Over the last couple weeks, I have been sharing Wyoming high school football all-decade teams. They have included two combined teams — the teams of the 1920s and 1930s, and the team of the 1940s and 1950s — and six individual teams, the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s and the 2010s.

My plan was to have the teams face each other in NCAA Football 25, but many, many failed attempts to change player names in the game left me frustrated and exasperated. That tournament can’t happen, unfortunately, at least not that way. My apologies. I’m hoping to find an alternative where I can still have some kind of tournament, but I’m still working through those options right now. When, or if, I settle on something, I’ll share it here.

This project was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in conjunction with this site. I invested a significant amount of time in trying to find information about Wyoming’s star football players. I’d estimate that it ended up being close to about 10-15 hours per team, so somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hours total, at least. I went down numerous rabbit holes. I read hundreds of articles. I perused numerous yearbooks. And I could have spent even MORE time, if I had chosen. To be honest, for me, the researching was probably the most fun part. It’s cool to know that, even after investing 20 years’ worth of research into Wyoming high school sports history, I can still be surprised. But in research like this, you reach a certain point where you have to move forward with something. In the end, I think all 424 players who were chosen deserved a spot on their respective teams, but I could have easily had teams of 80 or 100 players for each decade and still left out some deserving players.

I hope two things come of all this. One, I hope you continue to let me know who you think I’ve overlooked in the process. Already, this has been happening, and I LOVE it and want to encourage it. Those conversations are great, and they help me (and others, too, I’m sure) enrich their knowledge of the people, the game and the state we all love. The second is that I hope you learned a little bit, too, that you explored the bios and got to see the result of all my rabbit-hole searching, that you learned about players that maybe you hadn’t known about before or that had slipped your memory over the years, that you actually clicked (or tapped) on some faces and didn’t just skip over that in your pursuit to look for familiar names.

As I noted before the teams came out, I did consult with several former coaches and journalists prior to posting the teams, and for those who replied, their feedback was invaluable. They made the teams better, more representative of the whole state and more consistent. Thanks to those who helped with that process. Also, coaches, ADs and administrative assistants at several schools were incredibly helpful in helping with obtaining photos for players whose photos I couldn’t find on my own. A big thank you to those folks, as well.

All that said, I thought it would be fun to look at the all-decade teams a bit deeper by examining them across a few different ways — by school, by county, by region and by year. So, here it is, in the spirit of transparency (and maybe some discussion, too, but that’s on y’all), are how the all-decade teams shook out across those different measures:

+++

Selections by school

Natrona: 45
Cheyenne Central: 36
Sheridan: 31
Laramie: 25
Campbell County: 18
Rock Springs: 16
Rawlins: 13
Cody, Lander: 12
Cheyenne East, Powell, Torrington: 11
Star Valley: 10
Buffalo, Evanston: 9
Kelly Walsh, Lusk: 8
Green River, Greybull, Lovell, Riverton, Wheatland, Worland: 7
Douglas, Jackson: 6
Glenrock, Kemmerer, Pinedale, Tongue River: 5
Cokeville, Mountain View, Pine Bluffs, Thermopolis: 4
Basin, Big Horn, Burns, Moorcroft, Shoshoni, Southeast: 3
Big Piney, Guernsey-Sunrise, Midwest, Newcastle, Riverside, Saratoga, Wright: 2
Burlington, Byron, Cowley, Deaver, Dubois, Hanna, Heart Mountain, Lingle, Lyman, Rocky Mountain, St. Mary’s/Seton, Sundance, Ten Sleep, Thunder Basin, Upton: 1

Multiple high schools: 2

Consolidated combinations:
Basin/Riverside: 5
Rocky Mountain/Byron/Cowley/Deaver: 4

+++

Selections by county

Laramie, Natrona: 55
Sheridan: 39
Albany: 25
Big Horn, Park: 24
Fremont, Sweetwater: 23
Campbell: 21
Lincoln: 19
Carbon: 16
Goshen: 15
Uinta: 14
Converse: 11
Johnson, Platte: 9
Niobrara, Washakie: 8
Sublette: 7
Teton: 6
Crook, Hot Springs: 4
Weston: 3
Multiple counties: 2

+++

Selections by region

Northeast (Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Natrona, Sheridan, Weston): 133
Northeast without Casper schools: 80

