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2 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
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WHAT’S INSIDE 7 | SHERIDAN COUNTY, FOOTBALL CAPITAL OF WYOMING 15 | RELOADED RAMS 20 | IN MCCAFFERTY WE TRUST 25 | BIG HORN SCHEDULE/ROSTER 26 | THE VENDETTA 32 | RICH RELATIONSHIPS 36 | TONGUE RIVER SCHEDULE/ROSTER 39 | STARTS IN THE TRENCHES 44 | HYDRA OFFENSE 48 | SHERIDAN SCHEDULE/ROSTER 4 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
A PRODUCT OF
PUBLISHED AUGUST 2019 All photos in Football Capital are by Matt Gaston or are file photos from The Sheridan Press archives unless otherwise noted. Copyright Sheridan Newspapers, Inc.
CONTRIBUTORS KRISTEN CZABAN Publisher
MANDI HICKS Marketing specialist
CHAD RIEGLER Operations manager
THOMAS SNOOKS Marketing specialist
BECKY MARTINI Office manager
DEB MCLAIN Graphic designer
ASHLEIGH SNOOZY Editor
JEFF CARTER Graphic designer
JANEA LAMERES Lead marketing specialist
MATTHEW GASTON Photojournalist
JON CATES Art director
JOEL MOLINE Journalist
CAITLIN ADDLESPERGER Director of special projects
KILEY CARROLL Journalist
ON THE COVER | Sporting their new 2018 state championship hats, the Big Horn Rams hold their helmets high in celebration Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie. LEFT | Big Horn’s Quinn McCafferty drops back to pass in a game against Southeast at Big Horn High School Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 5
6 I FOOTBALL CAPITAL — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
SHERIDAN COUNTY, FOOTBALL CAPITAL OF WYOMING
SENIORS PLAY BIG ROLE
A
BY JOEL MOLINE
chill creeps in to the August morning air, signaling the slow descend into fall and the start of football season. Young athletes around the state rise early to arrive at practice, preparing for the season ahead. Everyone dreams of holding that trophy at the end of the year, but that dream becomes a reality for only a few elite teams. As players strap on their shoulder pads and don their school’s colors, freshmen fill with excitement at the road ahead and seniors, with anticipation, know this is their final chance to bring home the state title. No other county in Wyoming has brought home more state titles than Sheridan County. Sheridan, Big Horn and Tongue River high schools have earned a total of 37 state titles.
LEFT | Sheridan’s Garrett Coon, pictured Thursday, July 25, 2019, leaps over the competition. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 7
The senior class of football players in this patch of Wyoming have all experienced a trip to the state title matchup at least once during their time on the gridiron. SHS seniors saw their school raise the trophy in War Memorial Stadium their freshman and sophomore years. The Broncs fell short in their quest to win four in a row a year ago. Remembering the sting of that loss, Sheridan looks to once again claim the 4A state title. Big Horn was unstoppable a year ago, winning its school’s second title in three years. If Big Horn is able make it to the title game again this year, the senior class will have made it to Laramie each year of high school. Tongue River last won a title in 1974 but made appearances in 2015 and 2016. This year’s seniors were freshman in 2016 and after experiencing some rough years, they have a chance to make one last mark on 11-man football before they enter the 9-man division next year.
RIGHT | Big Horn’s Liam Greenelsh celebrates after recording an interception during the 1A state title game against Cokeville at War Memorial Stadium Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. Photo by Bud Denega
8 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019
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Talk to any of the high school coaches in Sheridan County and eventually the topic of senior leadership will come up. Being a senior means more than just being the oldest on the team. Leadership responsibilities automatically come with the territory. Big Horn’s quarterback Quinn McCafferty will position his players, letting each player know what his job is and helping him succeed. During summer workouts Sheridan’s Toby Jacobs brought the energy and passion that pushed his teammates to be better. Senior leadership is an important aspect of team chemistry and success. “You are only as good as your seniors, I believe that 100%,” Big Horn head coach Kirk McLaughlin said. “If your seniors are not bought in, it is hard for your underclassmen to get bought in as well.”
ABOVE | Big Horn’s Kade VanDyken celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the 1A state title game against Cokeville at War Memorial Stadium Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. Photo by Bud Denega 10 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
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McLaughlin sees Big Horn having a great year because of a great senior class. Tongue River coaches share the same belief as McLaughlin. TRHS has a group of seniors who were thrown into action as sophomores and because of that, bought into the program, leading to a potentially good year for the Eagles. Seniors help underclassmen learn the system and skills to be successful. Broncs senior lineman Gage Kirshner said as a sophomore there were senior linemen that helped him learn techniques and skills needed to play
at the varsity level. The leadership responsibility is apparent to the seniors as they try to provide opportunities for the underclassmen to grow. Big Horn’s Kyler Ostler said he has been answering any questions underclassmen have and rotates with them during drills when he can so they complete reps and develop their skills. As the 2019 season kicks off and the Friday night lights come on, the Rams, Broncs and Eagles each hope to play into November and make it to War Memorial Stadium to send the seniors off with a win.
