The two things we all could use more of are time and money.
And if I had both of those things in an unlimited supply, I would use it to venture around the state, catching football game after football game.
Work through the scheduling and travel logistics, and I could make it to 31 games over the nine regular-season weeks of the year. And, after consulting the 2023 schedule, here’s what I’d hit up, when I’d hit it up and why I’d hit it up to enjoy the season without time or money worries:
Week 0 Thursday, Aug. 24: Kemmerer at Cokeville scrimmage, 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25: Malad, Idaho, at Lyman, 3 p.m.; Kelly Walsh at Rock Springs, 6 p.m. The only Zero Week Thursday action is in Lincoln County, so a Southwest swing makes the most sense. Picking up the Eagles in some interstate action, plus a 4A game to cap the weekend, is a good way to start a busy season.
Week 1 Tuesday, Aug. 29: Casper Christian at Meeteetse, 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31: Shoshoni at Pine Bluffs, 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1: Riverside at Southeast, 2 p.m.; St. Stephens at Lingle, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2: Burlington JV at Casper Christian, 1 p.m. The only Tuesday game of the year is one of the Week 1 highlights. The Thursday game between Shoshoni and Pine Bluffs, a rematch of last year’s 1A nine-man title game, is the can’t miss game of the week, but seeing the two Goshen County nine-man teams is also an opportunity that’s not worth missing. The only in-state game on Saturday is Casper Christian, again, so we’ll see the Mountaineers, Wyoming’s newest football program, twice in a week.
Week 2 Friday, Sept. 8: Lovell at Cokeville, 1 p.m.; Sugar-Salem, Idaho, at Star Valley, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9: Dubois at Snake River, 2 p.m. Lincoln County gives us two of what might be the best games of Week 2, so it made sense to hit up both of them. It’s a long drive from Afton to Baggs on Saturday morning, but worth it to see what might be the most important six-man game of the year.
Week 3 Thursday, Sept. 14: Rocky Mountain at Wyoming Indian, 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15: Ten Sleep at Kaycee, 2 p.m.; Kelly Walsh at Natrona, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16: Farson at Casper Christian, noon; Burlington at Midwest, 5 p.m. We’re a little all over the place, but that’s OK — in the middle of everything is the Oil Bowl, and that should make it all worth it. Saturday’s schedule allows us to pick up two more six-man games in Natrona County, so why not?
Week 4 Thursday, Sept. 21: Big Piney at Wind River, 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22: Meeteetse at Burlington, 2 p.m.; Douglas at Worland, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23: Shoshoni at Rocky Mountain, 2 p.m. The 1A nine-man West Conference should be crazy this year, and no two games personify that better than the Thursday and Saturday games in Week 4. In between are two more Bighorn Basin games that should be worth the admission price.
Week 5 Friday, Sept. 29: Sheridan at Cheyenne East, 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30: Midwest at Hanna, noon. Other options could have gotten me more games, but there’s absolutely no way I’m missing the Sheridan-East game, a rematch of last year’s 4A championship game. So with that game the priority, others had to fall by the wayside — except Hanna.
Week 6 Thursday, Oct. 5: Ten Sleep at Meeteetse, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6: Star Valley at Cody, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7: Wyoming Indian at St. Stephens, noon. Again, other ways could have landed more games, but Star Valley-Cody was must-see football last season and could be again this season. I’m not taking the risk of missing it.
Week 7 Thursday, Oct. 12: Rocky Mountain at St. Stephens, noon. Friday, Oct. 13: Big Horn at Tongue River, 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14: Kaycee at Hulett, 11 a.m. For the third straight week, I’m taking quality over quantity and finally making my way up to the far Northeast corner. The Thunder Bowl between Big Horn and Tongue River will be huge this year, at least on paper, and I wouldn’t want to miss it.
Week 8 Thursday, Oct. 19: Cokeville at Lyman, 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20: Douglas at Lander, 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21: Burlington at Dubois, 1:30 p.m. The Week 8 schedule is heavy on Friday night games, and with a Thursday schedule that’s heavily skewed toward teams on the west side of the state, this schedule will do quite nicely.
What’s your can’t-miss game of the 2023 season, at least before the season starts? Leave a comment below.
The Wyoming high school football preview magazine — which I write every summer — mentions several hundred Wyoming high school football players before each season.
Every once in a while, though, somebody who should be a part of their team’s story that year isn’t there.
Sometimes, the reasons are explainable, and some reasons more common than others. Moved away. Ineligible. Transferred. Decided to focus on another sport. Had a falling out with a coach. Incarcerated.
In a dozen years of preview magazines, and almost 20 years of covering high school football in the Equality State, I’ve heard all of these.
But sometimes, when I ask the question “What about ____?”, I can hear an audible sigh from the coach, followed by silence on the other end of the line.
I know what’s coming.
That teenager is dead.
Usually, the coach fills me in on the details. I’ve talked to coaches that have had players who have died in car crashes, drowned on rafting trips, been accidentally shot, and more.
But the hardest reason to hear, by far: He killed himself.
I can’t help but feel my heart break harder for those deaths than the others. And I know why — it’s because that could have been me.
+++
During my freshman and sophomore years in high school, depression manifested in me in the kinds of changes that few people could notice. Even I struggled to see it in the moment. In retrospect — through both individual introspection and therapy — I see it much more clearly, though. Specifically for me, my depression came out in small bits of anger and frustration that grew increasingly more frequent as I got older. By the time I turned 16, right at the start of my sophomore year, I had mastered the “non-response.” If someone said something that brought out my ever-more-frequent feelings of anger or frustration, I stared daggers, but my face didn’t change and my voice stayed silent.
What people didn’t see was how often I turned those daggers inward, beating myself up for my perceived shortcomings. As those moments became more and more frequent, they slowly became tied to thoughts of suicidal ideation.
From an outside perspective, my depression could have simply looked like basic teenager stuff. What teenager doesn’t occasionally come off like a jerk? That’s part of growing up; not every jerk is depressed, and not every depressed person is a jerk. In fact, on a traditional depression checklist, I didn’t hit many of the key indicators that would normally indicate clinical depression.
No matter what, though, the idea of not being there was hard for me to escape.
