Category Archives: Season Preview

For the second year in a row, Class 2A looks like the most unpredictable classification in Wyoming.

Most of last year’s top teams lost a lot of their best players; most of last year’s also-rans have significant numbers of returners. Anything’s possible.

Lyman won last year’s championship despite not having a winning season since 2013. Will 2A give us another surprise in 2021?

Four questions to answer

OK, out with it — who’s the favorite? Torrington. The Trailblazers were 2A runners-up last year and were junior-loaded, so it makes sense for Torrington to be a preseason No. 1. The ‘Blazers have three all-state players coming back, more than any other 2A team, and have good depth and experience on both sides of the ball.

Who’s Torrington’s biggest threat? Probably Wheatland. The Bulldogs have a passing game that can’t be topped in the 2A ranks, and with Kade Preuit calling the signals, Wheatland will be tough to slow down.

What about the West? Look for parity. Last year’s West race was defined by it, and this year is shaping up similarly on paper. Similar to 2020, Lovell, Lyman, Cokeville, Mountain View, Big Piney and Thermopolis are all threats, capable of causing chaos in the standings with some well-timed victories.

Isn’t that last answer a cop-out? No. In talking with 2A coaches this summer, they, too, were flummoxed as to who might win it all this year. In addition to the parity in the West, the East, too, should be competitive from top to bottom. This year’s 2A champ may end up being a lot like Lyman was last year — overlooked at the start of the season but undeniable by season’s end. Upton-Sundance, Tongue River, Burns and Big Horn from the East all fall into that category entering 2021.

Preseason class MVP

Jake Hicks, Wheatland. A two-time all-state pick, Hicks led 2A in receiving yards per game last year (86.4), finishing with 42 catches for 778 yards; that was after a sophomore campaign when he was second in 2A with 562 yards on 21 catches. Oh, and he has an experienced quarterback throwing to him. Oh, and he’s Wheatland’s top returning tackler and had four interceptions last year.

Presesason class breakout player

Slade Roberson, Newcastle. Roberson’s 2020 season lasted barely more than one series, as an ACL/MCL injury in Zero Week ended the season for the Dogies’ quarterback early. But he’s healthy now, and he’s bigger and stronger than he was pre-injury. Newcastle may not be a title contender, but Roberson will keep the Dogies competitive.

Other players to watch

Connor Micheli, Mountain View. The Buffalos will lean a lot on Micheli, their only returning all-state player. He led Mountain View in passing and rushing last year (1,160 passing yards; 404 rushing yards) and he’s the only one of Mountain View’s top eight defensive players coming back this year.

Kade Preuit, Wheatland. Class 2A’s top returning quarterback threw for 1,474 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, thanks in part to looking deep. His accuracy wasn’t great last year (46.6%), but he’s a risk taker, with his 18.2 yards per completion leading Class 2A in 2020.

Beau Bivens, Torrington. Another returning starting quarterback? Yep… but Bivens is looking for redemption after dislocating his ankle in the semifinals last year and missing the title game. Prior to the injury, Bivens had thrown for 1,339 yards and 18 touchdowns in leading the Trailblazers to the brink of a championship.

Rho Mecham, Lyman. The Eagles’ defense was rock solid last year’s title run, and Mecham was a big reason why. His 10 sacks led Class 2A, and his 86 total tackles was one short of the team lead. On a defense that will need younger players to step up to maintain its success, Mecham’s presence will be huge.

Four key games

Lovell at Mountain View, Sept. 10. Two teams with a ton to prove this year meet in the West Conference opener, with the winner putting a big stamp of validity on its claims to a title run. A victory here means wonders; a loss isn’t the end of hopes, but it makes the rest of the season a lot more stressful.

Upton-Sundance at Wheatland, Sept. 17. The Patriots are 3-0 against the Bulldogs the past three seasons, so if Wheatland wants to make a run at the East Conference title, the first task is to overcome that trend. The Bulldogs do draw home-field advantage, but if history is any indicator, the Patriots won’t be an easy team to topple.

Big Piney at Lyman, Sept. 23. The Eagles’ only loss last year came to the Punchers, odd considering Lyman went on to win the 2A title and Big Piney missed the playoffs. The Eagles will certainly be motivated here, as will the Punchers as both teams try to keep their postseason dreams going in a tight West race.

Big Horn at Torrington, Oct. 1. Another lost moment in the 2020 season was the Rams’ victory against the Trailblazers in the programs’ first game against each other. The rematch in Week 5 will help dictate the direction of the East Conference for the rest of the regular season.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Torrington, Wheatland, Upton-Sundance, Burns, Tongue River, Big Horn, Newcastle, Glenrock.

West Conference: Lyman, Mountain View, Lovell, Big Piney, Cokeville, Thermopolis, Kemmerer, Pinedale.

