Wyoming High School FFootballootball GGuideuide 2020 Teams are Preparing for a … Power Shift New nine-man division, realignments bring season of change MING SPO YO RT W S Coverage of EVERY TEAM in the State! P E RE D VIEW GUI 1A/6-MAn JV Only encamPment tigeRs Page 59 Mascot: Tigers State Champs Division: NA; willSheridan play JV CCONTENTS:ONTENTS: six-man schedule Colors: Red and blBroncsack Tigers revive program Coach: Kegan Willford, 4A Football 4A Football Encampment's football history is limited to only 2019first year aStatet Encamp mPlayoffsent Pages 3-11 five seasons – a pair of six-man seasons in 1956 Pages 3-10 “This group of boys really 2018 Record: No team 3A Football and 1957 and three seasons of eight-man and nine- 3A Football man play from 1988-90. StateKe yChampionship Players Pages 12-22 Since the end of the program, Encampment want to have their own Pages 11-20 OL/DL: Kelton Koehn, Jr. 2A Football players who wanted to play football had to go to identity.” 2A Football Saratoga, 20 miles up the road. RSheridanB/WR: Ka g35,an GThunderilbert, Jr. Basin 26 Pages 23-35 For years, that co-op agreement worked for both Pages 21-33 ~ Coach Kegan Willford RB: Koye Gilbert, Soph. 1A/9-Man Football schools. However, this year, Encampment struck 1A/11-Man Football out on its own to start a six-man football program. RB: DStatealton Pe tSemifinalserson, Jr. Pages 36-44 The change didn't come from coaches or com- and move to a full varsity schedule in 2020 as part Pages 34-43 munity members or parents. 2019 Schedule 1A/6-Man Football of the Class 1A six-man classification. Thunder Basin 27, Cheyenne East 21 "The motivation to start a program in Encamp- 8-30: at St. Stephens jam- 1A/6-Man Football Between 13 and 16 players will be out for the Pages 45-55 ment came directly from the students in our team this fall, Willford said – a good showing for a boree, TBA (Zero Week) Pages 44-55 school," Willford said. "This group of boys really Sheridan 62, Cheyenne Central 35 program in its infancy. Only two of those are sen- want to have their own identity for football and 9-7: at Meeteetse, 2 p.m. iors, setting up the program well for future success. have a lot of pride in representing their school. … 9-13: at Farson JV, TBA Junior Kelton Koehn might be the most experi- Due to COVID-19 schedules for the (They) really feel like they have the numbers to enced player the Tigers have. Last year, playing for 10-State24: vs. C hQuarterfinalseyenne East ONLINE: sustain a six-man team moving forward." 2020 season are subject to change. Saratoga's six-man team, Koehn finished sixth in School board financial support for the program sophs, 4 p.m. (date uncertain) defensive points, notching 29 total tackles, a sack Thunder Basin 24, Gillette 20 Go to was initially tentative, but the board has agreed to Three games have been and an interception. pay officials for home games, Willford said. Be- wyoming-football.com Junior Dalton Peterson was also part of the added against Natrona's yond that, the program has been supported through Cheyenne East 35, Natrona 14 Saratoga program, but only as a freshman. That to see an electronic fundraising, donations and Encampment's "E Club" sophomore and freshman year, he was the Panthers' No. 4 tackler, No. 2 re- boosters. teams, but dates, times and version of this magazine ceiver with five catches for 52 yards, and No. 4 Sheridan 62, Kelly Walsh 14 ONLINE: "Encampment is a very giving community and rusher with 21 carries for 51 yards. locations are not official. More or request a link by takes great pride in the school and its programs," Junior Kagan Gilbert was also part of Saratoga's games will be added if possi- Willford said. Cheyenne Central 20, Rock Springs 16 cGoon ttoacting us below. team as a freshman, finishing seventh on the team The Tigers' plan is to play sub-varsity this year ble during the season wyoming-football.com in defensive points. Willford said senior Dayne Anderson and sopho- to see an electronic Four players to watch more Koye Gilbert have also previously played, C versionONT Aof CthisT magazineS: Cheyenne teamsg ivtakinging depth to the tea mcontrol. Willford said one of the team's strengths is Graedyn Buell, Cheyenne East E dorito requestrs a link by contacting us below. By Patrick Schmiedt 1-0che record,mistry –those the Thopesigers turncon sintoiste nexpectations.tly have a competi- Chris Wood tivThundere baske tBasinball te atam Rock and Springs,finished Sept.as th e4 .C Thelass 1A Buell did something pretty rare last year – he Tigersrunne rcoulds-up iben 2 4A’s018. biggestBut the surprisey