Southeast (Albany, Converse, Goshen, Laramie, Niobrara, Platte): 123
Southeast without Cheyenne Central/East: 76

Northwest (Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park, Washakie): 83

Southwest (Carbon, Lincoln, Sweetwater, Sublette, Teton, Uinta): 85

+++

Selections by year (last year of play, not graduation)

2019: 8
2018: 5
2017: 5
2016: 6
2015: 8
2014: 6
2013: 5
2012: 4
2011: 4
2010: 2
2009: 4
2008: 5
2007: 4
2006: 4
2005: 7
2004: 3
2003: 7
2002: 7
2001: 4
2000: 8
1999: 8
1998: 7
1997: 4
1996: 4
1995: 6
1994: 5
1993: 6
1992: 5
1991: 5
1990: 3
1989: 6
1988: 4
1987: 5
1986: 3
1985: 5
1984: 5
1983: 5
1982: 9
1981: 5
1980: 6
1979: 4
1978: 4
1977: 5
1976: 4
1975: 7
1974: 9
1973: 4
1972: 7
1971: 5
1970: 4
1969: 3
1968: 5
1967: 8
1966: 5
1965: 5
1964: 4
1963: 7
1962: 6
1961: 4
1960: 6
1959: 2
1958: 2
1957: 4
1956: 2
1955: 2
1954: 2
1953: 6
1952: 4
1951: 3
1950: 2
1949: 3
1948: 2
1947: 5
1946: 2
1945: 1
1944: 4
1943: 1
1942: 2
1941: 1
1940: 3
1939: 4
1938: 3
1937: 3
1936: 3
1935: 5
1934: 4
1933: 3
1932: 1
1931: 3
1930: 1
1929: 2
1928: 2
1927: 1
1926: 3
1925: 3
1924: 4
1923: 4
1922: 2
1921: 2

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Cisco Taylor (Lyman); Clay Cundall (Greybull); Jerome Krysl (Green River); Ward Anderson (Wheatland); Daniel Wille (Snake River); Jacob Bobenmoyer and Chance Aumiller (Cheyenne East); Josh Dawson (Jackson/Star Valley); Brock Spiegelberg (Kelly Walsh); Seth Bennett (Meeteetse); Jace Petersen (Cokeville); Bryan Lemmon (Torrington); Jim Shellenberger and Cole Montgomery (Natrona); R.J. Cazier, Hunter Cranney and Parker Merritt (Star Valley); Connor McCafferty, Nolan McCafferty and Kade Eisele (Big Horn); Aaron Sessions (Sheridan); Mason Hamilton (Thunder Basin); Rourke McPeters and Jayden Caylor (Upton-Sundance); Vince Sleep (Powell); Cade Covington (Mountain View); Mitch Syverson (Thermopolis).

Impressions: Maybe the hardest team to choose, because my memories of them are so fresh. … Also, the number of two-time Super 25 players and three-time all-state players skyrocketed in this decade. In some other times, that alone might be enough to have you make the team. Not here. … D-line averages 226 pounds per player, highest of any group; o-line is at an average of 248 pounds. … Six-man’s introduction in 2009 made some choices really hard. In all, only one six-man player (Dubois’ Sterling Baker) made the team, as he was the one I (and others) saw as having the skills that would most translate to any level of football. But, boy, was it hard to leave off who I had to leave off from the six-man ranks. … How did anyone score on Natrona in 2012 with two future NFLers (Taven Bryan and Logan Wilson) on defense? Oh yeah, they didn’t.

Up next: I had hoped to do the tournament starting this week, but unfortunately that’s on hold until I can find an acceptable alternative to what I had planned. Check back Wednesday, though, for a breakdown of all eight teams and some ideas about where to go next.

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Ryan Lee (Glenrock); Erik Heiss and Chris Moberly (Kelly Walsh); Wil Isom (Lyman); C.J. Bugas (Mountain View); Josh Smith and Dan Long (Buffalo); J.C. Weber (Lovell); Logan Pokallus (Campbell County); Joe Killpack (Green River); Glen Clinton (Cody); Nick Bear (Wright); Jesse Brownell, Derek Hamilton and Johnnie Young (Natrona); Duell Petsch (Burns); Drew Hodgs (Douglas); Matt Gregory (Newcastle); Clint Franklin and Gavin Mills (Powell); Cody Conner (Guernsey); Doug Watt and Ryley McPeters (Upton); Austin Hall (Sheridan); Shawn Brogdon and Tyler Watson (Riverton); Marc Bradshaw (Worland).