Preseason top five: 1. Torrington; 2. Wheatland; 3. Lyman; 4. Upton-Sundance; 5. Mountain View.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Torrington 34, Wheatland 27. Two longtime rivals in a championship game? You love to see it. Unless, well, you’re from one of the 14 other programs trying to prevent this kind of game from happening.

Would you be down for a southeastern Wyoming championship? If not, who’s going to mess up a pairing like that, for the better? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

Next Thursday: Class 3A.

–patrick

Somehow, in Class 1A nine-man this year, the rich get richer.

Southeast and Lusk, last year’s participants in the championship game, combining for seven returning all-state players. The rest of the classification combined also has seven returning all-state players.

The embarrassment of riches flowing from Lusk and Yoder makes it hard to see how any other teams could challenge either the defending champion Cyclones or last year’s runner-up Tigers.

However, the name “Shoshoni” popped up a lot in conversations with coaches this summer, and the Wranglers might be the best in the West.

And remember how I mentioned that the rest of the state had seven returning all-state players? Well, four of those are in Pine Bluffs, a team that could challenge Lusk and Southeast from within its own conference and prove to be a title contender, too.

Four questions to answer

Are we going to see another Southeast-Lusk championship game? Possibly. On paper, the defending champion Cyclones from Yoder and the last year’s runner-up Tigers from Lusk have the two strongest teams in Class 1A nine-man. Southeast was hit harder by graduation, giving Lusk an early edge in the chase for the 2021 title.

Is anyone else a threat? Not really. Shoshoni and Rocky Mountain are the two teams in the West with the highest preseason expectations, and Pine Bluffs will be improved as well. Those three teams are the most likely outside shots at a title, and on a good day they could give Southeast and Lusk true challenges — but they’re not the favorites.

Will another running back crack 3,000 yards this year? Don’t count on it. Drake Lamp did that for Lusk last year, rushing for 3,057 yards; no other player was above 1,300, showing just how much of an anomaly the record-setting year actually was. If any running back is capable of it, though, maybe it’ll be Lamp’s replacement in Lusk, as the Tigers return all of their starters on the offensive line.

Will we field a full set of teams this year? Thankfully, yes. Last year’s schedule was a bit wonky as both St. Stephens and Wyoming Indian had to cancel their seasons due to COVID-19 restrictions in their school districts. Both the Eagles and Chiefs are ready to return this fall, adding depth to nine-man as a whole and, more importantly, giving two more groups of high schoolers the opportunity to play high school football.

Preseason class MVP

Cord Herring, Southeast. A first-team Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 player last year, Herring will be key to the Cyclones’ title defense. He ran for 797 yards and 17 touchdowns last year and also led the Cyclones in defensive points. His role will be even bigger in 2021.

Presesason class breakout player

Dylan Molzahn, Lusk. On a team with a 3,000-yard rusher last year, Molzahn still managed 572 rushing yards and six TDs last season. His role should expand greatly in 2021 as opportunities for carries that weren’t there last year will be this year.

Other players to watch

Ryan Clapper, Southeast. Clapper is one of only two two-time all-state players playing in Class 1A nine-man this year. He’s made his mark most definitively as the leader of Southeast’s diverse backfield, averaging 10.6 yards per carry, finishing with 1,090 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season.

Pehton Truempler, Shoshoni. The junior will be at the forefront of the Wranglers’ offensive and defensive plans this fall. He leads all of the Wranglers’ returners in tackles with 98. He also ran for 537 yards and eight touchdowns last year. He’ll be asked to do even more in 2021.

Dayne Lamp, Lusk. As a sophomore, Lamp finished with more tackles (157) than any other player in Class 1A nine-man. He also helped clear the way on the Tiger offensive line. Watch for his game to expand this season as the Tigers mount a run at a title.

Stu Lerwick, Pine Bluffs. The Hornets had the top passing game in 1A nine-man last year, and Lerwick was the architect. As a sophomore, he led nine-man with 1,857 passing yards, completing more than 55% of his passes. No other returning quarterback in nine-man this year threw for more than 900 yards last year; Lerwick’s 2020 total more than doubles that.

Four key games

Shoshoni at Rocky Mountain, Sept. 10. Barring something unexpected, the Grizzlies and Wranglers are likely the top two teams in the West, and this conference opener for both teams will have big implications come season’s end.

Lusk at Pine Bluffs, Sept. 10. The Hornets have an opportunity to turn an entire classification on its ear if they can knock off the Tigers in the conference opener. Pine Bluffs has all four of its all-state selections coming back and could be a challenger in the East, but the Tigers will be a challenge right off the bat.

Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens, Oct. 14. After a year away, the Chiefs and Eagles get to return to the field this year. These two programs have a deep basketball rivalry but have only played each other in football once, in 2013. With Shoshoni and Wind River also in the West Conference, it will be fun to watch how these Fremont County rivalries develop now that everyone is back.

Southeast at Lusk, Oct. 15. The game that decided the 1A nine-man championship last year could also decide the East Conference champion this year. As noted, both the Cyclones and Tigers have lots of returning experience, making this one THE most anticipated game of the season.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Lusk, Southeast, Pine Bluffs, Moorcroft, Saratoga, Lingle, Wright.

West Conference: Shoshoni, Rocky Mountain, Riverside, Greybull, Wind River, St. Stephens, Wyoming Indian.

Preseason top five: 1. Lusk, 2. Southeast, 3. Pine Bluffs, 4. Shoshoni, 5. Rocky Mountain.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Lusk 37, Southeast 24. On paper, the Tigers are nine-man’s most balanced and most talented team. But the East Conference is loaded this season, full of teams ready to capitalize if the Tigers slip.

Is a Lusk-Southeast rematch a nine-man inevitability? Or is there another team that we’re overlooking who will be hoisting the trophy in November? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

Next Thursday: Class 2A.

–patrick

Farson’s second undefeated season in three years was yet another demonstration of the high standards set in six-man.

I mentioned this stat in last season’s preview, but it’s worth repeating: The combined record of the 11 six-man champs since 2009 is 126-2. Kaycee’s 2015 team is the only champ who had an in-state loss in that time.

Seemingly the question in six-man isn’t who will win — it’s who will dominate.

Among the suitors are basically every team in the West Conference and a handful in the East. Any one of about six or seven teams could be the one to rise up this year. Moreover, six-man is slimmer this year, as both Ten Sleep and NSI Academy are gone for the year — Ten Sleep dropping temporarily due to low numbers, NSI Academy gone for good due to the closure of the school.

Six-man’s sleeker, but tougher, look for 2021 has many potential endings. But if history is any indicator, the result in November will be an undefeated season for someone.

Four questions to answer

Which is the stronger conference? The West, by far. All six of the returning all-state players in six-man are in the West Conference. The West has six teams this year to the East’s five, with no weaklings in the group. And three of last year’s final four came from the West. Watch for similar dominance this year.

Of those West teams, who’s looking the most like a champ? On paper, Meeteetse. The Longhorns had a huge breakthrough season in 2020 and finished as runners-up to Farson. They did lose some key players to graduation but return some of six-man’s best playmakers, and in six-man, that’s huge.

Who else is in the discussion? Everyone in the West. Snake River didn’t graduate anyone; Dubois was young but explosive; Encampment nearly dethroned Farson in the semis and gets back several important players; Burlington is always a tough draw; Farson is the defending champ. Be ready for parity and lots of it.

So the East is really that weak? This year, yes. Kaycee, despite losing all three of its all-state picks from last year, is the best of the bunch in early goings in the East, and Hulett and Guernsey-Sunrise could be competitive, too. Those teams are the favorites on that side of the state and are the conference’s best hopes for a playoff victory. However, every team in the East is chasing to catch up to the standard set in the West.

Preseason class MVP

Dace Bennett, Meeteetse. Bennett was the only player in 1A six-man last year to both run and throw for at least 1,000 yards. The Longhorns’ field general completed 89 of 187 passes for 1,406 yards and 28 touchdowns and also ran for 1,282 yards and 23 touchdowns. He led six-man in all-purpose yards. He also had 100 tackles and four interceptions on defense.

Presesason class breakout player

Vaun Pierson, Kaycee. The only returning player in the state to earn all-conference honors as a freshman, Pierson showed early on that he could hang with six-man’s top players. With Kaycee graduating three all-state players, Pierson will have more opportunities on both sides of the ball; with another year of growth and maturity, he could set the pace for others to follow.

Other players to watch

Zander Risner, Snake River. Risner is a two-time all-state selection already, and his defensive prowess has earned him those honors. He tied for the lead in six-man with 21 tackles for loss last year and was fourth overall in the classification with 121 total tackles. His leadership will be key on a Snake River team that’s still young.

Koye Gilbert, Encampment. Gilbert was one of six-man’s top receivers last year. He had 32 catches for 524 yards and nine touchdowns last year. He was also one of the classification’s top defensive players, finishing seventh in six-man in defensive points per game while notching 86 tackles, three sacks, four fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks.

Max Claar, Dubois. Claar is a senior on a team full of younger players, so his leadership will be just as important as his play. His play is clear, though: He led Dubois in scoring last season, was third in tackles and found success both running and receiving the ball.