BELOW | Tongue River High School’s Daie’n Bear Don’t Walk steps back to pass Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
12 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 13
RELOADED RAMS TEAM PREPARES FOR TITLE RUN
F
BY JOEL MOLINE
or the Big Horn Rams football team, 2018 proved remarkable. Dominating in every facet of the game, the Rams averaged 52.5 points a game and won by an average of six touchdowns every game on their way to the school’s sixth state title. That was last year. Six All-State players graduated. “Last year is done,” said Kirk McLaughlin, Big Horn’s head coach. “We are focused on having a great year this year. We are not trying to imitate or copy what we did last year. We are just trying to do what we want to do in 2019, trying to be at the top again and win another state championship.” Big Horn lost its top rusher and receiver from 2018, but the Rams have plenty of returning play makers who have the potential to create another great team. The Rams will have quarterback Quinn McCafferty leading the offense for a third year and McCafferty will have plenty of players to hand or pass the ball to this year. Will Pelissier returns for the Rams after having a great junior season, which included an All-State team placement. Pelissier was second on the team in both rushing and receiving yardage last year, accumulating 1,353 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns. “Will is VanDyken 2.0,” senior Kyler Ostler said, referring to 2018 senior and All-State player Kade VanDyken. “He is a beast. He has grown a lot and has filled out. He is a weapon and I would not want to be a corner.”
2018 STATE CHAMPIONS BIG HORN 2018 WON SEASON 11
LOST 0
POINTS RUSH TD 52.5 4.4
OPPONENTS PASS TD 2.5
POINTS 9.5
RUSH TD 0.8
PASS TD 0.5
LEFT | Big Horn’s Nolan Rader is set to tackle Tuesday, July 23, 2019. RIGHT | Big Horn’s receiver Will Pelissier looks over his shoulder for the pass Tuesday, July 23, 2019. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 15
McLaughlin said Pelissier has been great running the ball between the tackles and is versatile enough to play receiver, a threat on the edge as well. Carson Bates, statistically Big Horn’s third best receiver and rusher from a year ago, will be another player utilized at either running back or receiver. Bates’ teammates all said the same thing when describing him: He’s fast. Very fast. McLaughlin said teams were not ready for him last year but expects that to change this year. Bates is also able to stop on a dime and make great cuts. “What is great about Carson [Bates] and Will [Pelissier] together is that we can come up with a lot of different ways to get them the ball in space,” McLaughlin said. “We can just have fun game planning with those guys.” This will make it tough for oppos-
ing defenses to key in on one player and slow down the Big Horn offense. “If this was my first year at Big Horn, I would be overwhelmed by the talent of this team,” Ostler said. “Growing up with these guys since third grade, we have been a family and it is not as big of a ‘whoa’ factor. When you step back and look at the film, it’s a blessing being able to play with these guys.” Even if opposing teams are able to find a way to neutralize Bates and Pelissier, Ostler will still cause worry for opponents. McLaughlin said Ostler is a player that can be used at multiple positions, lining him up as a tight end, wide receiver, fullback or H-back. Ostler mostly played as a blocker last year due to the amount of talent Big Horn possessed but will be utilized more this year and called upon to make big plays.
BELOW | Big Horn football players, from left, Carson Bates, Kyler Ostler, Cutler Bradshaw, Quinn McCafferty, Nolan Rader and Will Pelissier huddle up Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
16 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
“
“Last year is done. We are focused on having a great year this year. We are not trying to imitate or copy what we did last year.” KKirk irk McLaughlin, Big Horn head coach
Ostler said he is ready for the challenge and knows he will be on the field most of the game. McCafferty voiced confidence that Ostler can make plays in the passing game. “I expect once again to see great blocking from him, but I am excited to throw the ball up to him; he is a big target,” McCaf McCafferty said. “I know he will able to come down with some balls for touchdowns.” McLaughlin said he expects the offense to have another great year, but the defense will need to have some more people step up to help the returning starters.
RIGHT | Big Horn’s Carson Bates runs in a game against Southeast at Big Horn High School Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 17
ABOVE | Big Horn’s Will Pelissier (5) runs the ball for a big gain against the Wind River Cougars Friday, Oct. 26, 2018.
Ostler has proven a consistent force at the outside linebacker position. He had the third most tackles for a loss last year and did a good job forcing plays back to the inside. Big Horn returns Cutler Bradshaw, an inside linebacker that was second in tackling on the team a year ago.
McLaughlin said Bradshaw has done a great job mentoring the other inside linebackers. Bradshaw said it will be tough not having Seth Mullinax taking up three guys every play but already sees young players like Zane Huntly and Josh Thompson filling the roles on the D-line.
