had only a single blotch on them. Together, they represent all the such streaks of at least 40 games in state history:

Winning streaks

  • Rocky Mountain: 46-1 between 1995 and 1999; the only loss was to Moorcroft in 1996 (34-20)
  • Cokeville: 43-1 between 1987 and 1992; the only loss was to Pinedale in 1990 (18-14)
  • Byron: 42-1 between 1945 and 1952; the only loss was to Cowley in 1950 (35-6)
  • Douglas: 39-1 between 2008 and 2011; the only loss was to Green River in 2011 (32-15)

Losing streaks

  • Hulett: 1-57 between 1971 and 1978; the only victory was against Sundance in 1974 (3-0)
  • Cheyenne South: 1-45 between 2018 and 2023 (current); the only victory has been against Laramie in 2019 (36-35)
  • Kemmerer: 1-45 between 2012 and 2017; the only victory was against Saratoga in 2017 (34-0)
  • Newcastle: 1-42 between 2001 and 2006; the only victory was against Wheatland in 2004 (34-20)

–patrick

2024’s dream Wyoming high school football road trip

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

If you had nothing but time and money, how would you spend them?

Well, meet the possibilities — a dream Wyoming high school football road trip, made possible by perusing the 2024 schedule and deciding what road trips were (1) doable, (2) had interesting football and (3) allowed me to see a lot of the state.

Your trip might be different, and that’s cool. My fantasy trip would allow me to see 41 of Wyoming’s 65 high school teams, and I’d make it to 27 different locations — not as many as I’d like, but as many as a schedule might allow. Over nine weeks, that’s an average of three new locations a week. I’ll take it. But I’d also take unlimited time and money, too.

My schedule:

Week 0
Cheyenne South at Sheridan, 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30
Sheridan JV at Tongue River, 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31
Yes, I’m a sucker for history. So the chance to see South and Sheridan square off with the two longest active streaks in the state — one winning, one losing — was too much for me. Throw in a chance to head to Dayton and one of the most beautiful backdrops for football in the state the next day, and I’m in.

Week 1
Kemmerer vs. Moorcroft, 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5 (at Shoshoni)
Lusk at Rocky Mountain, 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6
Riverton at Cody, 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6
Dubois at Ten Sleep, 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7
The crown jewel of this week’s Northwest corner action is the Riverton-Cody game, with the Wolverines coming off a solid rebuilding year and Cody being, well, Cody. The other games are all interesting in their own right — a neutral-site game is always unique, Lusk and Rocky should both be improved and Dubois and Ten Sleep both have new head coaches. All in all, a solid schedule.

Week 2
Natrona JV at Encampment, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10
Cheyenne Central JV at Torrington, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12
Upton-Sundance at Newcastle, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13
Riverside at Hulett, 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14
I’ll be honest — I try to double up on Fridays when I can. But nothing really worked for me. So I stayed to the eastern edge of the state and picked up an intriguing 2A game as well as some chances to see some other teams I’d really like to see this season in one fell swoop.

Week 3
Rocky Mountain at Greybull, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19
Midwest at Kaycee, 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20
Cheyenne East at Sheridan, 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20
Burlington at Ten Sleep, 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21
There is no way I’d miss East-Sheridan this year. If the Broncs can win their first three, this one would be for the state record for longest winning streak. Everything else is gravy — and this would give me a chance to do the Slip Road trip, something that I never have done and really want to do. This isn’t JUST about football.

Week 4
Wind River at Wyoming Indian, 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26
Rocky Mountain at Big Piney, 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27
Green River at Evanston, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27
Kemmerer at Mountain View, 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28
OK, Southwest corner — show me what you’ve got. I do like the idea of being able to see both 2023 1A nine-man championship game teams in the same week, as well as Evanston’s new-ish digs and Mountain View at home, always a nice opportunity.

Week 5
Kemmerer at Lyman, 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3
Wright at Saratoga, 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4
Torrington at Rawlins, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4
Snake River at Dubois, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5
This week is about quantity, and hitting up Carbon County for a doubleheader allows for that. It’s also a chance to see the Wright-Saratoga game, which has taken on a life of its own the past couple years, as well as a way to see defending 2A champ (now in 3A) Torrington and 1A six-man power Snake River in the same weekend. And a Lyman visit on top of all of that? Heck yeah.

Week 6
Cody sophs at Shoshoni, 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10
Casper Christian at Farson, noon Friday, Oct. 10
Cody at Star Valley, 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10
Wind River at Big Piney, 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11
Yep, the westside is getting a lot of midseason love, but there’s no way you’re going to have me miss that Cody-Star Valley game (might have to leave Farson early, sorry Pronghorns). Everything else around that is mostly convenience, but it’s also awesome to have a chance to see a rematch of last year’s 1A nine-man title game, too.