I didn’t realize that I was struggling as hard as I was until I had an epiphany during my sophomore year. In an instant, I realized something wasn’t right. I asked my parents for help, and fortunately they listened and acted. I started taking antidepressants and going to therapy.
The brain chemistry started changing, slowly at first, although a higher dose of Prozac accelerated the good changes. Therapy gave me more tools to handle my daggers and keep them from stabbing me.
Recovery was proof: I wasn’t broken. I was sick.
Today, more than 20 years later, the sickness still lingers. But now I know how to keep that sickness from killing me.
Unfortunately, not everyone receives that help.
+++
The coaches I talk to always struggle to find the words. Their words represent the same words uttered by family, friends, mentors, community members. We’re never ready for it. Why him? Why now?
I think the surprise is misplaced. In Wyoming, we should be ready for it. And that sucks.
Wyoming ranked first — or last, depending on how you want to look at it — in per capita suicides in 2021, with a rate of 32.3 suicide deaths per 100,000 people, in the last full year that CDC data is available. Wyoming also led the country in per capita suicides in 2020. And 2019. And 2018.
Suicide is the No. 2 cause of death in Wyoming for people from ages 10-44. Men die more often than women, and in Wyoming, 75% of suicide deaths involve a firearm.
But that’s in the aggregate. The individual suicides remain — holes in families, communities, schools and teams that will remain unfilled.
That’s why we have to talk about it.
I believe the only reason I’m alive is that I felt comfortable talking about my emotional darkness with someone I trusted. Maybe most importantly, I had engaged in difficult, emotional, vulnerable conversations already with people that I trusted, and they had shown me they were ready to handle them. Friendship and rapport are a start; love, trust and vulnerability are even better.
Conversation isn’t the sole solution. Even the most trusting and open relationship may not be enough to save someone. But it’s a start.
From the Wyoming Department of Health: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of harming themselves, please call 911. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988or text “WYO” to 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line.
Since the institution of overtime in 1975, Wyoming high school football has had 283 games go into overtime. Some of those games came in the most high-stakes situations — games that decided conference titles, playoff appearances, playoff games or even state championships.
From that group of 283, here are the top 10 overtime games in state history, followed by the “next 10” and then 26 others I found fascinating in their own right.
The top 10
N7/2014 Campbell County 34 Cheyenne East 31 4A SF-2OT: The only OT game of 2014 season gave the Camels a spot in the 4A championship game. Talon Nelson’s 20-yard TD catch in the second overtime boosted the Camels past the Thunderbirds after East could only notch a field goal in that session. Gillette rallied from a 21-7 fourth-quarter deficit with two touchdowns to force overtime.
N15/2013 Powell 19 Douglas 13 3A Championship-at Laramie-OT: In a battle of undefeated teams, Powell survived thanks to Hayden Cragoe’s 1-yard run in overtime and won its third consecutive state championship. Powell’s defense had two interceptions, a blocked extra point and a stuff of Douglas’ fourth-and-1 run in OT, all in advance of Cragoe’s score.
S18/2009 Kelly Walsh 28 Natrona 27 2OT: The Trojans rallied from a 21-0 third-quarter deficit thanks to three touchdowns and an interception on defense from Lucas Nolan. Then, after a scoreless first overtime, the Trojans got a score from Riley Moore to take the lead. A Clay Brownell touchdown pulled Natrona within one, but Cormick Eaton stopped Brownell on the 2-point conversion attempt to give KW the Oil Bowl victory.
N4/2005 Cheyenne Central 23 Natrona 20 5A SF-OT: The Indians rallied from a 17-3 third-quarter deficit to force overtime and upset the Mustangs. The game-tying touchdown from Corey Wheeler in the final minute pushed the game to extra time. Bryan Hill’s 1-yard run sealed the game after Natrona had to settle for a field goal on its OT possession. The Indians beat East in the 5A championship the next week.
O26/2001 Glenrock 33 Big Piney 34 3A SF-OT: Big Piney survived this semifinal thriller only after squandering a 27-0 first-quarter lead. Glenrock rallied to score 27 points of its own in the second and third quarters, setting up overtime. Glenrock’s missed extra point in OT was the difference. Big Piney won the 3A championship the next week.
N3/1990 Rawlins 0 Torrington 6 3A SF-OT: Rawlins, which entered the game at 3-5, nearly pulled off the upset of the century against the undefeated Trailblazers. The only points of the game came on the final play, when Jory Kaufman caught a 7-yard pass from Lance Petsch. Torrington won the 3A title the next week.
O17/1986 Midwest 14 Big Horn 21 OT: Top-ranked Big Horn beat second-ranked Midwest in a game that decided a playoff spot, as the 7-1 Oilers stayed home for the postseason. Peter Pelissier scored the game-winning touchdown and also recovered a Midwest fumble in overtime. But getting to OT was tough for Big Horn, which rallied from a 14-0 deficit with 14 fourth-quarter points. Cecil Garland’s 84-yard touchdown catch with 40 seconds remaining, and Rich Garber’s conversion run, tied the game at 14 and sent it to overtime – that is, after a Midwest touchdown pass with 8 seconds remaining was called back by a penalty.
N5/1983 Buffalo 13 Evanston 12 3A Championship-OT: Evanston missed two chances to win the Class 3A championship – one a field goal on the final play of regulation, the other a 2-point conversion attempt that ended with Buffalo tackling David Petersen just short of the end zone. Steve Pabst scored the game-winner for Buffalo, and Eric Thompson provided the extra point; Brent Sanders brought Evanston within one before opportunity slipped by, again.
O23/1982 Saratoga 28 Moorcroft 20 B SF-OT: Despite trailing 20-0 early in the third quarter, Saratoga rallied and scored the game’s final 28 points, including three touchdowns by David Jones (who ran for 214 yards) and the OT winner from Rob Pigg. The victory sent Saratoga to the Class B championship.
N13/1976 Laramie 40 Cody 41 AA Championship-3OT: One of the most famous championship games in state history, the Broncs beat the Plainsmen in triple overtime to win the Class AA title in Laramie coach John Deti Sr.’s final game. Cody rallied from a 20-8 halftime deficit, and Rob Russell’s extra point in overtime was the difference after the Broncs blocked Laramie’s kick in that frame. Both teams had scored 2-point conversions in the first overtime and missed conversions – Laramie a run, Cody a kick – in the second OT.