Kalvin Erickson, Meeteetse. Erickson led six-man in receiving yards (695) and receiving touchdowns (15) and was second in the classification in catches (33). He also led the classification in total tackles with 153 for the season. If that isn’t an all-around player, who is?

Four key games

Encampment at Snake River, Sept. 10. The Carbon County adversaries meet in Week 2 in both teams’ West Conference openers. A loss here will be difficult to overcome for either team — stakes that seem almost unfair to have so early in the season.

Dubois at Meeteetse, Sept. 18. Dubois hung tight with Meeteetse last year, and with another year of experience, the young Rams could put themselves on everyone’s radar if they can finish the job they couldn’t in 2020. Meeteetse should be ready this time around, though.

Hulett at Guernsey, Oct. 1. After Kaycee, the Red Devils and Vikings return more key players than any other squads in the East. This game could end up deciding who’s at home in the first round of the playoffs, something that may end up being key if either wants to pull off that elusive first-round upset.

Farson at Meeteetse, Oct. 16. The rematch of the 2020 title game comes in Week 7, and chances are good that by the time this game rolls around, last year will be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. Both teams have high hopes this year, and how they perform in this game could dictate each team’s postseason direction.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Kaycee, Hulett, Guernsey, Hanna, Midwest.

West Conference: Meeteetse, Snake River, Encampment, Farson, Dubois, Burlington.

Preseason top five: 1. Meeteetse; 2. Snake River; 3. Encampment; 4. Kaycee; 5. Farson.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Meeteetse 48, Snake River 40. The Longhorns have the playmakers and the experience to do big things this season. The biggest question mark will be surviving a rugged West Conference loaded with capable teams.

What do you think? Who’s ready for that unbeaten season that has become six-man’s standard? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

Next Thursday: Class 1A nine-man.

–patrick

It’s never too early to look ahead — and in that spirit, here are the top five teams entering 2021 for every classification of Wyoming high school football. Obviously, these lists were put together way too early, but that’s part of the fun, right?

Class 4A
1. Sheridan: The Broncs return three all-conference players, tied for the most in 4A, and will have both speed and strength returning.
2. Cheyenne East: Last year’s champs lose a lot to graduation but do return all-state receiver/defensive back Gavin Goff.
3. Rock Springs: The Tigers have two all-staters back in Isaac Schoenfeld and Cadon Shaklee and could break through with them leading the way.
4. Thunder Basin: The ‘Bolts will need to reload after all but one all-conference player; that one, though, is QB Ryan Baker.
5. Cheyenne Central: If the Indians can recover from last year’s rough ending, they’ll be tough again.
Wild card: Natrona. The Mustangs lose a lot to graduation but also consistently develop talent quickly in a big program.

Class 3A
1. Jackson: The Broncs are loaded for a title run: All six of Jackson’s all-state selections this year were juniors.
2. Cody: With four returning all-staters, the defending champs will be tough to beat.
3. Douglas: The Bearcats return some talented playmakers, particularly RB Keltan Ewing and WR Rylan Wehr.
4. Powell: Three returning all-staters will keep the Panthers capable of playing with anyone in 3A.
5. Star Valley: Count out the Braves at your peril; they’ve got enough returners to stay competitive.
Wild card: Lander. The Tigers have gotten consistently tough the past couple years but are still looking for a postseason breakthrough.

Class 2A
1. Torrington: Three returning all-staters, more than anyone else in 2A, put the Trailblazers in the catbird seat.
2. Lyman: Rho Mecham and McCoy Smith give the defending champs a good base from which to build.
3. Wheatland: Kade Preuit is a tough QB to stop, and he’ll have help around him to keep the Bulldogs growing.
4. Upton-Sundance: In a tough East Conference, the Patriots’ three returning all-conference players will be key.
5. Cokeville: Three returning all-conference players, tied with Lyman for most in the West, will boost the Panthers.
Wild card: Mountain View. The Buffalos’ young players will have to grow quickly for them to remain a West threat.

Class 1A nine-man
1. Lusk: The Tigers return five all-state players, most in nine-man, giving last year’s runners-up a good base.
2. Pine Bluffs: All four of the Hornets’ all-state selections are returning in 2021, so watch out.
3. Southeast: The defending champs graduate a lot but do get back all-staters Cord Herring and Ryan Clapper.
4. Shoshoni: The Wranglers return four all-conference selections, most in the West Conference.
5. Moorcroft: All-state QB Zane Linder leads a growing group of Wolves who could surprise.
Wild card: Riverside. The Rebels could be a fun team to watch grow next year.