BIG HORN
2018 SEASON
OPPONENTS
RUSHING
YD 262.8
ATT 34.1
YD/ATT 7.7
YD 119.1
ATT 37.3
YD/ATT 3.2
PASSING
YD 168
ATT 9.6
COMP % 59%
YD 74
ATT 6.3
COMP % 41%
18 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
10 Bottle Fill
$
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 19
IN MCCAFFERTY WE TRUST
QUINN MCCAFFERTY READY TO LEAD RAMS BY JOEL MOLINE
F
or the past two seasons, the Big Horn Rams have lit up the scoreboard and led 1A football in offense. Orchestrating the no huddle, run-pass option offense for the Rams is Quinn McCafferty, entering his third year as the starting quarterback. As a starter, McCafferty has participated in two state title games, winning the most recent one, and has a record of 20-2. “Quinn is the type of kid that will always be prepared for a game,” said Kirk McLaughlin, Big Horn’s head coach. “He has a great work ethic. He has grown every year, from freshman through senior year. He has gotten so much better and I can’t wait to see what he can do his senior year.” McLaughlin said McCafferty might be given more reins entering his senior year, enabling him to make changes at the line of scrimmage. McLaughlin is willing to give McCafferty these responsibilities since he knows the offense about as well as the coaches do.
20 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
ABOVE | The boys from Big Horn practice a lineup Tuesday, July 23, 2019. LEFT | Big Horn’s returning quarterback Quinn McCafferty makes a pass Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
“Definitely big knowing I have the trust of the coaches, but at the same time I trust them to call the right plays,” McCafferty said. “They are going to study just like we do and they are a great coaching staff. They know how to make us successful each week.” McCafferty’s teammates also recognize his knowledge of offense. “It’s kind of crazy, if someone on the field does not know the play, [McCafferty] can tell them exactly what to do,” said junior Carson Bates. “It helps a lot having someone who knows what to do, and it gives everyone confidence.” Big Horn’s offense requires the quarterback to make good decisions and adjust to what the defense is showing. A quarterback in this offense needs to have a high football IQ. “Quinn is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the state,” said senior Will Pelisser. “He has his reads and he knows what he is doing.” McCafferty likes the flow of the RPO offense. It allows Big Horn to run a lot of different plays from different formations, yet it has a simplicity to it that allows the same plays to be run
from different formations. Between his sophomore and junior seasons, McCafferty increased his completion percentage from 60% to 63.4%. He had the second-best completion percentage across all levels of 11-man football in 2018. McCafferty did see a slight drop in total yardage, but he increased his yards per completion and the number of passes he threw for touchdowns. McCafferty will have playmakers returning around him, but the linemen tasked with keeping his jersey clean will look a little different. Big Horn lost three starters along the offensive line: Isaac Pierce, Seth Mullinax and Jaxon Parker. Mullinax was named to the 1A All-State team and named Lineman of the Year in 1A; Parker was also an AllState player. The good news is Big Horn returns two All-State linemen in Cutler Bradshaw and Nolan Rader at guard. Winfield Loomis was the sixth man on the O-line last year and will play center. Sophomore Josh Thompson worked his way into earning a tackle position and the fifth spot is up for grabs, Bradshaw said. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 21
McLaughlin said he has seen Thompson and Loomis step up to fill in those positions left open by seniors and feels the leadership provided by Rader and Bradshaw will allow the O-line to be successful again this year. Rader said the younger linemen gained experience at the end of games last year when the varsity was pulled after gaining a big lead. “Beginning of the year the JV did not do so well,” Rader said. “Toward the end of the regular season, we were seeing some serious improvement. They might have even stopped a varsity offense or scored on offense. It was an obvious difference from the beginning to end.” The young linemen for Big Horn will not be sent in for clean-up minutes but to compete at a high level and win football games. So far, the line has proven a willingness to step up to the challenge. “There was some question in my mind on what was going to happen,” senior Kyler Ostler said about the offensive line. “Seeing how everyone acted and how everyone stepped up.
“He has a great work ethic. He has grown every year, from freshman through senior year. He has gotten so much better and I can’t wait to see what he can do his senior year.”
“
Kirk McLaughlin, Big Horn head coach
BELOW | Big Horn quarterback Quinn McCafferty takes the field before a football game last year.
22 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
Seeing some of the juniors coming back the way they are, I have no questions about the line anymore.” The team went to a camp at Montana State June 17-19, giving the new O-line a chance to prove itself. That confidence was especially true in Ostler’s belief in McCafferty. “McCafferty is someone who
should not be at a tiny school,” Ostler said. “You would find him more at a 6A team in Texas. He is just out here having fun with his guys.” As McCafferty and the rest of the Big Horn offense take the field, they will expect big plays from their quarterback and look to return to the state title game.
S S
4 E
S ,S (307) 672- 270
301 S
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, WY 2 01 THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 23
AUG. 30 | 3 P.M.
BIG HORN
AT CODY
SEPT. 6 | 6 P.M.
AT THERMOPOLIS SEPT.13 | 7 P.M.
VS GREYBULL
SEPT. 20 | 7 P.M.| HOMECOMING
VS WRIGHT
SEPT. 27 | 7 P.M.
AT UPTON-SUNDANCE OCT. 4 | 1 P.M.
VS PINE BLUFFS OCT. 11 | 6 P.M.
VS TONGUE RIVER OCT. 18 | 6 P.M.