The next 10 best
S30 and O3/2022 Lander 29 Riverton 28 OT: This game was delayed in first quarter due to lightning and eventually postponed to the following Monday, but the drama more than made up for the delay. Gabe Harris’ catch on a 2-point conversion cemented the victory for the Tigers in the Fremont County rivalry game that was odder than most.
O2/2020 Sheridan 31 Natrona 38 4OT: Believe it or not, this one was 10-10 in regulation. Natrona scored TDs on all four of its overtime possessions, including three by QB Tyler Hill, and then recovered a fumble by Sheridan on the final play of the game.
N2/2007 Campbell County 34 Cheyenne East 35 5A SF-2OT: The Camels almost produced the most epic goal-line stand in state history, but Alex Stratton scored on a 1-yard plunge on fourth down, and Jeremy Kurz kicked the critical extra point, to boost East into the 5A championship. East blocked the Camels’ extra point attempt in the second OT to set up the opportunity for the final margin. East won the 5A championship a week later.
N9/2002 Star Valley 14 Worland 17 4A Championship – OT: Casey Lass’ 18-yard field goal, shorter than an extra point, was the final play of a defensively focused games where points were in short supply. Marc Bradshaw scored both of Worland’s touchdowns, as the Warriors avenged an 18-16 loss from earlier in the season and won despite being outgained by nearly 100 yards.
O30/1993 Cokeville 22 Southeast 21 1A SF-OT: The Panthers went for the win and reaped the benefits, as Rick Himmerich’s 2-point conversion gave Cokeville the victory. The Panthers led 14-0 early but Tim Williams scored three touchdowns for Southeast to keep the Cyclones in it. Cokeville won the 1A 11-man championship one week later.
N10/1990 Lovell 20 Thermopolis 21 2A Championship-OT: Richie Mitchell’s extra point in overtime gave the Bobcats the 2A title and an undefeated season. Rick McKinney scored twice for Thermopolis and Kovi Christiansen scored twice for Lovell, although the OT touchdowns went to Steve Montanez (Lovell) and Corey Wahler (Thermopolis).
O9/1987 Lovell 22 Greybull 14 OT: Three touchdowns by Steve Sessions, including the go-ahead score in overtime, was the deciding factor that got Lovell into the playoffs, and kept Greybull out, as the Bulldogs marched toward their eventual Class 2A championship. Sessions’ 4-yard score in OT held up as Greybull failed to score on its possession.
O21/1983 Laramie 3 Cheyenne Central 6 2OT: One of Wyoming’s more controversial overtime finishes, the Indians were given new life after the first overtime when their potential game-winning field goal was blocked. Laramie’s John Cowper picked up the blocked kick and ran, but officials blew the play dead. Then, in the second overtime, Laramie scored a field goal but Andre Rudolph’s touchdown ended it all. Laramie protested to the WHSAA, but to no avail. If Laramie would have won, it would have created four-way tie for first in the old EWAC; as it was, Central won outright and beat Rock Springs easily in the 4A championship game.
O3/1980 Evanston 13 Star Valley 14 OT: Star Valley’s Class A championship season never happens without this victory against the Red Devils, who were ranked No. 1 at the time and would have eventually won the conference title (and booted the Braves from the playoffs entirely) if they had gotten this victory. However, the Braves held out the Red Devils on a two-point conversion attempt, as Jamie Lowe’s 2-yard run, and Tod Spencer’s PAT kick, just moments earlier held up.
S9/1977 Newell (SD) 34 Upton 26 5OT: The Wyoming Bobcats and the South Dakota Irrigators combined for a state record for the number of overtimes. After a 14-14 regulation, neither team scored in either of the first two overtimes and then matched each other with 12 combined points in third and fourth overtimes. Brian Pope had the winning touchdown and conversion run in the fifth overtime for Newell, scores that Upton couldn’t match.
The boxscore from the Rapid City Journal for the game between Upton and Newell, S.D., from 1977.
26 others worth your time
S16/2022 Lovell 12 Lyman 6 OT: Jared Mangus’ 6-yard touchdown run on the final play dictated the champion of the 2A West and ended Lyman’s 20-game winning streak.
S13/2019 Laramie 41 Campbell County 48 OT: The victory that broke the Camels’ 21-game losing streak was a wild shootout where 35 points came in the fourth quarter alone. Kaden Race’s 12-yard run and a subsequent defensive stand gave the Camels the victory.
O28/2016 Pinedale 14 Big Horn 20 2A QF-OT: Big Horn’s march to the 2A title almost ended in the first round. The Rams were down 14-0 at half and, even after two scores from Colton Williams, still needed two interceptions in the red zone in the fourth quarter to push it to OT.
S6/2013 Cheyenne East 42 Natrona 41 3OT: The loss, punctuated by a bobbled snap on the final play of the game on an extra-point try, was a portend of things to come for snakebit NC, which lost three OT games that year and four games by one point.
O28/2011 Evanston 27 Cheyenne East 28 4A QF-OT: Jeremy Woods had three touchdowns, including East’s overtime touchdown, to send the Thunderbirds into the 4A semifinals. Extra points were the difference, as East made its kick in OT after Evanston missed its try. East rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit.
S24/2010 Campbell County 27 Sheridan 24 OT: The Camels needed 17 points in the fourth quarter just to get to overtime (an offensive explosion in a game that was 3-0 at halftime), and Jordan Rueschhoff’s two field goals – one with 28 seconds remaining, the second on the final play of the game – gave the Camels the Energy Bowl victory.
N5/2010 Buffalo 24 Cody 21 3A SF-OT: Cody went for the win, but Aaron Tyser made sure the Broncs didn’t get it. Tyser’s tackle on Brady Gulde on fourth-and-2 in overtime – when Cody could have kicked a field goal which, if good, would have prompted a second overtime – sent the Bison to the 3A championship game. Wyatt Witty’s field goal in overtime provided the winning points, which cemented Buffalo’s rally from a 14-0 deficit.