Week 7
Midwest at Meeteetse, 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17
Riverside at Burlington, 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18
Campbell County at Sheridan, 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18
Hulett at Kaycee, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
I might have to dip out of Burlington a few minutes early to get to Sheridan on time, but those two games are really appealing and I’d love to try to get to them both. Two other six-man games bookend what could be an interesting week of games that will probably have tons of playoff implications.

Week 8
Rocky Mountain at Wind River, 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24
Burlington at Midwest, 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
Rock Springs at Kelly Walsh, 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
Snake River at Encampment, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
The Friday night prime-time slot choice here might seem a bit odd, with both Rock Springs and Kelly Walsh coming off tough seasons, but I’m really interested to see how they’ll both do with first-year coaches and how complete their turnarounds will be after one season, so catching them in the regular-season finale seems like a neat opportunity. Throw in what might be one of the best six-man games of the year in Encampment, another chance to see Rocky (that makes four!?) and a visit to my hometown home field, and that’s a great way to cap it all.

What’s your schedule look like? Let me know — leave a comment and tell me the route you’d take around the state!

–patrick

Class 3A season preview: Usual suspects make their appearance at the top

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

Four questions to answer

Well, it’s 3A. Star Valley and Cody the favorites? Yep. This year is no different from, what, the past decade? No exaggeration, either. These two programs have combined to win the past 10 Class 3A championships, and with the number of all-staters coming back — Cody with six from its runner-up team, Star Valley with five from its championship team — this classification looks like more of the same up top.

Any spoilers in the mix? Just one — Powell. The Panthers return three all-state players, which isn’t on par with Cody’s six or Star Valley’s five but is significantly better than the rest of 3A, where the other nine teams combine to have three returning all-state players. The Panthers boast a big senior class and are inspired by a first-round loss last year, and in most other years they’d have the preseason goods for a No. 1 ranking.

Honestly, no one else is a title threat? Not really. I mean, Torrington, last year’s 2A champion, is now a part of 3A, and that’ll make it fun. Douglas and Buffalo are consistently tough to beat, but both programs will have new head coaches this fall. Riverton and Evanston both showed they’re on the rise after big seasons under first-year head coaches, but they have to replace big senior classes. And everyone else is unproven.

Well, now that we know what Laramie will look like — what else should we watch for in 3A this year? Defensive playmakers. In all, four of the top seven players in defensive points last year in 3A are back (see below), and several other defensive stat-line fillers are also back this season. With all that experience on that side of the ball, points might be harder to come by, and more games might be decided by a turnover or defensive stop instead of by a long bomb or big run.

Preseason class MVP

Maddax Ball, Cody. The Broncs’ quarterback was one of 3A’s best players regardless of position last fall. He was super-efficient, completing 67.5% of passes, and racked up 2,130 passing yards. He threw for 27 touchdowns and ran for another nine with his legs — something opposing defenses also have to account for. As a senior, he’ll be relied in big part to carry Cody’s offensive responsibilities.

Preseason class breakout player

Adam McCorkle, Buffalo. The Bison are right there with the top contenders in 3A this season, and even with some change — new coach, new quarterback — the transition should go smoothly. That starts with McCorkle, who new coach Ross Walker said was good enough to start under center most seasons last year but had to wait until his senior year for the opportunity to lead the Bison offense. Buffalo will need to break in some new receivers, but McCorkle also has an ally in returning senior Zayne Huber, the team’s top pass-catcher last season.

Other players to watch

Carter Archuleta, Douglas. I mean — what else does he have to do? He was No. 1 in Class 3A in defensive points per game last season; as a sophomore he ranked third in 3A in the same category; as a freshman, he led Douglas in defensive points and tackles. He’s led the classification in total tackles each of the past two seasons, with 129 two years ago and 117 last year. As the centerpiece of Douglas’ defense for a while now, Archuleta has always responded to the challenge. Look for more of the same in 2024.

Grant Thomson, Star Valley. You’ve got to be a pretty special player to start on the Star Valley defense for three consecutive years. Well, put the special crown atop Thomson’s head. He led the Braves with 92 tackles last year, but he’ll have to help along younger players to fill roles in a defense where eight of the top 10 tacklers from last year have graduated.

Chase Hatch, Cody. Cody’s top tackler last year as a junior, Hatch has a defensive motor that’s hard to account for. His 110 total tackles were second in Class 3A last season, and he had a classification-high 62 solo tackles. He also broke up eight passes and generally just made life hard for opposing offenses to get much done against the Broncs.

Keona Wisniewski, Powell. Aside from having THE most memorable name in 3A, he’s a heck of a football player, too. He led Powell’s defense with 91 tackles, including 18 for loss. He was also a key member of the offensive game plan, and his versatility (he could be quarterback or fullback this season for the Panthers’ offense) makes him incredibly valuable to the Panthers’ approach.