Impressions: As a sports reporter with the Casper Star-Tribune from 2005 to 2009, I had the good fortune of seeing many of these players in person. That helped. … At the same time, it’s also fun for me as the main dude behind picking the Super 25 teams for four seasons (2005-08) look retrospectively at those choices. Without calling anyone out — I still think all 100 players chosen during my four years were deserving — there were definitely some players who went on to have amazing college careers whose success was clearly not determined by whether they were Super 25. Overlooked, or late bloomers (or both)? A few even made this list. … The offensive line is the biggest of any of the eight all-decade teams, checking in at an average of 259 pounds per player. The defensive line ranks fourth, though, at an average of 219 pounds per player. … Two of the best teams of the 2000s were represented by three players each — Campbell County’s 2000 team and Natrona’s 2003 team. Both were undefeated state champions at the big-school level.

Up next: The 2010s, Monday.

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Rocky Kirk (Kelly Walsh); Chris Packer and Mike Noseep (Lander); Andy Harold (Torrington); Alan Ista, Brian Mills and Mike Luther (Hulett); Aric Lopez (Campbell County); Casey Adams (Laramie); Ty Barrus (Meeteetse); Kade Ames (Rocky Mountain); Cody Sinclair and Colte Russell (Thermopolis); Matt Mason (Riverton); Barry Wilkinson (Dubois); Kelly Merritt (Star Valley); Isaac Kalinowski, Evan Halchishick and Aaron Levin (Natrona); Mike Johnson and Ben Trautwein (Wheatland); Owen Heck and Dax Michelena (Sheridan); Matt Stock (Cheyenne Central); Zack Zawacki (Powell); Kurtiss Riggs, Anthony Gipson and Chad Goff (Green River); Jeff Kelly (Douglas); Justin Gonzales (Mountain View); Brian Zowada (Lusk); Trevor Moon and Garrett Patik (Buffalo); Michael Booth (Southeast); Chad Mitchell (Cokeville); Grant Curry (Lingle).

Impressions: Man, the 1990s was definitely the decade of the quarterback. I’m not sure if it was just the fact that passing games expanded for the first time, and it drew a lot of attention because of that, or if this just happened to be a great time for developing quarterbacks in the Equality State. Maybe both? … Offensive line average is up to 242 pounds, defensive line is at 220. … Yep, that’s three Poppingas. Brothers. No other all-decade team has more than two players with the same last name. … It’s definitely showing my age (Midwest High School class of 2000, in case you missed it) to say that this was really the first group where I knew (or knew of) a lot of these guys at the time they were playing. That definitely changes a person’s perspective. It’s one thing to read articles from the 1930s; it’s another to have your hand in the grass. That’s part of why the honorable mention list is getting longer. If someone who was 10 years older than me had built these lists, I’m sure the 1980s honorable mentions would have been longer, too. Even so, only one player I actually played football with or against made the final 53, so go figure.

Up next: The 2000s, Saturday.

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Marc Martini (Sheridan); Pete Gosar (Pinedale); Dave E. Jones (Natrona); Travis Bandemer (Laramie); Erik Stensaas and Neil Mattinson (Rock Springs); Darren Wehrer (Cody); Dutch Van Patten, Brian Skarohlid and James Cunningham (Cheyenne Central); Mike Cubbage (Powell); Mark Hardee and Jeff Yeaman (Douglas); Scott Schroefel (Natrona); Dave Gosnell, Matt O’Brien and Sean Simmons (Kelly Walsh); Danny Sanchez (Worland); Greg Hoff (Midwest); John Hepp (Buffalo); Robert Allen (Star Valley); Willie Jefferson (Rawlins); basically the whole 1989 Cokeville team.

Impressions: This team is definitely a reflection of some changing approaches — some big and burly, but more and more long, lanky players and guys who helped expand passing games. … Players are still getting bigger, though. O-line averages 236 pounds per player, d-line is at 222 (second only to the 2010s team). … Yes, that’s right — three players from Jackson’s 1982 team. Super impressive group for some reason. … In all, the class of 1982 (graduating class of 1983) has nine selections, tied with 1974 for the most from any one year. … For some reason, the 1980s were the great era of the Wyoming Cowboy walk-on. As the Cowboys expanded their recruiting base, more Wyoming players were walk-ons who proved their mettle the hard way. Consequently, though, many more Wyoming athletes ended up playing in nearby states, and Black Hills State and Chadron State in particular were the beneficiaries.