O17/2008 Buffalo 14 Douglas 21 OT CST: In a preview of the 4A championship game that came less than a month later, the Bearcats won the East Conference and secured home-field advantage for the playoffs. Douglas overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to win, with Cody Bohlander’s 10-yard run and a subsequent defensive stand did the trick.
N8/2008 Powell 27 Douglas 28 4A SF-2OT: Cody Bohlander was a busy guy. His 2-point conversion run after a Powell penalty gave the Bearcats just enough to win. Bohlander also scored a 3-yard TD with less than a minute remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime and also scored on another 3-yard run in the second overtime to set up the winning score. Douglas won the 4A title the next week.
S14/2007 Big Horn 13 Riverside 12 OT: In a preview of thriller of a title game a few weeks later, the Rams came out on top thanks to Colby Wollenman’s extra point, sealing the victory after Riverside’s 2-point conversion had failed on their preceding overtime possession. The Rebels got their revenge, though…
O29/2004 Guernsey-Sunrise 24 Burlington 21 1A SF-OT: Shawn King’s field goal in overtime was the difference for the Vikings, who won their first state title in school history the next week.
O28/2000 Cheyenne Central 21 Laramie 27 4A SF-OT: Laramie rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter and scored the game-tying points on David Milam’s 14-yard touchdown catch from Jackson Hoopes with 20 seconds remaining. James Grimes’ 10-yard run sealed the Plainsmen’s berth in the 4A championship game.
O1/1993 Cheyenne Central 20 Natrona 21 2OT: Natrona scored 14 points in the final 57 seconds of regulation on a pair of Josh Kalinowski touchdown passes to send the game to overtime. After a scoreless first overtime, Chase Anfinson’s 10-yard touchdown gave Natrona its lead. Central scored but missed its conversion.
O11/1991 Cheyenne East 21 Cheyenne Central 22 OT: In a season where neither Cheyenne team did much, Central’s victory, assured by Ty Alexander’s touchdown and subsequent 2-point conversion, was the season highlight in the Capital City.
O26/1991 Pine Bluffs 22 Moorcroft 14 1A QF-OT: Pine Bluffs had to score a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with no time remaining in the fourth quarter just to get the game to overtime – and did just that. The Hornets drove more than two-thirds of the field in the final 33 seconds; once in overtime, Duane Gilbert’s 1-yard run gave the Hornets the points they needed.
N2/1991 Star Valley 20 Torrington 13 3A SF-2 OT: In a game the Casper Star-Tribune said was played in minus-28 wind chills, the Braves’ Kade Kennington scored the only touchdown of the second OT period with a 2-yard touchdown run to send the defending state champs packing on their home field. Kennington scored twice in the game, including an 87-yard run in the first quarter.
O20/1989 Douglas 31 Glenrock 37 4OT: Mick Lehner’s final game as the head coach of the Herders was a memorable one, as the Converse County rivals went blow for blow four overtimes deep. Bruce Johnston’s 2-yard TD run sealed the game; Jake Hagar’s fumble recovery of a Bearcat bobble in the first half of the fourth OT gave the Herders the opportunity. It was the second of three consecutive overtime games over three seasons between the Herders and Bearcats.
O25/1988 Green River 0 Evanston 7 1/2 playoff-at Rock Springs OT: This victory in a half-playoff game launched Evanston into the playoffs. Then the Red Devils knocked off Laramie in Laramie in the semifinals to reach the 4A title game. Shortly after beating Riverton 6-3 in the first half of the triangular playoff, the Red Devils and Wolves played a scoreless half of football. Garth Wagstaff sealed the victory with an interception on Green River’s first play of overtime; Jason Mitchell had scored Evanston’s only touchdown of the playoff moments before.
S4/1987 Big Horn 45 Riverside 45 3OT-tie: Can’t get much weirder than this. The game should have gone into a fourth overtime, but the officials mistakenly called the game after three extra frames, resulting in a tie. Becket Hinckley scored six touchdowns for Riverside, while six different players scored touchdowns for Big Horn.
O9/1981 Moorcroft 12 Sundance 13 OT: Greg Taylor’s 10-yard touchdown catch from Corey Vail, followed by Brian McInerney’s extra point, gave the Bulldogs their first playoff berth in school history. Moorcroft’s Rock Mirich scored on Moocroft’s possession, but when the Wolves went for two, Neil Warden bobbled a potential game-winning catch. However, the Wolves needed Warden’s 84-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter just to get into overtime.
S8/1978 Lingle 12 Pine Bluffs 6 OT; S29/1978 Southeast 0 Lingle 6 OT: Lingle had to win two overtime games in September to secure the Texas Trail championship and a spot in the Class B playoffs in October, where the Doggers eventually finished as runners-up. Bruce Mowry’s 7-yard run supplied the victory against Southeast.
O7/1977 Meeteetse 32 Ten Sleep 26 2OT: Meeteetse’s TD in the second overtime gave the Longhorns the Big Horn Basin’s northern section crown and eventually a spot in the Class B playoffs. The teams matched each other score for score in a 20-20 regulation. Clair Bennion and Guy Watts each scored twice for Meeteetse.
O21/1977 Star Valley 26 Kemmerer 32 2OT: Russell Lee of Star Valley had a dynamite game, scoring on runs of 92 and 75 yards as well as a 97-yard kickoff return, but the Braves couldn’t convert on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the second overtime, opening the door for Kemmerer. Matt Fagnant scored the winner for Kemmerer, and Jim Joslin added three touchdowns of his own for the Rangers.
S11/1976 Big Piney 12 Lyman 18 4OT: In a parity-filled Southwest Conference, Lyman’s eventual Class B state championship run was almost thrown off by last-place Big Piney in early September. Clyde Gillespie’s touchdown pass to Russ Eyre in the fourth overtime was the difference.
N1/1975 Pinedale 6 Basin 0 B SF-OT: The first overtime playoff game in modern times went to the Wranglers, who won a defensive struggle behind Neil Reed’s 9-yard touchdown in the extra frame. Basin actually out-gained Pinedale 175-132 but couldn’t punch in a score. Pinedale won the Class B title the next week.
S5/1975 Basin 30 Tongue River 24 2OT: Wyoming’s first overtime game went double, as Basin ended Tongue River’s 18-game winning streak and gave the Eagles their first loss to a Wyoming team in four years. Mike Dellos scored three times for Basin, including both Basin touchdowns in overtime.