Four key games

Cody at Powell, Sept. 27. Can the Panthers be the spoilers they hope to be? We’ll find out in the West Conference opener for both teams in Week 4, where Powell has the chance to make a huge statement if it can pull off the big victory at home. But don’t think Cody doesn’t know this.

Riverton at Buffalo, Oct. 4. ‘Member how Riverton upset Buffalo last year to make a three-way tie atop the East Conference standings, and Buffalo ended up on the road in the first round of the playoffs because of it? Riverton does. Trouble is, Buffalo does, too, and the Bison will likely be ready for this year’s rematch.

Cody at Star Valley, Oct. 11. Duh. Have you been paying attention the past few minutes, months, or years? This is 3A’s best rivalry, and the winner will likely be 3A’s team to beat come the postseason.

Torrington at Douglas, Oct. 25. It’s nice to see this game back on the schedule. These two teams had played each other every year since 1967 before taking a two-year break the past two years. Now that Torrington is back in 3A, this game is big for regional bragging rights but could be even bigger for the playoff race in the East.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Buffalo, Douglas, Riverton, Torrington, Rawlins, Lander. West Conference: Star Valley, Cody, Powell, Evanston, Jackson, Green River.

Preseason top five: 1. Star Valley, 2. Cody, 3. Powell, 4. Buffalo, 5. Douglas.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Star Valley 30, Cody 24. If it’s anyone but these two in Laramie — again — it’ll be a shock. But it’s 3A, and weirder things have happened.

Are Star Valley and Cody simply the best, or is there someone else in all the rest ready to spring a surprise on us all? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick

All-class, all-state teams: A few relics from the 1970s and 1980s

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

One of the important bits of help I had in building all-decade teams were the all-class, all-state teams chosen throughout the years.

Often, those came in the form of Super 25 recognition, started in 1991 as a joint venture between the Casper Star-Tribune and the Wyoming Radio Network.

However, all-class, all-state teams didn’t start with the Super 25. Variously, such teams have been chosen throughout the past century, although their popularity waned as classifications took root in the 1940s.

That said, five other Star-Tribune all-state teams were not only helpful in building some all-decade teams but fascinating to look at from today. In 1972, 1973, 1982, 1983 and 1984 (from what I could find), the CST also chose all-state teams from across all classifications based on position, an early precursor to what became the Super 25.

I thought they were interesting, so I thought I’d share the choices here. Those teams included:

1972 (66 choices)
BASIN: Roger Cowan, 6-0, 195, sr, OG.
BIG PINEY: Mark Mickelson, 6-0, 225, sr, OT; Solon Murdock, 5-10, 165, sr, LB.
CHEYENNE CENTRAL: Jef Johnson, 6-0, 170, sr, OT; Steve Stowe, 5-9, 168, jr, LB.
CHEYENNE EAST: Greg Federer, 5-4, 145, sr, E; Mike Rafferty, 6-1, 172, jr, QB.
CODY: Ernie Fuller, 6-1, 165, sr, DB.
COKEVILLE: Briant Teichert, 5-6, 130, sr, LB.
COWLEY: Don Strom, 6-3, 190, sr, E.
DOUGLAS: Kent Griffin, 5-8, 170, sr, DB; Larry Shatto, 5-7, 150, sr, DB.
DUBOIS: Mike Hesseltine, 6-3, 236, sr, C.
EVANSTON: Alan Aanerud, 5-11, 160, sr, DB; Bob Hansen, 5-7, 130, sr, DB.
GLENROCK: Fred Hiser, 5-9, 165, sr, LB; Steve Potter, 6-0, 180, sr, OG; Mike Ragan, 5-10, 160, sr, QB.
GUERNSEY-SUNRISE: Greg Putman, 6-1, 185, sr, DE.
KELLY WALSH: Tom Coleman 5-10, 150, sr, DB; Gerry Geldien, 6-2, 180, sr, FB; Marv Jackson, 6-0, 150, jr, LB; Gary Potter, 6-1, 164, sr, DE; Mark Smith, 5-9, 136, sr, DB.
KEMMERER: Mark Borino, 6-2, 217, sr, DT; Joe Feeley, 6-8, 185, sr, HB.
LANDER: Jim Eustace, 6-1, 200, sr, OT; Kirk Lunt, 6-1, 185, sr, E; Mike Milne, 5-11, 155, sr, HB; Jim Svilar, 6-3, 205, jr, DE.
LARAMIE: Jeff Collins, 6-1, 187, sr, DT; Craig Parham, 5-9, 140, sr, HB; Lenny Roehrkasse, 6-0, 155, sr, DB; George Waskovich, 5-10, 150, sr, DE.
LINGLE: John Thomas, 6-0, 175, sr, LB.
LOVELL: John Cassity, 6-0, 165, sr, E.
MOUNTAIN VIEW: Wade Rudy, 5-10, 156, sr, DT.
NATRONA: Dick Fenster, 6-1, 178, sr, DT; Brent Lorimer, 5-11, 187, sr, OT; Roy Renfro, 6-0, 182, sr, DE.
PINEDALE: Loren Springstead, 6-3, 180, jr, OG.
POWELL: Dusty Franklin, 6-0, 170, sr, DB; Kim Frame, 5-11, 160, sr, DB.
RAWLINS: Jim Wells, 5-10, 170, sr, LB.
RIVERTON: Dennis Bishop, 5-11, 190, sr, OG; R.B. Hackbarth, 5-11, 152, sr, E; Scott Komrs, 5-9, 165, jr, OT; Randy Pickinpaugh, 5-8, 167, sr, DB.
SHERIDAN: Greg Filbert, 6-2, 230, sr, FB; Mike Harris, 175, sr, DB; Mark Hendrickson, 5-9, 160, sr, HB; Jim Jurosek, 6-1, 205, sr, OT.
ST. MARY’S: Doug Brown, 6-0, 150, sr, LB.
STAR VALLEY: Ballard Johnson, 6-1, 165, jr, E.
THERMOPOLIS: Dave Haworth, 6-2, 180, sr, C; John Hendryx, 5-89, 155, sr, OG.
TONGUE RIVER: Dennis Brunson, 5-11, 186, jr, HB; Steve Switzer, 5-10, 180, sr, DT.
TORRINGTON: Tom Anderson, 6-0, 210, sr, OG; Ron Brooks, 6-1, 165, jr, FB; Gary Herdt, 6-2, 165, sr, QB; Kelly Sittner, 6-3, 195, sr, LB.
UPTON: Chuck McAulay, 5-9, 170, sr, HB; Cecil Strong, 5-10, 185, sr, DE.
WHEATLAND: Rex Johnson, 6-2, 190, sr, C.
WORLAND: Don Love, 6-0, 180, sr, DT.