Class 1A six-man
1. Meeteetse: With only six all-staters coming back in the entire class, Meeteetse has the upper hand by returning two.
2. Encampment: Koye Gilbert is a playmaker, and the Tigers proved in 2020 they’re never to be counted out.
3. Kaycee: The Buckaroos return three all-conference selections, most in six-man this year.
4. Snake River: The young Rattlers return their key playmakers and are on the rise.
5. Farson: Cree Jones is the only returning all-state or all-conference player for the defending champs.
Wild card: Dubois. The West will be tight again, but the young Rams showed flashes of competitiveness last year.

What do you think? Who’s ready for a title run in 2021? Leave your thoughts in a comment, and let’s think way too hard about something that’s still months and months away.

–patrick

The 2020 Wyoming high school football guide, previewing every active team in the state, is out!

Click here to read it.

Free print copies will be available in print at the locations of all the advertisers, hopefully within a few days (depending on how fast the mail can make it happen). Be sure to support the advertisers who are in the magazine — this can’t happen without them!

Also, a HUGE thanks to the publishers, CNS Inc., for putting it all together — they do they layout, sell the ads and handle distribution.

–patrick

It’s impossible to talk about Class 4A football in Wyoming without talking about the influence of the Big Four.

Combined, the group of Sheridan, Natrona, Cheyenne East, and the unique circumstance of Gillette (up to 2016) and Thunder Basin (since 2017) have combined for 71 playoff victories since 2009.

The other 4A programs in Wyoming — Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne South, Kelly Walsh, Rock Springs and Laramie, and previously Evanston (left after 2016) and Green River (left after 2010) — have combined for six.

The stratification seemed to break a bit in 2019, as Cheyenne Central reached the semifinals while Natrona didn’t. Even so, two Big Four programs — Sheridan and Thunder Basin — met for the championship.

Sheridan won the big-school championship for the fourth time in five years, continuing the Big Four’s domination over the classification.

Central’s resurgence, though, is showing the path other 4A schools can take to challenge the supremacy of the programs that have dominated the goings-on for a decade.

Four questions to answer

Is the guard really changing in Class 4A? Yes, but don’t get too excited. Cheyenne Central — which hadn’t won a playoff game since 2009 prior to last year — will be the fifth team in the title chase, breaking up the “Big Four” of Cheyenne East, Thunder Basin, Sheridan and Natrona. And Rock Springs is hovering. However, there’s still a clear split between the top and the bottom of the classification.

Who’s going to win it all this year? Probably a team from Cheyenne. Both East and Central are absolutely loaded this year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them play each other in a title game in November. That said, Sheridan can never be counted out, Thunder Basin will again be extremely talented, and Natrona lacks experience but has loads of tradition and depth.

Any hope for anyone else? Not really. I love what I saw from Rock Springs last year, and if they can turn close losses into close victories, the Tigers can be one of those teams other coaches hate to see on a schedule. Campbell County showed some spunk in the quarterfinals, too. And Laramie’s been the beneficiary of a transfer boom. All that said, a quarterfinal victory for anyone who’s not Thunder Basin, East, Central, Natrona or Sheridan would be a surprise. Central’s entry into this discussion is welcome surprise in a staid 4A, but a surprise nonetheless.

Really — nothing about Sheridan? OK, time for the Broncs to get their love. They deserve it. With four championships in five years, Sheridan can never be ruled out of a 4A championship chase. No program develops talent faster or more consistently than the one up north.

Four players to watch

Graedyn Buell, Cheyenne East. Buell did something pretty rare last year — he was named the Class 4A offensive player of the year as a junior. The stats back that choice, though. He led the entire state regardless of classification with 2,989 passing yards, completing 201 of 327 passes while sporting a 35-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Carter Lobatos, Cheyenne Central. No player in Wyoming will be a bigger threat on both offense and defense than Lobatos. He led the Indians’ rushing attack with 1,238 yards last year, and he also led Central’s defense with 127 tackles — second-best in 4A last year.

Jaxon Pikula, Thunder Basin. Pikula was a consistent threat out of Thunder Basin’s backfield, running for 1,189 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. He also caught 17 passes for 129 yards as part of a balanced ‘Bolts offense.

Andrew Johnson, Cheyenne Central. Johnson led Class 4A in receptions last year with 73 and was second in receiving yards with 994. But on defense, he finished with five interceptions and 10 pass deflections, numbers that no other returning player in 4A could match in 2019.

Four key games

Week 0 games, Aug. 28. The opening week of the season gives us two critical games that will go a long way in shaping this season’s 4A race — Central at Natrona and East at Thunder Basin. Both Cheyenne teams have high hopes, and if they can anchor those hopes to a 1-0 record, those hopes turn into expectations.

Thunder Basin at Rock Springs, Sept. 4. The Tigers could be 4A’s biggest surprise this year. All it would take is a couple attention-getting victories early in the season. Rock Springs has no better opportunity than this game against the ‘Bolts in Sweetwater County in the second game of the season.