Up next: The 1990s, Wednesday.

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Mel Miles and Ballard Johnson (Star Valley); Mike Nissen (Worland); Rob Russell (Cody); Kelly Wilson (Wheatland); John Menke (Buffalo); David Rogers (Midwest); Denny Dunivent, Matt Johnson and Lance Parham (Laramie); Mark Kulmus (Rawlins); Ted Holmes (Douglas); Mike Madrid (St. Mary’s); Marshall Patton and Jim Hill (Natrona); Brick Cegelski (Cheyenne Central); Kevin Goglio (Green River); Bruce Miller (Torrington).

Impressions: The Milward Simpson Award started in the 1970s, and yes, I was more partial to the players who showed up on those lists. … Players are getting bigger. Offensive line averages 214 pounds per player, defensive line averages 208. … Cheyenne leads the defensive backfield for this decade, but can you imagine how difficult it would have been to pass against East in 1975 with two future NFL players (Jesse Johnson and Mike McLeod) staring down opposing quarterbacks? … By the way, East’s 1975 team, along with Rawlins’ 1974 team, each had three selections. … Find receiving statistics from the 1970s. I dare you. … I won’t repeat it here, but from what I could glean from newspaper reports at the time, Gerry Geldien’s career at ASU ended way too soon. I’ll just say the stories you may have heard about Frank Kush being a jerk are true. … That 1974 class (last year of playing, not graduation year) has nine players all on its own, and honestly, we could probably put that group up against any other year and they’d be just fine. That class is tied with another, future, group for the most selections from any single year.

Up next: The 1980s, Monday.

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Mike Jay and Charles Gulley (Torrington); Wally Stock (Star Valley); Ken Madia (Sheridan); Dan Bush and Dan Siek (Natrona); Rick Carroll (Wheatland); Mike Murdock (Big Piney); Mark Hopkinson (ugh) (Mountain View); Jerry Hart (Shoshoni); Tom Bramlet (Lusk); Bart Parham (Laramie).

Addition (7-21-24): Another player who deserves special consideration is Glenrock’s Ron Stewart. 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. (Thanks to a current Wyoming head coach who let me know about Stewart and his story.)

Impressions: This team’s makeup definitely represents the approach of the time — run the ball, stop the run. Running back and linebacker in particular were full of a lot of athletic dudes, making those choices particularly tough. … Offensive line averages 203 pounds, defensive line 206. … I wish we could have seen Rollie Parkison’s senior year. A couple all-decade players didn’t play their senior years, but Parkison’s is the most recent. As I understand it, he was beyond the eligible age for high school sports by his senior year. Still. … Shoshoni’s Orlando Cordova, the team’s return specialist, was Wyoming’s only three-time all-state football player between 1929 and 1981. … Laramie, which was arguably the team of the decade, has 11 selections on the team of the 1960s.

Up next: The 1970s, Saturday.

–patrick

The roster

Hardest players to leave off the team: Marty Hamilton (Torrington); Dave Madia and Bill Sweem (Sheridan); Warren Benson (Laramie); Del Wight, Larry Johnson and Ernie Trujillo (Natrona); Bill Chung (Green River); Robert Trew (Rawlins); Virgil Sanders (Byron); Norm Perue (Saratoga).

Impressions: This might be the most stacked offensive backfield of any team. When Jerry-freakin’-Hill somehow isn’t in the backfield, you KNOW it’s loaded. … The smallest offensive line of any of the eight teams, averaging just over 177 pounds per player. … Yes, Gale and Gary Christy are twins. They’re part of the Sheridan 1953 crew, which has four selections in all — (spoiler alert) the most from any one single team in any of the all-decade teams. By the way, the Broncs went 9-0 and outscored their opponents 252-14 that season (yes, 14), so they probably earned the praise. … The wideouts and tight ends of this group fell mostly into one particular type: tall, lanky dudes who were years ahead of their time. I’d have loved to see any of them play, oh, any time past about 1990. … Post-high-school athletic endeavors of this group included basketball, track and rodeo. … This group was among the last of the three-sport and four-sport college lettermen, a trend that didn’t last much past the 1950s.

Up next: The 1960s, Wednesday.

–patrick