1973 (26 choices)
COWLEY: John Wilson, 170, sr, CB.
GLENROCK: Blair Hershey, 225, sr, OT.
GREEN RIVER: Stan Owens, 210, sr, DE; Bruce Parker, 170, sr, OG.
GUERNSEY-SUNRISE: Mark Gorman, 170, jr, LB; Dennis Reffalt, 205, jr, DE.
JACKSON: Gary Clinkenbeard, 190, sr, S.
KELLY WALSH: Neil Grandbouche, 165, sr, TE; Les Jackson, 145, sr, S. 
KEMMERER: Jerry Dolar, 180, sr, QB; Steve Dover, 180, sr, RB.
LANDER: Jim Svilar, 206, sr, OG.
LARAMIE: Mike Gerard, 135, sr, WR; Terry Martin, 185, sr, NG.
LINGLE: Joe Kinnan, 210, sr, OT.
NATRONA: Bruce Gonce, 160, sr, P; Chuck Wilson, 165, jr, LB.
PINEDALE: Chuck McAdam, 190, sr, C.
POWELL: Nevin Jacobs, 190, sr, K.
RIVERTON: Dirk Bush, 187, jr, FL.
ROCK SPRINGS: Jerry Fennell, 190, sr, K.
TONGUE RIVER: Dennis Brunson, 187, sr, RB; Mike Hille, 230, sr, DT.
TORRINGTON: Ron Brooks, 175, sr, CB; Byron Grapes, 240, sr, DT.
WHEATLAND: Randy Kennicut, 165, sr, RS.

1982 (25 choices)
BURNS: David Petsch, 5-10, 165, jr, DB.
BYRON: Brian Ballard, 6-2, 215, sr, NG.
CHEYENNE CENTRAL: Scott Romsa, 6-2, 205, sr, C.
COKEVILLE: Ed Delgado, 5-9, 150, sr, K; Scott Ferguson, 6-1, 210, sr, DT.
JACKSON: Tom Basye, 6-3, 190, sr, RB; Scott Coonce, 6-4, 215, sr, OT.
KELLY WALSH: Jim McAnulty, 6-3, 165, (??), DB.
LARAMIE: Troy Gillum, 5-10, 155, sr, KR; Vaughn Spiegelberg, 5-8, 183, sr, LB.
MOORCROFT: Rock Mirich, 6-3, 200, sr, LB.
NATRONA: David Browning, 6-2, 180, jr, P.
NEWCASTLE: Mike Gregory, 6-2, 235, sr, OG.
RAWLINS: Sam Earl, 6-3, 180, sr, DB; Dwayne Weythman, 6-3, 195, sr, OT; Mike Wilcox, 6-1, 205, sr, OG.
RIVERTON: Jim Price, 6-0, 195, sr, DE.
SARATOGA: David Jones, 5-10, 160, sr, RB.
SHERIDAN: Pat Keith, 6-1, 190, sr, TE; Marc Martini, 5-11, 170, sr, QB; John Mitchell, 6-1, 215, sr, DT; Tom Weber, 5-9, 205, sr, DE.
STAR VALLEY: Todd Spencer, 5-10, 185, sr, DB.
WHEATLAND: Dean Dick, 6-4, 190, sr, FB; Andy Jones, 6-1, 165, jr, SE.