lack c othisnsi syear.tent foot- was named the Class 4A offensive player of the [email protected] Four questions to answer ball experience and need to learn the ins and outs of year as a junior. He led Wyoming regardless CONTACTS: Is the guard really changing in Class 4A? Yes, All it would take is a couple attention-getting victoriessix-man earlyfootb inal lthe. season. Rock Springs has of classification307-326-5336 with 2,989 passing yards, Writers but don’t get too excited. Cheyenne Central will "This is a great group of boys that are hardwork- completing 201 of 327 passes while sporting a no better opportunity than this game against the 1702 S. Hwy 130 Saratoga EditorsPatrick Schmiedt be the fifth team in the title chase, breaking up ing and committed," Willford said. "They are a 35-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. the “Big Four” of Cheyenne East, Thunder Basin, ‘Boltsgreat ginr oSweetwaterup to have wCounty.hile trying to start a new pro- Join us on facebook! [email protected] Cheyenne East at Sheridan, Sept. 25. The Chris Wood Sheridan and Natrona. However, there’s still a gram." Carter Lobatos, [email protected] Broncs have won the past seven games they’ve clear split between the top and the bottom of the Cheyenne Central Sales classification. had with the Thunderbirds. East will need to find a way past Sheridan, at Homer Scott Field, Bree Fincham 1AWho’s/6-M goingAn W toe winst it all this year?R ProbablyiveR side Rebels NoCo playerach: S ina mWyoming Buck, 5 twillh y ebear a bigger Writers to really show it belongs in the championship a team from Cheyenne. Both East and Central threat on both offense and defense than pPatrickroapprova [email protected] conversation. 2018 Record: 4-4, ineligible REareB absolutelyELS, C oloadednt. this year, and iitt' swouldn’t going t o be a lot better this Miller added a team-high Lobatos. He led the Indians’ rushing attack [email protected] be a surprise to see them play each other in the Cheyenne East at Cheyenne Central, Oct. 9. with 1,238 yards last year, and he also led year," Buck said.The annual Capital Bowlfive i ntakesterc eonpt iaddedons a nfervord six pass for playoffs The 2019 Wyoming High School championship in November. Boreen and Clutter led the break-ups, while Ellis Rudd, Central’s defense with 127 tackles – second- Football Guide is produced by gave Riverside a diverse pass- with both teams trying to stake claims to the Sales ing aAnyttac khope. for anyone else? Not really.defe nIs lovee las t year, with Boreen O'Roake and Zapata also best in 4A last year. Commercial Newspaper Service, top spot in 4A. This might be the most critical whatBuc kI sawsaid from he h aRocks thr eSpringse play -last year,lead iandng t ifhe team in solo tackles played significant minutes on InBreec. Con teFinchamnts may not be repro- rendition of the intra-city rivalry in more than a Jaxon Pikula,Key Play Thunderers Basin [email protected] ersthey he tcanrus tturns at closequart elossesrback into. close( victories,20), sack thes (f our), fumble re- defense. duced without permission. BuTigersck als ocan sa beid tonehe rofun thosening teams othercov coacheseries (s even) decade.and blocked With that diversity of expe- RB/WR/DB: Ryan Vigil, Sr. gamhatee c toou seeld honav ae schedule.a bigger effect kicks (five), and ClPredictedutter r iorderence, Bu cofk sa ifinishd he wants to Pikula was a consistent threat out of Thunder Basin’s backfield, running for 1,189 The 2020 Wyoming High School on thReallye Reb e–l snothing' fortun aboutes. Sheridan?f rOK,onti ntimeg th e RebelsCheyenne in total East, Sheridan,add a fe wCheyenne new wr iCentral,nkles. RB/WR/DB: Ryan Miller, Jr. yards and 16 touchdowns last year. He also Football Guide is produced by "(The running game) was tackles (67) and tThunderackles f oBasin,r loss Natrona,"W Rocke're dSprings,efinitel Laramie,y going to be for the Broncs to get their love. They deserve it. caught 17 passes for 129 yards as part of a solid, it was good, but I think (16). able to do a lot more this year," RB/LB: Tate Clutter, Soph. Commercial Newspaper Service, With four championships in five years, Sheridan Campbell County, Kelly Walsh, Cheyenne South. balanced ‘Bolts offense. Inc. Contents may not be can never be ruled out of a 4A championship he said. "The understanding of Way-too-earlyour offe ntitlese and gamedefense is reproduced without permission. chase. No program develops talent faster or more over thAndrewat middle s cJohnson,hool mental- consistently than the one up north. scoreg opredictioning to be completely differ- ity, and that's tough.