AT NIOBRARA
OCT. 25 | 5 P.M.
AT SOUTHEAST 24 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
TENTATIVE Roster SENIORS Cutler Bradshaw Kyler Ostler Will Pelissier Nolan Rader Izack Brown Quinn McCafferty Eli Phillips
SOPHOMOREs continued
Chase Bales Josh Thompson Bryce Morris Ethan Weiss Matt Gilbert
FRESHMAN A.J Moline Conner Morris Wyatt Brown Cade Baker Cooper Garber Dylan Greenough-Groom Ethan Alliot Arbaz Khan Dawson Richards
JUNIORS Winfield Loomis Will Huckeba Christian Walker Gentry Latin Luke Mullinax Ayden Phillips Zane Huntley Carson Bates James Richards
Coaches Kirk McLaughlin Colter Brantz Andrew Marcure Kaden Haun
SOPHOMORES Cade Butler Sean Walker Jack Walker Jax Zimmer
2018 RECAP
THERMOPOLIS GREYBULL WRIGHT UPTON-SUNDANCE PINE BLUFFS TONGUE RIVER LUSK SOUTHEAST WIND RIVER PINE BLUFFS COKEVILLE
W W W W W W W W
43-0 39-7 53-0 55-14 42-7 42-21 49-12 63-20
PLAYOFFS W W W
67-8 68-13 56-3
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 25
THE VENDETTA EAGLES LOOK TO REGAIN POWER
26 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
OPPONENTS
TONGUE RIVER 2018 WON SEASON 3
T
LOST 5
POINTS RUSH TD 14.8 1.3
BY KILEY CARROLL
hree years ago, the current seniors of the Tongue River High School football team felt the heartbreak of leaving War Memorial Stadium at the University of Wyoming as state runners-up. They finished their first high school football season almost like a fairytale. But instead, Pine Bluffs defeated them in the last run of their season, causing the last walk off the field to register as a bitter memory. They embraced their teammates, their brothers, their coaches, family and friends with tears down their faces and their heads hanging knowing they would not return as 11 seniors graduated. Now, the TR seniors have a vendetta they want everyone to know about. “We’re gonna fight ‘til hell freezes over and then we’re gonna fight ‘em on the ice,” said Marcus Sharp, a senior and offensive lineman.
LEFT | Tongue River High School’s Eli Cummins dives for the goal line Tuesday, July 23, 2019. RIGHT | Tongue River High School’s Brayden McCafferty makes the catch on a slant Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
PASS TD .8
POINTS 26.3
RUSH TD 1.9
PASS TD 1.6
ABOVE | Tongue River High School’s Marcus Sharp and Daie’n Bear Don’t Walk hit helmets to get fired up for football season Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
After being the first class to complete four full years in Steve Hanson’s football program, they’ve dedicated blood, sweat and even a few tears to rebuild the legacy that is TR football. They want the title for themselves, their families and anyone who bleeds green. This is a goal they’ve been quietly working on since sitting on the varsity bench as incoming freshmen, and they have decided this year their hard work will come to fruition. “We’ve gone to Chadron’s football camp six or seven times over the years and I would say this was the most competitive we’ve showcased,” head coach Steve Hanson said. “They’re here for a second beginning.” Hanson worked as an assistant under John Scott for five years; together they appeared in two state championships. This is Hanson’s third year as head honcho and he’s eager to see the seniors work put to the test. After their run at the state title in 2016, the Eagles went 2-6 and 3-5.
28 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
“Every time I watch our guys I always see a bunch of selfless guys that just want to make their team better and they’re willing to do whatever to make things happen.”
“ Tyler Hanson,
Tongue River assistant coach
“Sometimes it was tough going to practice every day, hoping for the best in the game and it not coming out the way you wanted it to, then the next week you do it all over again,” said Cade Reish, senior and starting safety. “We knew it was going to be a big drop off immediately, but hopefully this is going to be our comeback year,” Sharp said. “We started to really mesh at the end of the year last year, which propelled us into some wins, which kind of reminded us what winning is like. So we want to pick up where we left off last year and start strong.” TR has only graduated three football players since their state champion runner-up team in 2016. This year they debut nine seniors who have completely engulfed themselves in the team. “We do everything together,” senior and starting running back Kyle Breen said. “A lot of us do indoor, basketball, outdoor, ski, camp, fish. We’re always together.” As the TR coaches begin to analyze their roster, they have basic expectations of each position.