1983 (25 choices)
BUFFALO: Scott Studie, 6-2, 240, jr, OT.
BURNS: David Petsch, 5-11, 170, sr, RB; Ardie Wardell, 6-2, 195, sr, DE.
CAMPBELL COUNTY: Dan Hays, 6-4, 210, jr, QB; Rich Klein, 6-4, 210, sr, TE.
CHEYENNE CENTRAL: Pat Brinkman, 6-0, 160, sr, DB; David Edeen, 6-5, 210, sr, DT; Gordon Knopp, 6-4, 305, sr, OT; Andre Rudolph, 5-11, 175, jr, RB.
EVANSTON: Brent Sanders, 5-11, 170, sr, RB.
KELLY WALSH: Grant Koenekamp, 5-10, 170, sr, C; J.R. Robinson, 5-89, 155, sr, DB.
KEMMERER: Jon Cogdill, 6-5, 235, jr, DT.
LARAMIE: Frank Ahrenholtz, 5-10, 175, sr, OG; Andy Swanson, 5-10, 155, jr, K.
LYMAN: Vince Palmassano, 6-2, 200, sr, NG.
PINEDALE: Mike Davis, 5-9, 185, sr, LB.
SHERIDAN: Kip Halverson, 6-4, 200, sr, DB; Chuck Johnson, 6-7, 200, sr, SE; Tom Kilpatrick, 6-3, 190, sr, P; John Will, 5-9, 150, sr, LB.
STAR VALLEY: Casey Erickson, 5-8, 155, sr, KR; Orrin Schwab, 6-2, 200, sr, DE.
UPTON: Walt Riehemann, 5-9, 150, sr, DB.
WHEATLAND: Dean Finnerty, 6-1, 215, sr, OG.

1984 (25 choices)
BUFFALO: Scott Studie, 6-4, 250, sr, OL.
CAMPBELL COUNTY: Troy Lake, 6-0, 225, sr, C; Flint McCullough, 6-11, 225, jr, DL.
CHEYENNE CENTRAL: Jeff Lansing, 5-9, 175, sr, LB; Tony Lowham, 6-2, 180, sr, NG; Andre Rudolph, 5-11, 180, sr, RB.
CODY: John McDougall, 6-3, 190, jr, DB; Shawn Wehrer, 6-3, 240, sr, OL.
DUBOIS: Kal Jepson, 5-6, 140, sr, DB.
KELLY WALSH: Todd Brichacek, 6-2, 185, sr, DB; Sean Simmons, 5-6, 140, sr, DB.
KEMMERER: Jon Cogdill, 6-5, 265, sr, DL.
LARAMIE: Mark Douglas, 5-10, 145, sr, DL; Terrace Vaughn, 6-4, 243, sr, RB; Jay Wright, 6-3, 220, sr, OL.
MIDWEST: Greg Hoff, 5-7, 135, sr, KR.
NATRONA: Lance Banks, 6-2, 185, sr, TE; Bill Brenton, 5-9, 185, sr, LB.
POWELL: Scott Wagner, 6-2, 205, sr, DL.
RAWLINS: Jerry Smith, 6-1, 165, sr, SE.
RIVERTON: Todd Brown, 5-10, 170, sr, K; Ken Crouse, 6-3, 200, sr, P.
SHERIDAN: Brian Conley, 6-4, 200, sr, OL; Tom Kilpatrick, 6-4, 190, sr, QB.
WHEATLAND: Duncan Irvine, 5-10, 185, sr, RB.

–patrick

Wyoming all-decade teams: Who did I miss?

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

I worked pretty hard to come up with the all-decade teams you’ve seen here the past few weeks. That said, even my knowledge is limited, and I’ve had some help the past couple weeks in expanding my expertise about Wyoming high school football.

That help came from you.

And that’s awesome — because, ultimately, that’s what I want more than anything, a community of people who can talk about high school sports in Wyoming.