Cheyenne East at Sheridan, Sept. 25. The Broncs have won the past seven games they’ve had with the Thunderbirds. East will need to find a way past Sheridan, at Homer Scott Field, to really show it belongs in the championship conversation.

Cheyenne East at Cheyenne Central, Oct. 9. The annual Capital Bowl takes on added fervor in 2020 with both teams trying to stake claims to the top spot in 4A. This might be the most critical rendition of the intra-city rivalry in more than a decade.

Predicted order of finish

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

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Cheyenne East 33, Sheridan 26. Class 4A will probably be (and normally is) the classification with the most variability between teams from the beginning to the end of a season. The game we see between them in September will probably be wildly different from any playoff rematch.

What do you think about 4A’s changes? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

–patrick

With four championships in five years, discussions of Class 3A football usually begin — and often end — with Star Valley.

The Braves from Afton rolled up a 12-0 season last year, facing a slate full of challengers all gunning to take them down. None did, and the Braves were champs yet again.

For Star Valley to win a fifth title in six years, though, they’ll have to replace a graduating class for the ages.

But isn’t that what’s been happening for the better part of a decade?

Four questions to answer

Is Star Valley’s run over? Maybe. The Braves have won four championships in the past five years, but making it back to a title game will require a lot of growing up. Star Valley lost its top four rushers, top six receivers and 11 of its top 12 tacklers, so another championship run will rely on a bunch of players untested at the varsity level. But the Braves’ JV has been incredibly successful, so they might be up to the task again.

If not the Braves, then who? The West Conference is a murderer’s row of opponents. Cody, Powell and Jackson all have the athleticism, depth and coaching to make the West the kind of conference that demands the best from every team every week.

Will the East Conference have any title threats? Probably not. That said, the top four teams in the East — likely Lander, Riverton, Buffalo and Douglas, although not necessarily in that order — are capable programs. It’s just hard to overlook how easily the West swept the East in the first round of the playoffs last season without thinking something similar could happen again this season. The first three weeks will show us a lot.

What about the new coaches? Oh yeah. That’s a huge shift in 3A this year.  Green River, Powell, Riverton and Worland all have new coaches this fall. Don’t expect wholesale changes for any of them, but do expect to see some tweaks that we didn’t see last year from each of these programs.

Four players to watch

Hyrum Hatch, Buffalo. Already a two-time all-state selection in Class 2A, Hatch will be one of 3A’s top players. He’s especially tough to stop on defense, where led the Bison defense in tackles a year ago with 100 and notched 34 solo tackles.

Brant Nelson, Star Valley. If the Braves are going to continue to run up championships, Nelson will be a big part of it. He completed an otherworldly 71.3 percent of his passes last year, completing 92 of 129 for 1,229 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. That’ll keep an offense running.

Jack Sweeney, Lander. Sweeney’s a double threat. He’s one of 3A’s top returning running backs, as he notched 534 yards and seven TDs last year. But he might be even more valuable on defense, where he finished tied for fourth in 3A in defensive points per game last year.

Colter Dawson, Jackson. Only a junior, Dawson was one of 3A’s best defensive players last year. The linebacker had 108 tackles, including 10 for loss, and tied Sweeney for fourth in 3A with just more than 19 defensive points per game.

Four key games

Cody at Powell, Sept. 25. If the Broncs haven’t had this game circled on their calendars since five minutes after the end of last season, they’d be crazy. The Broncs were supposed to be the ones in Laramie; instead, Powell went. Revenge might be too kind a word for what Cody wants, but Powell isn’t an easy out by any stretch.

Star Valley at Jackson, Sept. 25. West Conference play starts for the defending champs against their regional rivals in the Fall Brawl. Jackson would absolutely love to get this one and force Star Valley to chase — a position the Braves haven’t faced in a long time.

Lander at Riverton, Oct. 9. Combined, the Tigers and Wolverines have 10 returning all-conference selections; the rest of the teams in the East Conference have a combined six. So, yeah, in addition to being Fremont County’s premiere rivalry, the conference championship may end up being decided here.

Douglas at Buffalo, Oct. 16. Back in the same conference after a couple years separated, the longtime rivals both have high goals this season. This game often decides who wins the conference, or at minimum who hosts a playoff game; this year’s game will likely have similar high stakes.

Predicted order of finish

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

Preseason top five: 1. Star Valley; 2. Powell; 3. Jackson; 4. Cody; 5. Lander.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Star Valley 20, Powell 18. The kings of 3A are kings for a reason. West foes Powell, Cody and Jackson are all capable of throwing the Braves off the path (or winning the title themselves), but come the postseason, the Braves’ newbies won’t be newbies anymore.