RIGHT | Tongue River High School’s receiver Brayden McCafferty tries to make the catch under pressure from safety Cade Reish Tuesday, July 23, 2019. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 29
TONGUE RIVER
2018 SEASON
OPPONENTS
RUSHING
YD 156.1
ATT 44.6
YD/ATT 3.6
YD 166.9
ATT 331.9
YD/ATT 5.2
PASSING
YD 38.8
ATT 2.8
COMP % 31%
YD 86.8
ATT 5.8
COMP % 48%
“My expectations of our running backs is to find 5 yards. Our goal isn’t to know every play, that’s the expectation. Now I want to fight for every yard we can get and if we can do that we can march down the field and the better the line will be,” said CJ Scholl, assistant coach. “Every time I watch our guys I always see a bunch of selfless guys that just want to make their team better and they’re willing to do whatever to make things happen,” assistant coach Tyler Hanson said. “We only graduated one lineman last year so we have a lot of guys who can turn on both sides of the ball.” The only senior who graduated last year was quarterback Luke Stutzman. Daie’n Bear Don’t Walk, a senior, will fill his shoes. “Luke’s a tough kid to replace because Luke was a team guy, a hard
worker, a tremendous leader and really smart — but he had never played quarterback,” Hanson said. “Daie’n can see and diagnose things faster than Luke could last year because he’s only ever played quarterback; he’s got a tremendous arm and he’s just sneaky athletic.” Assistant coach Scott Orchard said the Eagles run more than pass. “A lot of times what we’ve seen in the past that we can’t fall asleep when the time comes to make a play. I want to sustain a block and when the time comes, get their hands on that ball and make a play,” Orchard said. As the start of the season approaches, the mindset of the men in green is clear. They have set their sights on a spot in the playoffs and if they’re still alive in November, they will fight without mercy for the 2019 state championship banner.
BELOW | Tongue River High School’s team captains, from left, Kyle Breen, Brayden McCafferty, Daie’n Bear Don’t Walk, Marcus Sharp, Cade Reish and Eli Cummins Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
30 I FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
(307) 674-4111 Wishin all Sheridan o nt foot all tea s the est of l ck in 201 2016 S. SHERIDAN AVENUE
SHERIDAN, WYOMING
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 31
RICH RELATIONSHIPS
COACHES BUILD SMALL PROGRAM TOGETHER ABOVE | Tongue River High School’s Kyle Breen takes the pitch in the backfield before racing down field Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
32 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
C
BY KILEY CARROLL
hildren in the Tongue River Valley dream of the day they will wear green and white as they run along the sidelines pretending to cradle the winning catch. Parents’ voices become hoarse under the Friday night lights. Community members line the road trailing the mountain
and create what resembles a celebration song of horns honking through the valley. Come rain, wind, shine or freezing temperatures, the stands will be filled with fans from multiple generations. This is the culture of small town Dayton, Wyoming. This is the culture that was created by four men’s bond and their love for the game.
BELOW | The coaching staff at Tongue River High School, from left, are Tyler Hanson, CJ Scholl, Joshua Lovingood, Scott Orchard and head coach Steve Hanson, pictured Thursday, July 25, 2019.
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 33
“
“Football is not a barometer or a predictor on whether or not you’re going to be a good man in your life, but if you can get good at the things that make football a unique sport in its toughness, its dedication, you’ll absolutely be successful.” Tyler Hanson,
Tongue River assistant coach
Steve Hanson, Tyler Hanson, Scott Orchard and C.J. Scholl have created a dynamic relationship between classrooms and each sport they coach separately. “You have to learn how to walk together by walking together,” said Steve Hanson, Tongue River head coach. “Sometimes I joke that I see coach Orchard more often from August to May than I do my own wife.” Steve Hanson has coached alongside Orchard, the assistant coach for six years now in football, indoor track and outdoor track. Tyler Hanson, assistant football coach focusing on linemen and head boys basketball coach has been assisting for four years and teaches next door to Steve Hanson. Scholl is the newest addition to the team, who assists with the running backs and is the head wrestling coach. “Our relationships don’t start and end when practice starts and I think the boys see that,” Steve Hanson said. “One of the biggest things we want when the boys walk
34 I FOOTBALL CAPITAL — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
away from our program is ‘Did they learn to work together the way we did?’” The TR senior football players have developed a rich relationship with one another. The boys claim they spend most of their free time together competing in basketball, wrestling, indoor and outdoor track. When practice is over, they go camping, fishing and snowboarding together the moment they have a free weekend. “Our biggest thing among each other is we expect if you’re gonna put the jersey on, you have to put the effort in,” said Marcus Sharp, senior and starting offensive lineman. “If you’re not showing up every day, are you going to be putting your best out on the field every night? We don’t want to doubt anyone’s reliability and we want to keep each other accountable.” All nine of the current seniors agreed the level of play the coaches ask for and pressure they place on the team is high but isn’t unattainable.
“We’re lucky because we’ve been in the same program for four years now,” said Cade Reish, a starting senior. “The expectation for us when we came in as freshmen was to win, so we knew what hard work looked like right away.” The seniors are all looking forward to stepping into their leadership roles and to leave a lasting impression on younger Eagles. “We want all the younger kids to work hard because this could be their first or second year and you might not be starting but good things will happen if they’re willing to listen, work hard and stay committed to the program both on and off the field,” Sharp said. Reish said when his class was younger they had a really good seniors. “We want to pass that down the vineyards and accept that role and teach the younger kids as much as my friends did when I was a freshman,” Reish said. Senior starting safety Kyle Breen added that the team has a couple of juniors that are going to be good leaders in the future, so they want to pay forward what the seniors did when he was younger. The four coaches all agreed they hope to lead by example to create young men when they hang up their helmets at the end of the day. “Football is not a barometer or a predictor on whether or not you’re going to be a good man in your life,” Hanson said. “But if you can get good at the things that make football a unique sport in its toughness, its dedication, you’ll absolutely be successful.” “It’s a tale as old as time; we’re using sports to develop character, we’re just using football as our vehicle to get there,” Orchard said.