Don’t see an overtime game on these lists that you think should be on here? Let me know in the comments below! I was limited in what I could share here by what I could find online. If the game you think deserved more attention isn’t on this list, you’re probably right! I wasn’t able to find details on every single overtime game, unfortunately, and I KNOW there were other OT games that had big stakes and fascinating endings that I just couldn’t find anything about. Also, I didn’t want to touch on EVERY overtime game, which by their nature are thrilling. All 283 games could have made this list. Which one was YOUR most memorable?
The NCAA basketball tournament — “March Madness” — is the best sporting event in America. This is simply a fact, not a debate.
That experience is only one small step from being replicated at the high school level in Wyoming.
With only 67 boys teams and 66 girls teams playing high school basketball in Wyoming in 2023, the conditions are almost perfect for what could be the state’s greatest sporting event: a one-classification, single-elimination, all-teams-invited state basketball tournament.
The scheduling for such an event isn’t as crazy as it seems. Over one week, Wyoming’s own version of March Madness could take place across four basketball courts, likely in Casper; between boys and girls, it would be 126 games, plus five “pigtail” games, something that could be accomplished in six days. I broke it down, and the logistics are possible.
And let’s face it: The tournament would be awesome.
Seeding the teams
Each team in the state would be seeded either 1-67 (boys) or 1-66 based on a ranking system, to be determined. For now, we’ll use last season’s Maxpreps ratings for boys and girls, which have their own problems but will suffice as an example of what’s possible.
Scheduling logistics
The first-round games would be Monday and Tuesday, with boys games one day and girls games the other, rotating every other year. With 32 games to be played, eight games apiece could be played at the Ford Wyoming Center, Casper College, Natrona County and Kelly Walsh using a schedule similar to the first-day schedule already in use by the WHSAA — 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (The last four games are an hour earlier than the current schedule, just to keep things rolling.)
Pigtail games, or “first four” games, could be played on Monday/Tuesday morning in nearby gyms, such as Glenrock or Midwest, or at one of the middle-school gyms in Casper such as Centennial, Dean Morgan or CY, which are all capable of hosting a small high-school game. The schedule would be set so that pigtail winners would play in the late time slots on Monday/Tuesday night.
The second-round games would come on Wednesday, with another 32 games (16 boys, 16 girls) to be played at the four main sites, with sites rotating every year between boys and girls.
Thursday brings third-round games, or the Sweet 16 round. With only 16 games to be played, eight games apiece could be staged at the Ford Wyoming Center and Casper College, with boys and girls rotating sites annually.
Friday is the fourth round, the Elite Eight, with four games apiece between boys and girls to be played that afternoon and evening at the FWC and CC.
Saturday brings us the Final Four and championship rounds, all at the FWC, with semifinal games at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. … and championships at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Just like the NCAA Tournament, there would be no consolation rounds. When you lose, you’re done.
Here’s what the 2023 brackets would look like for boys and girls using the Maxpreps rankings at the end of the season, boys first:
Then girls:
Benefits
With a one-class, single-elimination tournament, the need for regional tournaments is eliminated. Without a need to qualify for state, the qualifying tournament can go away.
The “time out of school” argument also loses a bit of sway here, too. With regional tournaments, every team in the state — more or less — is already missing two days of class, and those who qualify for state are missing two more. In the proposed all-comers state tournament, since more than half the teams leave after the first round/pigtails, most teams would only need one day out of class to participate. Additionally, teams that play in the Monday round could potentially return to school and have class on Tuesday, and then return to the tournament for continued play on Wednesday. Three-quarters of teams would be back in class by Thursday morning.
Also, with classifications eliminated for state, regular-season scheduling could take on a whole new dynamic. Teams would no longer be required to schedule certain conference teams and could instead focus on a regionalized schedule that reduces travel or a more challenging schedule with more challenging teams to prepare for the rigors of the state tournament — or to boost that power ranking for a better seed.
And upsets! The potential for upsets and Cinderella runs is heightened in a single-elimination, all-class affair.
Are you serious?
I’m only half-joking when I suggest this. Wyoming’s setup now is absolutely fine and in line with what other states do to crown state basketball champions.
But there’s something inside me that thinks it’d be a lot of fun to watch every team battle it out across a week in Casper.
Forget the NCAAs. This would easily replace it as the must-watch sporting event of the year.
The Platte County Record-Times reported the 9-12 portion of the Glendo school was closed, while the entirety of the Chugwater school was closed — in part due to the new Prairie View Community School, a charter school, opening in Chugwater this fall.
The language used in the reporting was that the board voted “not to staff” the schools. But let’s be real about what just happened.
Chugwater and Glendo are the first public Wyoming high schools to be closed in two decades, since Albin High School closed after the 2003 school year.
In part, I think some of the reason for the quiet is that the schools’ inabilities to field athletic programs the past few years has pushed them out of the statewide public eye. Glendo fielded a girls basketball team just once since 2016, that in 2020; the boys team had been active just twice (2017 and 2020) since 2015. Glendo last fielded a volleyball team in the fall of 2020. Meanwhile, Chugwater hadn’t had boys basketball since 2012 and girls basketball since 2011. Chugwater last had volleyball in the fall of 2018.
The only individual sport at the schools, track, had participants but not necessarily success. Chugwater’s boys last scored points at the state meet in 2016, the girls in 2018; Glendo last notched points at the boys meet in 2018 and girls in 2015.
Enrollment figures from the Platte County School District No. 1 show Chugwater with 30 total students in grades K-12 and Glendo with 27, as of May. Enrollment data submitted to the state last October listed nine students in grades 9-12 at Chugwater, including two seniors and no juniors, while Glendo had eight students in 9-12, with four seniors and no juniors.
The next-smallest high school in Wyoming, after Chugwater and Glendo, is Ten Sleep, which had 28 students in grades 9-12 last year.