Do you think this is the year for a team aside from Star Valley? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

Next Thursday: Class 4A.

–patrick

“Cokeville and Torrington are in the same classification.”

If someone would have said this to you 10, or 20, or 50 years ago, no one would have blamed you for doing a double-take.

But that’s Class 2A in 2020 for you.

Big Horn, Upton-Sundance and Cokeville are opting up. Torrington is shifting in due to reclassification. Buffalo, Greybull and Moorcroft are gone. Thermopolis is switching conferences.

Those shifts alone would normally be enough to turn an entire classification into a head-scratcher. On top of that, though, the returning talent in Class 2A is spread out across multiple teams.

Expect upsets, uncertainty and unpredictability.

Four questions to answer

What’s new in 2A? Is “everything” too strong a word? Class 2A’s dynamics shifted completely with the introduction of five new programs (Big Horn, Upton-Sundance, Torrington, Tongue River, Cokeville) and the departure of three others (Buffalo, Greybull, Moorcroft). Those changes may have made 2A the most interesting, and competitive, classification of football in Wyoming.

Which conference will be the most fun to follow? The West. At the top, this was a boring conference in 2019: Mountain View won its six conference games by an average of 49.33 points. But of the six games between the teams that finished in spots 2-5 in the conference standings (Lyman, Big Piney, Lovell and Pinedale), five were decided by eight points or fewer. Those four teams return similar levels of talent. And with Mountain View graduating a bunch, with semifinalist Thermopolis moving from the East to the West Conference, and with 1A power Cokeville opting up, the 2A West could be the most parity-filled conference in the state regardless of classification.

So no love for the East? The West will be fun to follow for its parity. The East will be fun to follow for its uncertainty. With four new teams, including a handful who have never faced each other, the East will be a new adventure every single week. And that’ll be a blast.

So who’s gonna win it all? Lulz. Of course, defending 1A 11-man champ Big Horn is up there, as is last year’s 2A champ Mountain View. But at least four or five other teams are true, legit threats to make it to the 2A championship this season. Watch out for Thermopolis, Upton-Sundance, Torrington, Wheatland, Big Piney, Lovell, Cokeville and Lyman; they’re all capable of a title-game run.

Four players to watch

Carson Bates, Big Horn. Bates will likely be a three-time all-state selection by the time the season is done, and with good reason. He’s a dual threat on offense — he ran for 1,169 yards and also had 523 receiving yards last year. But he might be the most prominent big-play threat in 2A this year, and his 12.6 yards per carry helps show that.

Nate Barnes, Cokeville. Barnes was Cokeville’s top player on both offense and defense — and that’s saying something. As a junior, he ran for 996 yards and eight touchdowns, but he also fronted Cokeville’s defense with 151 total tackles, a number topped by only one other player in all of 11-man football in Wyoming last year.

Logan Cole, Thermopolis. A two-time all-state selection, Cole had a smaller piece of the running game last year but was a bigger piece of the Bobcats’ approach in the passing game and, maybe even more critically, on defense, where he comes into 2020 as Thermop’s leading returning tackler. As his game grows, he’ll be even more versatile.

Colby White, Pinedale. What more can he do? White was one of 2A’s top tacklers a year ago, finishing second in the class in defensive points per game while notching 82 total tackles, including 32 solo and seven for loss. He also led the Wranglers’ rushing game with 803 yards.

Four key games

Week 2’s West Conference games, Sept. 11. As noted, the West will be a parity-filled conference this year. Gaining a victory early could be the momentum spark for the rest of the season, so those Week 2 games (Big Piney at Thermopolis, Lyman at Cokeville, Mountain View at Lovell and Pinedale at Kemmerer) will be crucial.

Wheatland at Torrington, Oct. 16. If anyone in the East can hang with the Rams or Patriots, it’ll likely be one of these two. If the Bulldogs or ‘Blazers can knock off either one of the frontrunners, this Week 7 rivalry game could have huge playoff implications.

Mountain View at Thermopolis, Oct. 16. Don’t forget how good of a season the Bobcats had last fall. They proved to be true 2A contenders. Even with all the parity in the West, this Week 7 matchup could decide who the conference’s top seed is in the playoffs.

Big Horn at Upton-Sundance, Oct. 23. The showdown between what might be the top two teams in the East doesn’t come until Week 8. The Rams have historically dominated this series, but both teams could be undefeated in conference play by the time this one rolls around.

Predicted order of finish

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

Preseason top five: 1. Big Horn; 2. Mountain View; 3. Thermopolis; 4. Upton-Sundance; 5. Torrington.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Big Horn 35, Mountain View 30. Even with a move up, the Rams are still loaded for a deep playoff run in 2020. Don’t be surprised to see them win their third in a row.