To that end, here are five specific players I’ve learned more about in the past couple weeks via our communities, mostly on Facebook but also on Twitter and on comments on this site, as well as some more exploration on my part. I’m not saying these players would have made the all-decade teams, but they definitely deserved more consideration on my end; at minimum, they should have made the “toughest to leave out list.” While it sucks that I missed out exploring their histories my first, second, third, fourth and 50th times through looking at all that Wyoming high school sports have to offer, I do want to acknowledge them here. In no particular order, they are:

Ron Stewart, Glenrock, 1968: I already added Ron on an addition to my 1960s post, but I feel he also deserve special mention here. He scored 36 (!) touchdowns his senior year as the Herders went a combined 26-1 his final three years. Stewart was killed in action in Vietnam.

(By the way, this led me down a rabbit hole of war casualty exploration. The only other all-state football players I could find among the 120 Vietnam casualties from Wyoming were Worland’s Ray Krogman and Hanna’s Bill McAtee. I also explored the same idea using World War II deaths from Wyoming and found one all-state choice from 1940-45 (Natrona’s Bill Bentley) among those listed from Army and Army Air Force deaths and Navy, Marines and Coast Guard deaths. I say this knowing that all those who died deserve honoring, not just the football ones, and not just the all-state ones.)

Dan Melinkovich, Rock Springs, 1933: Originally from Tooele, Utah, Melinkovich finished high school at Rock Springs and was a first-team all-stater in 1933 — Rock Springs’ first such honoree. He was then a multi-year starter at left halfback for Gonzaga back in the day when the school had football. Incidentally, Dan’s brother George was a first-team all-America choice at Notre Dame; however, from what I can find, George only played at Tooele.

Quentin Skinner, Laramie, 1986: An all-state lineman for the Plainsmen in 1986, Skinner started at Air Force but made his hay at Wyoming, where he was a starter on the offensive line for three years for the Cowboys in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Danny Watson, Riverton, 1980: In an era when two-time all-state running backs were rare, Watson was the exception. He also saw time with Wyoming’s backfield.

Julius Davenport, Rock Springs, 1993: Many, many new friends came to Davenport’s defense on Facebook after the 1990s team was published, with a depth unlike any other player across all eight teams. That’s worth a mention, at least.

I’m getting ready for my 21st year of covering Wyoming high school football — the first at the Gillette News-Record, the next four at the Casper Star-Tribune, and the last 15 (mostly) here. I’ve invested now thousands of hours (no exaggeration) looking at Wyoming’s high school sports history. The fact that I’m still learning new things is just continuing proof of the richness of what’s out there to learn. So, by all means, let’s keep talking about and sharing about those whose trips through life took them onto the courts and fields in Wyoming high schools. I’m enjoying the journey, and I hope you are, too.

–patrick


Class 2A season preview: Complexity, parity, uncertainty — and a tentative favorite

by ⋅ 4 Comments

Four questions to answer

Is there a clear-cut favorite in Class 2A? Yes, but it’s complicated. Big Horn was the most consistently named program by coaches this summer when asked who the favorites might be. That said, several other teams have the potential for deep playoff runs, including but not limited to Mountain View, Lyman, Cokeville, Worland, Wheatland, Upton-Sundance, Lovell and Newcastle. Even though the Rams might start at No. 1 by default due to their runner-up finish last year and who they have back this year, their grip on the top spot is tentative at best, through no fault of their own.

Why Big Horn? Because of last year. The Rams were East Conference champions and runners-up to Torrington, and then Torrington made the move to Class 3A. That leaves Big Horn as the top remaining team in the classification from last year’s playoffs, a bracket where the majority of games were decided by single-possession margins. Big Horn also returns two all-staters (seniors Avon Barney and Kolby Butler); no other team in 2A has more than one.

Wait… what was that about Worland? Oh, yeah. Worland is a Class 2A team now. And they’re not even the biggest 2A team — that honor goes to Pinedale. But after years and years and years of 3A play, the Warriors’ student population has fallen far enough for the move to 2A to happen. That will mean an opportunity for a fresh start for a program that’s had 14 consecutive losing seasons but will enter 2024 with a new schedule, a new coach and a new chance to build something special.

Is the West Conference ahead of the East? Yep. Even though it was two East teams in the title game last year, the West looks like the more challenging conference in 2024. And with Worland’s addition to the conference, watch out. At least one team that’s strong enough to make a deep playoff run won’t even make the playoffs; that’s how much parity could exist in a traditionally tough conference this season.

Preseason class MVP

Avon Barney, Big Horn. Not many quarterbacks who crack the 2,000-yard passing barrier are underclassmen, but that’s what Barney did last year as a junior while earning all-state accolades. He threw for 2,016 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also contributed 47 tackles on defense and ran for 10 touchdowns, too.