+++
Public Wyoming high schools to close in the last 70 years include:
1954: Manville 1956: Ranchester/Dayton (to form Tongue River) 1958: Egbert, McFadden, Reliance, Rozet 1961: Elk Mountain 1962: Superior 1963: Sunrise 1966: Hawk Springs/Veteran/Yoder (to form Goshen Hole) 1969: Morton/Pavillion (to form Wind River), Hillsdale 1970: Fort Laramie 1971: Arvada, Carpenter 1980: Huntley/Goshen Hole (to form Southeast) 1983: Cowley/Deaver-Frannie/Byron (to form Rocky Mountain) 1987: Basin/Manderson (to form Riverside) 1992: LaGrange 1997: Jeffrey City 1998: Medicine Bow 2003: Albin 2023: Chugwater, Glendo
With the archive of weekly football rankings complete, I wanted to turn my attention to something that I now have the opportunity to fully research and expand upon: the shared state championship.
Several championships were already listed as shared on my state champions listings. In the pre-playoff, polls-only era, this isn’t unprecedented. However, with both the complete AP and UPI rankings now fully available, it’s afforded me a chance to look back at season-ending polls to see if everything matches up.
In short, it doesn’t. And that’s what this post is designed to do — give some teams the props, and championships, they’ve earned but not had listed here.
This isn’t a new exploration of mine. When I first worked through shared champions in 2009 on this site, I made the decision to solely accept the UPI polls. With the extended research, though, I’ve come to the realization that both the AP and UPI polls were just about as equally valid, run just as often and about just as far and wide across the state as each other.
I defaulted to the UPI rankings because they were the favorite of my adopted hometown paper, and later my employer, the Casper Star-Tribune, which often didn’t even run the AP rankings for an entire season. But the AP rankings definitely had validity, and they need to be recognized as such. That means this site should accept the champions of both the AP and UPI polls, not just the UPI.
So that’s what I’m doing.
This means four teams — Torrington and Glenrock from 1972, Deaver-Frannie from 1971 and Cheyenne Central from 1966 — will retroactively have the championships they earned in those years added to the site. All four were AP champions in some form:
Torrington and Glenrock were AP champions in their respective classes (A and B) 1972, as opposed to UPI champions Star Valley and St. Mary’s.
Glenrock and Deaver-Frannie tied for the top of the Class B rankings in the final AP poll in 1971, whereas Glenrock won the UPI poll outright.
Cheyenne Central and Powell tied atop the final AP poll of the 1966 season, as Powell won the UPI outright.
Two other final polls where teams shared the top spot in the polls were NOT added for the following reasons:
The 1971 AA final polls’ top spots were shared between Laramie (AP) and Natrona (UPI). However, by 1971 Class AA had a championship game, which Laramie won. Likewise, the final polls were taken prior to the championship game, in which Laramie beat Rock Springs.
In 1961, Greybull (AP) and Laramie (UPI) finished atop the final polls of the season. These, too, came before the playoffs, in which Greybull as a Class A school was involved. Greybull’s loss to Buffalo in the Class A semifinals ended its title run and could not be accounted for in the polls, leaving Laramie as the sole Class AA title claimant and Star Valley, the team that beat Buffalo in the Class A championship game, as the titleist for that class.
Other shared championships that are already listed will remain, including Byron and Glenrock sharing the 1968 Class B championship, Sheridan and Laramie sharing the 1958 Class AA championship, and Sheridan and Natrona sharing the 1957 Class AA championship.
Shared titles before the start of statewide polls in the mid-1950s were “by acclaim” champions, as no formal polling system existed prior to the AP/UPI polls, and in earlier days the polls by the Wyoming Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
Researching the polls week to week has given me significantly more insight to the processes used in these times to choose a state champion. I think these updates accurately reflect the sentiment at the time.
And it makes me glad that we have playoffs these days.
Since 1984 and the start of the “one-poll” era of Wyoming high school football, a No. 1-ranked team has met a No. 2 team from the same classification 223 times.
And, as expected, the No. 1 teams win more often — although not by as much as you might think.
Overall, No. 1-ranked teams have the advantage, holding a record of 139-84 (.623) in those matchups.
Of the 223 1-vs-2 games in the past 39 years, 117 have come in the regular season and another 106 have come in the playoffs.
In regular-season games, No. 1 teams have a 72-45 (.615) record against No. 2-ranked teams. In the playoffs, No. 1 teams are slightly better, at 67-39 (.632), than in the regular season.
Combined, the No. 1 teams are 65-45 (.591) at home and 48-28 (.632) on the road. In neutral site contests, No. 1 teams are 26-11 (.703).
++++
Here are all the No. 1-vs. No. 2 games in Wyoming high school football since 1984. This list does not include games of teams ranked 1 or 2 in different classifications. Road team listed first; bolded teams won the game; *-at Laramie.
2022 4A Week 5: #1 Cheyenne East 39 #2 Sheridan 42 *4A Championship: #2 Cheyenne East 23 #1 Sheridan 34
3A Week 6: #1 Cody 35 #2 Star Valley 25 *3A Championship: #2 Star Valley 14 #1 Cody 7
2A Week 3: #1 Lovell 12 #2 Lyman 6 OT *2A Championship: #1 Lovell 7 #2 Big Horn 8
Between now and the second weekend of November 2023, a lot is possible.
We do know that, at the end of it all, five teams will be crowned champions, and 60 others will be left to chase.
Just which teams will win those five championships, we won’t know until the clock in War Memorial Stadium hits 0:00 on five separate occasions.
That doesn’t mean we can’t speculate.
So, here’s some way-too-early speculation on what might happen almost exactly 10 months from now on which teams might be the title holders come the end of a season that’s still months away from starting.
Class 4A 1. Cheyenne East: With five first-team all-state players coming back — and with the rest of 4A only having four combined — the Thunderbirds are the early favorites to win it all in 2023. That tally also includes QB Cam Hayes and RB Drew Jackson, a good place to start. 2. Sheridan: Never, ever rule out the Broncs, who will need to replace a talented senior class but always seems to do so no matter who’s on the roster. DB Dane Steel, the conference defensive player of the year, and lineman Alex Haswell are the key pieces on which to rebuild. 3. Cheyenne Central: Central’s five returning first-team all-conference selections gives the Indians just as many as East, and a lot of that strength rests in an improving defense that could carry the team early. 4. Thunder Basin: Returning QB Alonso Aguilar gives the ‘Bolts some experience under center, a necessary piece for a team that has lots of holes to fill. 5. Rock Springs: The Tigers return some key offensive pieces in QB Michael Faigl, RB Brycen Cooms and WR Goodness Okere but might need to outscore opponents until the defense comes along. Wild card: Natrona. The Mustangs were a senior-loaded bunch last season, but they always seem to be in the same position every season and usually come out OK on the other side. Some untested talent will need to grow quickly.