What are your thoughts on an expanded Class 2A field, 16 teams deep? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

Next Thursday: Class 3A.

–patrick

No classification exemplifies the changes that reclassification can bring like Class 1A nine-man.

The classification came together in two waves — one the wave of programs who decided against opting up to 11-man and playing in Class 2A, the other wave the group of six-man schools who made the jump up.

Somehow, they all fit together in nine-man. Wyoming’s first attempt at a nine-man classification since 1994 is a fun experiment. Whether it will last is still up for debate, but the longevity of nine-man will, one way or another, be influenced by the first season.

Last time Wyoming messed around with nine-man, it lasted only six years.

This time, two waves of misfits will help decide if nine-man is a failed experiment or a fixture for years to come.

Four questions to answer

What should we expect from this classification in 2020? In short, who knows? This classification didn’t even exist last year, and as an amalgamation of former 11-man and six-man teams, literally anything is possible. The only team that reached the 1A 11-man semifinals last year that’s still around in 1A nine-man this year is Southeast, and that vacuum at the top creates all kinds of opportunities for something new.

Does any one team have the advantage in nine-man’s first season? No. But three teams keep getting mentioned by nine-man coaches: Lusk, Southeast and Rocky Mountain. Those programs have the talent and experience that other coaches envy, and that edge puts those three programs near the top in nine-man’s first go-round.

What about the former six-man programs? Watch out. Four former six-man teams are moving to nine-man this year, and they’ve all got potential. Saratoga, Riverside and Lingle all bring back at least one player who was all-state at six-man.

What’s the most overlooked thing about nine-man’s new setup? The renewed rivalries. Lingle-Southeast is returning to Goshen County, and Riverside-Greybull comes back to Big Horn County. Meanwhile, four Fremont County schools (Wyoming Indian, St. Stephens, Shoshoni and Wind River) form a quadrant of regional rivalries that will be fun to explore.

Four players to watch

Drake Lamp, Lusk. Lamp is trying for something rare this season — his fourth all-state selection. He led Class 1A 11-man in rushing last season in both total yards (1,633) and yards per game (204.1). But he’s never had a chance to play in a playoff game, and that’s gotta be motivating.

Tryston Truempler, Shoshoni. Truempler is the Wranglers’ go-to player. He was third in all of Class 1A 11-man last season with 26.4 defensive points per game and was by far Shoshoni’s leading tackler. On offense, the quarterback also led Shoshoni in both passing yards (747) and rushing yards (640), accounting for 11 touchdowns.

Tyler Banks, Rocky Mountain. On a senior-laden Grizzly team, Banks has plenty of support. But his role as a leader on both sides of the ball can’t be understated — he ran for 1,049 yards and eight TDs last year and was also second on the team with 66 tackles.

Noah Rimmer, Saratoga. Rimmer is a beast for the Panthers. He led Class 1A six-man in receiving yards last year despite not playing in the postseason, and he finished fourth in six-man in defensive points. His skills translate well to nine-man, and he’ll help the Panthers stay in the East Conference race.

Four key games

East-West Jamboree, Aug. 28. In a classification with so much uncertainty, a series of scrimmages during Zero Week in Casper could be the source of a lot of clarification. Nine teams are scheduled to attend the first-of-its-kind mass nine-man jamboree.

Lingle at Southeast, Sept. 11. Both the Doggers and Cyclones want to challenge for the No. 1 spot in the East Conference. The fact that the Goshen County rivals face each other in the conference opener is certainly clear, and motivating, to both squads.

Rocky Mountain at Shoshoni, Sept. 11. Two top contenders for the West Conference championship also meet in the conference opener in Week 2. This game, win or lose, will help set the pace for the rest of the season in the West.

Riverside at Greybull, Oct. 9. These two southern Big Horn County rivals haven’t played each other since 2014, and Riverside hasn’t won this game since 2008. Having the rivalry back is nice, but this game will also likely have big postseason implications, too.

Predicted order of finish

East Conference: Southeast, Lusk, Saratoga, Lingle, Moorcroft, Wright, Pine Bluffs. West Conference: Rocky Mountain, Shoshoni, Riverside, Greybull, Wind River, Wyoming Indian, St. Stephens.

Preseason top five: 1. Southeast; 2. Rocky Mountain; 3. Lusk; 4. Shoshoni; 5. Saratoga.

Way-too-early title game score prediction

Southeast 28, Rocky Mountain 26. Class 1A nine-man should be a class full of parity, and several other teams have the goods to make championship runs. On paper, though, the Cyclones and Grizzlies have the best chances to be the last two teams in November.

How much fun will the uncertainty of nine-man bring to us in 2020? Leave a comment, or drop a line on Twitter or Facebook.

Next Thursday: Class 2A.

–patrick