Preseason class breakout player

Kashton Walker, Cokeville. The keys to the Panthers’ offense will likely land in the hands of a sophomore. As Cokeville moves last year’s quarterback, senior Kayson Walker (Kashton’s older brother), to running back, it’s the younger Walker who will be responsible for leading the offense. Kashton isn’t a stranger to varsity play, though, playing significantly as part of Cokeville’s defense last year as a freshman.

Other players to watch

Davin Crosby, Lovell. Class 2A’s leading passer in terms of yards per game last year (213.9), Crosby was both efficient (56.9% completion) and a long-ball threat (15 yards per completion). He also had 46 tackles, good for fifth on the Bulldogs last season. His presence as Lovell’s only returning all-stater makes the senior both a target and a leader.

Eli Gill, Upton-Sundance. This man is a tackling machine. As a sophomore two years ago, he was second in 2A in defensive points per game (25.1); last year, he led 2A (26.0) and tied for the classification lead with nearly 15 tackles per game. And, oh by the way, he was second for Upton-Sundance last year in all-purpose offense. As the Patriots try to regain playoff form, Gill will be at the forefront of those plans.

Brody Thiel, Worland. Class 2A won’t need long to get acquainted with Thiel. The Warriors’ only returning all-state choice is a throwback fullback/tight end/linebacker who causes a lot of havoc on defense, notching 69 tackles, including 12 for loss, last season. On a Warrior defense full of returners, Thiel will set the pace.

Max Gregory, Lyman. One of Class 2A’s most efficient defensive players, Gregory has led the Eagles in defensive points each of the past two years and also was effective as a freshman; over three years, he has 270 tackles, including 46 for loss. His disruptive abilities on defense, coupled with his role on Lyman’s offensive line, make Gregory a must-stop player for opposing game plans.

Four key games

Wheatland at Big Horn, Sept. 13. Are the Rams the East’s best again? Well, this conference opener against the Bulldogs will tell the tale. Wheatland traditionally has good numbers and has some good athletes returning, so the Rams’ early expectations will have a good early test.

Upton-Sundance at Newcastle, Sept. 13. Both the Patriots and the Dogies figure to be improved teams this fall. When they meet in their East Conference openers, we’ll all find out really quick whose hopes are legit and whose hopes need some refinement.

Worland at Cokeville, Oct. 18. Try going back in time 20, 30, 40 years. Explain to someone from that time how this is a conference game now. Worland (ADM 343) and Cokeville (ADM 68) are on different ends of the enrollment spectrum but both figure to be players in the West Conference title chase. This Week 7 game will be the first football game between the schools, and it could decide a ton in the 2A West.

Lyman at Mountain View, Oct. 25. There’s just something that feels right about having the rivalry game at the end of the regular season. Both the Eagles and the Buffalos should be among the top teams in the West title chase this year, and the fact that they’re only six miles apart is a nice little added cherry on top of an already sweet dessert at the end of the regular season.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Big Horn, Newcastle, Wheatland, Upton-Sundance, Tongue River, Burns, Glenrock, Moorcroft. West Conference: Mountain View, Worland, Lovell, Cokeville, Lyman, Thermopolis, Kemmerer, Pinedale.

Preseason top five: 1. Big Horn, 2. Mountain View, 3. Worland, 4. Lovell, 5. Cokeville.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Big Horn 27, Mountain View 22. This may be the least predictable 2A race in years. At least 10 teams are legitimate threats to be hoisting the championship trophy come November. For now, the Rams and Buffalos are on top thanks to their stability under center, but my goodness, this will be a fun year.

Agree? Disagree? Either way, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick

Class 1A nine-man season preview: Can anyone mingle with Lingle?

by ⋅ 2 Comments

Four questions to answer

Who’s the one team coaches are singling out as this year’s favorite? Lingle, and it’s not even close. The Doggers have earned a lot of respect, especially after winning their first nine games last year before falling to eventual champion Big Piney in the semifinals. They also return four all-state players from last year, including nine-man’s offensive player of the year, and they also get back Kaiden Riggs, an all-stater who they’d lost to transfer to Torrington and was a huge cog in the Trailblazers’ 2A title last year. Yep, the Doggers are loaded.

Anyone else in the chase? Not really, to be honest. There will be tons of teams ready to step in if Lingle stumbles, chief among them Rocky Mountain and Southeast, as well as defending champ Big Piney and always tough Pine Bluffs. That said, if Lingle plays up to the dangerous word that’s being thrown around the Doggers a lot this summer (you know, “potential”), it’ll be tough going for the rest of nine-man to break the Doggers’ hold on the top spot.