It’s clear while watching all four men interact with the kids that they aren’t here for the paycheck or even for their love of the game. They are here to develop young men by the time they take jerseys off for the last time. “The best part about coaching is watching previous players come back as good husbands, good fathers and good men of work,” Hanson said. “That’s the message we preach every day.”
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 35
TENTATIVE Roster Seniors Gabe Veilleux Marcus Sharp Kyle Breen Daie’n Bear Don’t Walk Cade Reish Justice Rees Gabe Frederick Braden McCafferty Juniors Sam Patterson Zack Cook Luke Singer James Mckenzie Tony Perfetti
Cashe Van Tassel Adam Stainbrook Freshmen Kaden Breen Nate Guimond Scott Arizona Tavis Aksamit Shane Hatzenbiler Adain Callingwood Managers Lindsey Tritschler Bailey Webber Head Coach Steve Hanson
Sophomores Ryan McCafferty Eli Cumins Wiley Toi Jacob Knobloch Caleb Cloud
Assistant Coaches Tyler Hanson Scott Orchard C.J. Scholl Joshua Lovingood
2018 RECAP
MOORCROFT LUSK UPTON-SUNDANCE PINE BLUFFS SOUTHEAST BIG HORN SHERIDAN JV WRIGHT
L L L L W L W W
7-20 12-26 14-53 0-28 14-9 21-42 24-12 26-20
36 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
AT GREYBULL
SEPT. 6 | 7 P.M.
VS MOORCROFT
SEPT.13 | 6 P.M.
AT LUSK
SEPT. 20 | 7 P.M.
VS UPTON
SEPT. 27 | 6 P.M.
AT PINE BLUFFS OCT. 4 | 6 P.M. | HOMECOMING
VS SOUTHEAST OCT. 11 | 6 P.M.
VS BIG HORN
OCT. 25 | 6 P.M.
VS WRIGHT
TONGUE RIVER
AUG. 30 | 7 P.M.
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 37
STARTS IN THE TRENCHES
SHERIDAN RETURNS EXPERIENCED GROUP OF LINEMEN
E
BY JOEL MOLINE
very year, the Sheridan Broncs have the common goal of winning a state title. This year is no different. After falling in the title game last season. An experienced group of linemen will help guide the
Broncs on their quest to again don the crown. “We came into last season with zero experience along the offensive line,” Broncs head coach Jeff Mowry said. “This year we return one starter, but we also return some depth and players that received key minutes last year.”
LEFT | The Sheridan Broncs celebrate a touchdown Thursday, July 25, 2019. BELOW | Sheridan’s linemen practice against each other Thursday, July 25, 2019.
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 39
This experience will allow the offense to have a better start. Last year, Sheridan went scoreless in the first two quarters of the season opener against Rock Springs. “You can’t really do anything yourself without an O-line,” senior running back Garrett Coon said. “So with them having experience, it will help me out a lot. They will make their blocks and they will be the ones to get the offense rolling.”
Bronc linemen are now used to the game at the varsity level. Senior lineman Ethan Johnson said the difference between JV and varsity is huge, literally. Players are a lot bigger and hit a lot harder. Johnson and the rest of the line now have experience taking on other varsity linemen after receiving playing time a year ago. “With that experience a person knows what technique to use when you are going against a guy that is 6-4 and 300 pounds when you weight 170,” Johnson said. “It helps with that mindset and technique.” Technique is extremely important to linemen. It is not just about hitting harder or being stronger, so Sheridan focuses on precision with footwork. “It is really important for Sheridan because our guys are not big; I am 202 pounds and 5-9 at the most,” Johnson said.
“Other schools are bigger than us. Technique is important for everyone, but for us, we are smaller. We don’t have the strength or the size, so we need to make up that difference with speed and technique.” Experience helps linemen understand what they need to do against each player and scheme. Although Sheridan practices every day, game time situations are completely different.
OPPONENT
SHERIDAN 2018 WON SEASON 9
LOST 3
POINTS RUSH TD 31.3 2.8
PASS TD 1.3
POINTS 12.3
RUSH TD 0.7
ABOVE | Sheridan’s Lowden Askins makes an over the-shoulder-catch Thursday, July 25, 2019. 40 I FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
PASS TD 0.8
“Technique is important for everyone, but for us, we are smaller. We don’t have the strength or the size, so we need to make up that difference with speed and technique.”
“ Ethan Johnson,
Sheridan senior lineman
Senior lineman Joel Sayer said to be a lineman you need to have a tough mentality and be ready to hit every play. Coaches have told senior lineman Nick Gale that the best rep is a physical rep and the second best rep is a mental rep. “Offensive and defensive line is muscle memory,” Sayer said. “It is something that takes time. We simplify it down that there are only six steps. It is something you have to do every day to get good at. It takes us two or three years to get good enough to play at the varsity level. It’s all technique and muscle memory.” Once that technique and muscle memory is built, linemen will be able to move through their steps with less thought. Linemen must react and play quick; any hesitation can lead to a lineman getting beat, Sayer said.
RIGHT | Sheridan’s Kaiden Williams, pictured Thursday, July 25, 2019, hopes to lighten the load on fellow running back Garrett Coon this upcoming season. THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 41
SHERIDAN
2018 SEASON
OPPONENTS
RUSHING
YD 187.5
ATT 33.3
YD/ATT 5.6
YD 124.8
ATT 35.1
YD/ATT 3.6
PASSING
YD 131
ATT 9.4
COMP % 54%
YD 117.6
ATT 12.2
COMP % 41%
“Offense and defensive line is the No. 1 part of the team,” Johnson said. “If your line does not drive the defensive line off the ball to run up the middle, you go nowhere. If they don’t block a guy on the pass, the quarterback gets sacked. It is probably the most important job on the team.” Experience also brings a new mindset for the linemen. Nothing is new and everyone can focus on the task at hand, Sayer said. Experience has allowed him to block out any crowd noise or distraction and just worry about the current play.
Mowry said he will rotate about eight linemen, with most playing offense and defense. Rarely does a Bronc only focus on one side of the ball. While offensive and defensive sides both require technique and toughness, the approach is slightly different. Johnson said O-line is more technical with sound fundamentals. “Defense is a lot more like butting heads,” Johnson said. “It is more of a meat head mentality. Whatever it takes to maintain your gap. You still have technique but it is not as technical as offensive line.”
BELOW | The Sheridan Broncs get excited for the upcoming season Thursday, July 25, 2019.
42 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
When playing offensive line, Sayer said you do not want to go too fast. “With the O-line you sometimes have to slow things down,” Sayer said. “When you get too eager you can get your weight forward or little things here and
there, and you won’t perform as well.” Sheridan linemen know the offense will be counting on them to open running lanes for Coon and keep quarterback Jacob Boint upright in the pocket on their way to the state title game.
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 43
HYDRA OFFENSE SHERIDAN’S OFFENSE BRINGS VARIETY AND BALANCE
44 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
S
BY JOEL MOLINE
heridan High School football’s offense will take the field this year without its leading rusher and top two leading receivers from a year ago. But SHS head coach Jeff Mowry is not trying to replace Gatorade Player of the Year Parker Christensen. “You will never replace a Parker Christensen,” Mowry said. “We have to adjust to the talent we do have. We may have lost Parker Christensen, but we have gained talent in other positions. We will run an offense that highlights the strength we do have.”
Sheridan will return senior quarterback Jacob Boint, who started last year as a junior and helped in taking the Broncs to the title game. This gives Boint experience in playoffs and a championship game, something Mowry said you cannot replace. “Jacob is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the state. He makes the right decisions on offense,” senior Ryan Sessions said. “He will make the right choice and we will have a good season hopefully.” Boint averaged 121.7 yards passing last year in an offense that was looking to run the ball, lining up with multiple running backs.
LEFT | Sheridan’s Garrett Coon takes a hand-off from quarterback Jacob Boint Thursday, July 25, 2019. BELOW | Sheridan’s offensive weapons, from left, are Toby Jacobs, Garrett Coon, Ryan Sessions, Jacob Boint, Lowden Askins, Wade Jacobs and Kaiden Williams, pictured Thursday, July 25, 2019.
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 45
“Last year we felt like we had three good running backs, so we were in three back set quite a bit because that is where we felt our strength was as an offense,” Mowry said. “This year we are going to be more spread out, single back, because that is where our strength is. Garrett Coon is one strong running back and I have some receivers I am excited to see what they can get done this year.” Coon, a senior, will be a three-year starter as a linebacker and was the second leading rusher for Sheridan a year ago. Coon rushed for 458 yards on 79 attempts and scored six rushing touchdowns last year for the Broncs. “Coon has been getting better every single year,” senior Lowden Askins said. “I have been playing with him since flag football in kindergarten. He has been so passionate about football and that drives him to get better every day.” Last year, opponents knew Christensen was probably getting the ball. Christensen touched the ball about a third of the time for Sheridan, allowing teams to key in on one player. “Any time you can spread the ball around the field and make that defense spread out and not know who is getting the ball is a huge asset,” Mowry said. “Having someone like Jacob [Boint] that understands that really gives us the advantage going into the season. We are
going to spread the ball and take what the defense gives us and highlight some of their downfalls.” Sheridan will look to open the passing game up a little bit with Boint entering his second year at quarterback. Mowry said Boint’s best asset is not his arm strength but his understanding of the offense and where the ball needs to go. Sheridan relies on short passes to move the ball down the field. “That short passing game is really critical,” Mowry said. “If we can’t complete those passes we are in trouble. That accuracy from the quarterback is really critical for our offense.” Boint will have plenty of options when looking for a receiver, allowing Sheridan to distribute the ball all over the field.
RIGHT | Sheridan quarterback Jacob Boint fires off a deep pass Thursday, July 25, 2019.
“
“Jacob is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the state. He makes the right decisions on offense.” Ryan Sessions,
Sheridan High School senior
“It’s really helpful because that gives us a lot of options and plays we can run,” said senior wide receiver Toby Jacobs. “That makes the defense have to be ready for everything. It helps to have a versatile offense and multiple people that can make plays.” Jacobs is the top returning receiver for the Broncs, lining up in the slot receiver position. “Toby is fast and super quick,” Coon said. “He runs his routes to a T and is a good runner. It is always easy to rely on him if there is a third down situation. You know he will run the best route and find every possible way to get open.” Sessions and Askins will be Sheridan’s other inside receivers. Sessions and Askins are bigger receivers, guys that you throw the ball up to, Coon said. “Ryan is just an animal,” Askins said. “He is always going hard on the field. He is always going to give 100% and when he is going up for a ball he is not going to let anyone take it from him.” Mowry has three athletes battling for the two outside receiver spots. Senior receiver Wade Jacobs is looking to win one of those spots, as are juniors Caiden Martin and Kyle
Meinecke. Mowry said he is excited about all three receivers and what they can accomplish as a unit. Sessions said Wade Jacobs is a great route runner and one of the best on the team at getting open. The offense is full of seniors, a group that has been playing football together for a long time. Askins said this has led to great chemistry between the players and will carry over to help the offense on the field this year.
PROTECT THEIR
BLIND SIDE Jeff Nichols
130 S. Brooks St, Ste A Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-2323
Good luck to all athletes and coaches!
41 E. Burkitt in Sheridan (307) 674-7491 THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 47
TENTATIVE Roster SENIORS Lowden Askins Jacob Boint Garrett Coon Dawson Eppe Nick Gale Weston Heeren Toby Jacobs Wade Jacobs Ethan Johnson Gage Kirshner Camden McArthur Joel Sayer Ryan Sessions Connor Weatherby Kaiden Williams JUNIORS Izak Aksamit Kavan Bede Caleb Bybee Xander Coon Hayden Crow Carter Dubberley Cisco Gallegos Hunter Goodwin Zach Koltiska Quinton Mangus Ethan Marshall Caiden Martin Kyle Meinecke Ben Novotny Reese Osborne Kahlil Rios Taylor Roberts
Ryan Steiner Ian Taylor Matthew Taylor Justin Vela Gaige Vielhauer Michael Wilson SOPHOMORES Brayton Ankney Carl Askins Ethan Aurand Bridger Baker John Coffin Cinch Cook Ezra Eckland Michael Greer Rich Hall Matthew Ingalls Ethan Irvine Cody Kilpatrick Chris Larson Brock Mann Carter McComb Connor McKinney Tyler Ormseth Rudy Osborne Brock Steel Caden Steel Jim Strobbe Ashton Wagner Payton Wilson
2018 RECAP
ROCK SPRINGS CENTRAL NATRONA THUNDER BASIN KELLY WALSH CHEYENNE SOUTH CAMPBELL CO. LARAMIE CHEYENNE EAST
FRESHMAN Brodie Anderson Patrick Asby Dillan Bennett Dillan Bennett Uriah Busby Aidan Collingwood Colson Coon Kayleb Elkins Jerek Ferguson Aiden Fronek Mark Gilbert Cael Gilbertson Dawson Goss Tobey Green Cole Hansen RayeLynn Hartman Ulises Hernandez Alex Jack Dominic Kaszas Matthew Ketner Deedan Kirschner Chance Larson Brant Mancini Mason Manning Dyson Murner Nicholas Peterson Chace Porter Damian Roberts Talon Rudloff Dax Sargent Aiden Selcher Simon Tengesdal Rater Tomlinson Casen Willson
W W L L W W W W W
21-6 50-6 7-34 13-23 30-3 49-6 54-8 42-3 41-15
PLAYOFFS ROCK SPRINGS W THUNDER BASIN W NATRONA L
41-8 14-7 14-28
48 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
AUG. 30 | 6 P.M. SEPT. 6 | 6 P.M.
AT CHEYENNE CENTRAL
SEPT.13 | 7 P.M.
VS NATRONA
SEPT. 20 | 7 P.M.
AT THUNDER BASIN
SEPT. 27 | 7 P.M.
VS KELLY WALSH
OCT. 4 | 6 P.M. | HOMECOMING
VS CHEYENNE SOUTH OCT. 11 | 7 P.M.
AT CAMPBELL COUNTY OCT. 18 | 6 P.M.
AT LARAMIE
SHERIDAN
VS ROCK SPRINGS
OCT. 25 | 6 P.M.
VS CHEYENNE EAST
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 49
50 | FOOTBALL CAPITAL 2019 — BY THE SHERIDAN PRESS
THESHERIDANPRESS.COM | 51