Class 3A 1. Star Valley: The defending champs return three all-state picks, tops in the classification. The biggest offensive weapons are gone to graduation, but a solid group of up-and-coming players should make the Braves the favorites from day one. 2. Douglas: Douglas is loaded with solid returners, including QB Trey Rinn, linemen Tegen Seeds and Malachy Lehnen and maybe the best up-and-coming junior in the state in Carter Archuleta. The Bearcats will definitely be the East favorites. 3. Buffalo: The Bison had a solid campaign in 2022 and with four returning all-conference players (tied with Douglas for the most in 3A), they should be right in the championship discussion again this year. RB Will Hammond emerged as a solid offensive centerpiece. 4. Cody: How will the Broncs react to losing all 13 of their all-conference picks and all nine of their all-staters? If Cody’s returners learned anything in practice, it’ll be time to show it in the games. 5. Powell: A trio of returning all-conference selections, led by all-state WR Trey Stenerson and QB Jhett Schwahn, should put the Panthers in a good spot entering 2023. Wild card: Evanston. The Red Devils get back a pair of all-staters in Cohen Morrow and Brady Roberts and could be a team on the rise but will need to adjust to a new head coach.
Class 2A 1. Lyman: Three teams in 2A return four all-conference players; Lyman just happens to be one of them. The Eagles’ title hopes went awry in 2022, but honestly — a play here, a play there and maybe we’re talking four-peat. 2. Big Horn: The defending champs proved a lot in their title run, and with a pair of returning all-staters in Kiefer Dunham and Drew Heermann, the Rams should be in the chase for a repeat. 3. Tongue River: The Eagles had a breakthrough season in 2022, and they did so with a bunch of younger players leading the way. With four all-conference players returning — all of whom were key pieces of TR’s turnaround — watch out. 4. Mountain View: The Buffalos’ four returning all-conference players might be the most exciting group of talent returning to any team in 2A. Both Jayce Schultz and Carson Eardley were all-state, and they lead a group that’s eager to return to the top. 5. Cokeville: Three all-conference players (but no all-staters) return for Cokeville, and it goes without saying that the Panthers consistently put out winners. Wild cards: Lovell and Newcastle. For opposite reasons, two teams show up here — Lovell, last year’s runner-up, gets back just a pair of all-conference players and loses a senior class that was clearly carrying the bulk of the weight. Newcastle, meanwhile, improved significantly last year and gets back a trio of all-conference selections, enough to compete in the East.
Class 1A nine-man 1. Pine Bluffs: In a classification that was hit hard by graduation (only six returning all-state players statewide), the defending champs earn the recognition of early favorite by returning four all-conference choices, tied for the most of any team in 1A nine-man. 2. Big Piney: The Punchers get back four of their five all-conference choices and lead the state with a pair of returning all-state picks in seniors Karsyn Gurr and Ruben Stoutenberg. 3. Southeast: The Cyclones don’t return any all-state choices but do get back four of six all-conference picks, setting them up well to compete in the East. 4. Lingle: The Doggers will rely on two returning all-state choices in Louden Bremer and Kaiden Riggs, who both made the team as sophomores, to be leaders in 2023 for a team that was one big play away from hosting a playoff game. 5. Wind River: RB Cooper Frederick is the centerpiece of a Cougar game plan that will rely on him heavily, but in a depleted West Conference, that may be enough to carry the day. Wild cards: Rocky Mountain and Shoshoni. Between them, they combined for 18 all-conference and 11 all-state choices. Every single one has graduated. Underclass talent will have to develop in a hurry for them to stay in a title conversation.
Class 1A six-man 1. Burlington: Last year’s runners-up return four all-conference players, tied for the most in six-man with Kaycee, but with some key players graduated, rebuilding will need to happen fast. 2. Dubois: RB Wyatt Trembly set a single-season rushing record in six-man last year, and his presence alone will keep the Rams competitive — which is good, because four all-conference players will leave upon graduation. 3. Encampment: The Tiger trio of all-conference players (Quade Jordan, Ryon Miller, Kaben Pickett) will be tough to top as seniors, and that experience will help Encampment find some success, especially early. 4. Snake River: The Rattlers have had back-to-back undefeated seasons, but this might be the year they come back to earth. They’ll still be competitive with all-stater Isaiah Skalberg leading the way, but the senior class is thinner than usual. 5. Kaycee: Four all-conference returners will help Kaycee improve, and all-stater Vaun Pierson will help set the pace for a thin but improved Buckaroo squad. Wild cards: Meeteetse and Midwest. Both the Longhorns and Oilers return all three of their all-conference choices, and Meeteetse’s Joseph Pina was the North’s co-defensive player of the year. Both teams should be improved in 2023.
What do you think, in January at least? Who’s poised for a breakout year? Leave a comment and share your ideas. And then let’s keep talking for another 10 months until all of this actually, finally, gets settled on the field.
Quick trivia: Since 2009, what’s something that Natrona’s football team has done 193 times that Lusk’s has done zero times?
Answer: Attempt a field goal.
A compilation of statistics since 2009 shows Natrona is, by far, the state’s leading team when it comes to field goal tries — and that Lusk is the most field goal-averse.
From 2009-22, Natrona’s kickers attempted 193 field goals, making 120 of them. The number of attempts far outpaces second-place Sheridan (123) and third-place Star Valley (86), and the number of makes also far exceeds runner-up Sheridan (76).
On the other side, Lusk has gone the past 14 seasons, and maybe longer, without attempting a single field goal. So have St. Stephens and Wyoming Indian, although their streaks are a bit shorter.
Three other active programs — Upton-Sundance, Farson and Encampment — as well as now-defunct NSI have only attempted one field goal in that span.
Five programs haven’t missed a field goal in that time, with Hulett’s perfect 3-for-3 in the past 13 years leading the way. Wheatland, at 2-for-2, also hasn’t missed a field goal since at least 2009. NSI, Upton and Upton-Sundance are 1-for-1.
Meanwhile, aside from Encampment and Farson (both 0-for-1), Moorcroft is the team with the roughest percentage, making just 22% (2-for-9) of its attempts.
The state average over this span has been 57.1%, with kickers making 1,114 field goals in 2,003 attempts. The number of field goals attempted statewide in a season has ranged from as few as 120 (in both 2020 and 2018) to as many as 179 (2011). The 2022 season saw 131 field goal attempts.
The team that both attempted and made the most field goals in a season was Natrona’s 2015 team. That season, Natrona kickers made 20 of 28 field goals.
Kicking field goals, though, is by no means a measure of success. Many championship teams went their entire seasons without so much as attempting a field goal, including Big Horn and Snake River this season. Snake River also did so last season and Big Horn also did so in 2018.
Note: Since this data was compiled from the existing stat sheets, data may be incomplete. For example, six-man data is missing for 2009 and 2010, and some team statistics are missing if a team decided not to compile individual statistics, which has happened a handful of times over the past 13 years. Still, this is the best we can do with what we have, so enjoy.
He might just be the next great piece of Wyoming high school football lore.
Right now, Slim belongs in the trophy case at Sheridan High School.
In addition to winning the Class 4A championship this year, the Sheridan Broncs also held onto an important honor they didn’t even know they were playing for — the Wyoming football MacGuffin.
Some of you may have heard of the MacGuffin, which has built a following on Twitter by tracking college football’s most interesting theoretical traveling trophy.
The concept is simple: All you have to do to get the trophy is beat the team that has it.
In this case, we start with the first Wyoming high school football game ever played, and the winner gets a trophy — Slim, in this case. They get to hold onto that trophy until they lose; the team that beats them gets the trophy. That team then holds onto it until they lose. And so on, and so on, and so on.
In the college ranks, there have been more than 1,500 MacGuffin games; the trophy has traded hands 317 times since the first intercollegiate game in 1869, and 93 teams have had the trophy, including the University of Wyoming for a bit, including the entire 1994 offseason.
If we had a Wyoming high school football MacGuffin, though, Sheridan would be the rightful owners of that trophy, at least for now.
Starting with the first game between two Wyoming high schools in 1908 — played on Nov. 3 of that year between crosstown rivals Laramie and University Prep — there have been 907 Wyoming football MacGuffin games, as of the end of the 2022 season. In all, 24 different teams will have held the trophy, and 38 programs will have played in MacGuffin games.
Since 1908, the trophy would have logged some significant miles in every corner of the state. Every Class 4A team except Cheyenne South would have had it at least once. And, oddly enough, it would have been up for grabs in every 4A/5A championship game since 1987.
Here’s a breakdown of the teams who would have had the trophy in their possession, with tallies of how many times they defended the trophy and how many times they beat teams with the MacGuffin to steal it for themselves:
School
Games defended
Times won
Sheridan
176
28
Natrona
115
29
Laramie
95
20
Cheyenne Central
80
16
Worland
72
4
Campbell County
50
13
Rock Springs
46
9
Cheyenne East
35
15
Kelly Walsh
19
6
Thermopolis
15
4
Lander
11
4
Cody
10
3
Powell
10
1
Lovell
8
3
Thunder Basin
7
2
Douglas
6
1
Evanston
5
3
Cowley
5
1
Rawlins
4
2
Torrington
2
1
Green River
1
2
Riverton
0
2
Kemmerer
0
1
For the Wyoming high school version, I limited the potential transfer of the trophy to in-state, varsity teams; we can’t have some out-of-state team taking Wyoming’s MacGuffin with them, and we can’t be giving it to a town team, JV team or college team, either. So it’s only up for grabs in varsity vs. varsity, in-state games.
And here’s a look at how those games have gone, and who’s played in those games:
Team
MacG Wins
MacG Losses
MacG Games
Last MacGame
Last held
Sheridan
172
72
244
2022
2022
Natrona
145
80
225
2022
2019
Laramie
115
81
196
2022
2000
Cheyenne Central
91
81
171
2022
2020
Rock Springs
55
75
130
2022
2021
Campbell County
63
64
127
2022
2016
Cheyenne East
50
71
121
2022
2021
Worland
76
13
89
1977
1959
Kelly Walsh
25
48
73
2022
2005
Cody
13
30
43
2004
1977
Thermopolis
19
21
40
1974
1947
Rawlins
6
33
39
1988
1974
Evanston
8
25
33
2016
2007
Lander
15
16
31
1988
1974
Riverton
2
29
31
2008
1972
Green River
3
24
27
2010
2007
Powell
11
16
27
1977
1958
Lovell
11
14
25
1959
1947
Buffalo
0
18
18
1984
never
Torrington
3
15
18
1966
1952
Thunder Basin
9
7
16
2022
2021
Douglas
7
6
13
1984
1952
Cowley
6
7
13
1935
1934
Cheyenne South
0
11
11
2022
never
Greybull
0
11
11
1959
never
Basin
0
7
7
1934
never
Newcastle
0
6
6
1932
never
Kemmerer
1
4
5
1940
1932
Star Valley
0
4
4
1998
never
Midwest
0
4
4
1952
never
Lusk
0
3
3
1969
never
St. Mary's
0
2
2
1952
never
Superior
0
2
2
1936
never
University Prep
0
2
2
1909
never
Jackson
0
1
1
1974
never
Ten Sleep
0
1
1
1933
never
Manderson
0
1
1
1928
never
Sundance
0
1
1
1935
never
One of the challenges of a traveling trophy like this is that it needs to travel. Due to Class 4A’s round-robin schedule, the MacGuffin has been, and will continue to be unless the schedule changes, the exclusive domain of Wyoming’s big schools. The last interclass game where the MacGuffin was up for grabs was in 1998, when Evanston held onto the trophy by nudging Star Valley 13-7.
Even though Slim’s presence in any school’s trophy case is still just theoretical, it’s still fun to look at where Slim may have gone on his travels around the state and which schools, even if only for a week, got to have him in their possession.