Any favorites out of that group? No, because uncertainty. The challenge in predicting 1A nine-man this year is twofold — first, most of last year’s best teams (except Lingle) had sizable losses to graduation, and second, most of last year’s also-rans return enough players to be better than last year. That kind of turnover could make for a lot of parity, and more experienced teams like Wright, Lusk, Greybull, Saratoga and Shoshoni, and last year’s runner-up Wind River, could be part of the title conversation, too. Expect a lot of parity, and unpredictability, because of that.

What’s new? The head coach at Southeast. One of the most significant coaching changes in recent memory happened over the summer when longtime Southeast coach Mark Bullington retired. He did so as the No. 6 coach in state history in victories with 172. Longtime assistant coach Shawn Burkart is more than capable of helping the Cyclones continue without missing a step, but it will feel weird for a while not having Bullington behind it all.

Preseason class MVP

Louden Bremer, Lingle. Bremer was Class 1A nine-man’s offensive MVP last season after leading the Doggers in both rushing and receiving. He had 1,106 rushing yards and 405 receiving yards, combining for 24 total touchdowns on offense. He was also Lingle’s leading tackler with 104 of those bad boys.

Preseason class breakout player

Carsten Freeburg, Pine Bluffs. As a sophomore, Freeburg found his way onto the field for the Hornets. He was most effective on defense, where had 54 tackles and a couple picks. Offensively, though, he didn’t have as many opportunities. That will likely change this year, as the junior developed into a leader during the basketball season over the winter and should be one of the classification’s most athletic and exciting players this fall.

Other players to watch

Caden Clifford, Big Piney. The number 1,286 — the number of yards Clifford had last season — sticks out like crazy among nine-man’s returners. But he is also Big Piney’s top returning tackler, a huge role that he’ll need to fill on a Puncher team that’s coming off both a state championship and the loss of a huge senior class.

Kaiden Riggs, Lingle. After a one-year stopover in Torrington, where he helped the Trailblazers win a Class 2A championship by running for 1,275 yards and 10 TDs, Riggs is back where it all started for his senior season. He was an all-state pick as a sophomore at Lingle, too, and will be a welcome addition back to an already stacked Dogger squad.

Tucker Jackson, Rocky Mountain. If you had three pick-sixes last year, step forward… and here he is. Jackson led Rocky with six interceptions and was also the Grizzlies’ top receiver with 23 catches for 452 yards (that’s 19.7 yards per catch, by the way). A threat to score from anywhere on the field, on both sides of the ball, Jackson probably won’t score as many defensive touchdowns this year, but it’ll be fun to see the journey.

Ayden Desmond, Southeast. An all-state pick a year ago, Desmond nearly got the Cyclones to Laramie from under center. He threw for 1,097 yards and ran for 714 more and was responsible for 30 touchdowns between the two. He was also a handful on defense, finishing with five interceptions and 70 tackles as one of Southeast’s safeties.

Four key games

Rocky Mountain at Big Piney, Sept. 27. How much did graduation losses hurt the Punchers’ repeat chances? Are the Grizzlies really the West’s heir apparent? We find out in the first week of West Conference games, with the Grizzlies making the long trip to Sublette County and the winner emerging as the West’s best title threat.

Lingle at Southeast, Oct. 10. It would be easy to overlook the Doggers’ Goshen County neighbors this year. However, the Cyclones may represent Lingle’s biggest East Conference challenge this season. While Southeast gets to play Lingle in Yoder, Lingle does get a bye week before this Thursday game to help prepare.

Wind River at Big Piney, Oct. 12. It’s hard to look away from a state championship rematch, but this game will far from resemble the one that happened in Laramie last November. Both teams had heavy losses due to graduation. But that doesn’t mean this one won’t be important for playoff position, something the Punchers and Cougars both count on being a part of in a confusing and muddled West Conference chase.

Pine Bluffs at Lingle, Oct. 18. Not for nothing, but… this Week 7 showdown might feature two undefeated teams. You heard it here first (I’m assuming). If Pine Bluffs doesn’t blow a 24-point lead and doesn’t lose in overtime to the Doggers last season, maybe we’re talking about the Hornets as this year’s frontrunners. So, yeah, it’s safe to say the emotions, and stakes, will likely be high for this one.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Lingle, Southeast, Pine Bluffs, Lusk, Wright, Saratoga, Guernsey. West Conference: Rocky Mountain, Big Piney, Wind River, Greybull, Shoshoni, Wyoming Indian.

Preseason top five: 1. Lingle; 2. Rocky Mountain; 3. Southeast; 4. Pine Bluffs; 5. Big Piney.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Lingle 38, Rocky Mountain 26. On paper, Lingle has one of the best 1A nine-man teams since the classification restarted in 2020. Games aren’t won on paper, though. The Doggers still have to go out and prove they can get the job done, and those other contenders are absolutely ready to pounce if Lingle shows it isn’t up to the task.

Y’all understand what I’m saying? If not, I’m open to explaining. Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick