I would have to say the state basketball tournament, no matter what level or gender I think it has to be the most exciting time of year for high school sports.

I would have to say one of the best moments was the 2a state championship football game Big Horn vs Riverside 21-20, the first state championship in Riverside school history, a 99 yard drive capped with a 2 point conversion to take the lead, back and forth game. it doesnt get much better than that

I have to agree (with 2A Fan) not only Riverside's championship FB game against BH, but their entire playoff run was memorable (total score 48-44). Also I have to agree (with Patrick) about Encampment championship BB game over SE. I think that may have been Encampment’s 1st BB championship. What about the BH girls over the TR girls in their championship BB game (after losing 3 times during the season)? After state T&F, I have to give props to the LFL girls for taking on the challenge of moving up a classification and taking on a very good MV team.

Patrick,

Great topic and some good events you list. I have to agree with you about the state track meet. I think it is an area where Wyoming kids have been able to go on and compete at a national and international level more so than others. Wyoming produces some of the finest track and field athletes in the country per capita. I remember people like Barb Metz (Olympic Triathlete), John Godina (world champion and Olympic medalist), Shanelle Porter (a former world record holder in indoor track), Shauna Smith (NCAA champion and world championship meet contestant) all performing at the state championship meet in Wyoming. This is done without a great training season (especially this spring), and a dearth of indoor facilities. I am pretty certain that more athletes in track and field are offered scholarships than maybe all the other sports combined. I'll admit that I'm prejudiced toward the sport, but every spring, there is a new bunch that amazes me with their ability and will to compete. There is a reason why the world's first sport has flourished for almost 3,000 years.

That's a whole other list... the ones I wish I had seen. Riverside's run in the football playoffs is tops on that list, especially that championship game. The 4A boys soccer championship game between KW and Laramie. The 1A girls basketball semis between Burlington and Arvada-Clearmont. The 4A boys hoops semis between Rock Springs and Natrona. The 4A boys football championship game between Jackson and Cody. Those and a host of others top that list of the "I wish" list.

--patrick

I was at most of the events on Patrick's wish list and covered many state championships since joining the staff in late October. I'll come up with my own year in review and post it in the next few days.

Dave Buck
Star-Tribune sports reporter

Hey Patrick,
Didn't Jackson beat Buffalo in the 4A football championship game? I know that Cody wasn't in that game.

My vote is the 4A Football State Championship Game ~ Jackson vs Buffalo ~ It was a game where both teams left it all on the field.
Patrick, I have a couple of DVD's of the game, want one? Email me, will be in Casper for the Shrine Bowl or can mail it.

Sorry, yes, Jackson-Buffalo. After state track, I've got Cody on the brain. Sorry.

CGoe, if you've got a spare copy, that'd be awesome. E-mail me and we'll work out the details. patrick.schmiedt@trib.com.

--patrick

I've got two things to mention.First Mariel Pfeifer finaly completed all the tests and paperwork and will join the USMA @West Point's track team next year throwing the dicus.
Second I was wondering how many Wyoming althletes have won all state honors in all three of the sports they have particpated in during the year.
I'm curious as to their grade (9-12) class and gender.If anybody knows I'd like to see the list

1afan... I don't have a list, but I know of one. Cody Emrick in Football, Basketball & Track this past year as a senior.

Luke Bromley from Lander was all state in Xc, Nordic. and Track this year he is a junior

I don't know exactly how track all state works but if a top six finish does it then he also did it as a sophmore

Mitch Brauneis from Lander did it this year in the same three sports although he was second team all state in skiing if that makes a difference to you

Erik Heiss of Kelly Walsh was All-State in football, swimming, and soccer.

1afan, there are probably quite a few particularly in the lower classifications. I can think of 2 from Gillette off the top of my head: Emily Moore (G, BB, T&F) and Dominick Robinson (CC, IT&F, T&F). I also, know a person who earned 4 all-state honors within a single school year. Crockett Herring (SE - 1988-89) in FB, BB, W, & T&F. He also was a fairly good in Rodeo.

How about the 4A State wrestling championship race between Gillette & Star Valley. It came down to match # 420 the 285 lb final to determin the team champion. I dont think a wyoming team wrestling championship has ever been determined by the very last match nor is it likely that it will happen again anytime soon.

As far as my favorite moments,it might not be considered "close" by others in terms of scores, but I loved seeing my rangers regroup after a tough loss in Jackson and go through the playoffs with 3 shutouts to win the 3A football championship and finish the season 10-1!

I just wanted to say that my favorite moment was when my rangers regrouped after a tough loss to Jackson and went through the playoffs with 3 shutouts to earn the 3A championship and finish 10-1!

Sorry about the double post there. The computer got away from me for a second. I also wanted to add the double overtime game of kemmerer vs. Pinedale in kemmerer where my boys came out on the downside thanks to some gutsy shots by those pinedale kids. Only regular season, but what a game.

I want to point out that we don't really know how good our Wyoming kids could be in many cases. There are so many of our schools that don't have tracks to practice on. Track meets are the only time many of our athletes actually get to "do" their event. Just think what they could do if they actually got to run on a track, jump hurdles or have a high jump pit. With the spring we had I don't think a lot of our Wyoming kids ever got to reach their potential.

Not to mention that the lack of indoor facilities and the weather make for a VERY short season in most of the state. This makes these track achievements that much more impressive to me.

Toby Wood of Riverside was All-State in football (2x Super 25), basketball, and won the discus and shot put last weekend in Casper.

Thanks for the info guys.I do appreciate it.In track the top two in the event get all state honors as with wreastling,cross country is a bit more generous,I beleive it is the top six.
Not to let bulldogfan steel all of crook county's glory.Leland Pfeifer Hulett FB WR and TR this year as a sophmore.And I hope that this doesn't come across diminiousing Cody Emrick accomplishments.He is a fine athlete and i have injoyed watching him play over the last few years

Bulldog fan couln't agree with you more on the lack of facilitys in this state especcially in the 1a and 2a
levels.It would be interesting to see what wyoming kids could do with some practice

Mentioning all these great athletes made me think...when are the Milward L Simpson nominees announced? Isn't it about that time. Didn't know if anyone knew

GO CROOK COUNTY!!! I do not follow wrestling, so didn't know about Pfeifer. Two from our little corner is great. Any other sleepers out there?

hs -- Milward Simpson Award finalists will be announced on May 28. I'm a part of that selection committee and that was the date we set for the release, in order to track down biographies, stats, notify the finalists, etc. So watch for that next week.

--patrick

I'm Dave Buck, a sports reporter at the Star-Tribune. Here's my list:

-- Football: I only saw three games because I stared at the Star-Tribune the week of semifinals. All three games were packed with highlights: Cheyenne East beating Gillette 35-34 in 2OT, Riverside beating Lusk 10-9, and Riverside beating Big Horn 21-20 for the Class 2A title.

-- Gymnastics: It was good to see the WHSAA get the all-around champion correct. You hate to see a title given then taken away, but mathematical errors were made and had to be corrected.

-- Wrestling: Seeing Torrington's Jared Hatley and Greybull/Riverside's Kasey Garnhart winning their fourth state titles were the top individual moments. As for the team race, Star Valley showed it can compete in any class, and Gillette showed why it is usually the team to beat. The Class 4A team race came down to the final match, and Gillette's R.J. Boylan came through and won the Camels the title.

-- Basketball: 1A/2A: Watching Ten Sleep compete with just five girls. I would have liked to see them play one of their games where they finished with four players. Big Horn beating Mountain View in the 2A girls semis in double overtime, and Encampment winning the 1A boys title on a buzzer beater also highlighted the first week of basketball.
3A/4A: Rock Springs becoming the only Wyoming team to beat the NC boys this season and Lander boys running lines after winning their 3A title

-- Track and Field: Watching pole vault (I had never seen it live before); seeing all the state meet records drop; and the Class 2A girls and boys races — I knew the boys race would be determined by the 1600 relay, but I failed to calculate that Wind River and Guernsey could tie for the title.

Dave

How about the 3A boys State Soccer Title game. Cody over Buffalo in a sudden-death shootout. It does not get any better than that, especially the fact that the Cody player that hit the game-winning goal is just a freshman.

Do I hear some whining about facilities from WYO people? I don't care what level it is, the facilities in wyoming are much better than what is available in SD at the school level. Wyoming kids have much better opportunities for available facilities.

HS Sports Fan....I don't know where you live, but in Crook County anything in SD would be better than what we have for track since we don't have anything. The closest track to us is Newcastle(this is where we host our track meet), 50 miles from Sundance & 90 miles from Hulett. For Moorcroft 30 miles to Gillette. Our kids can train, but they can never actually "do" their event. One of the parents made a high jump pit at their house(five miles from town) Our hurdlers have to go to Upton if they want to practice. You bet I'm whining. There is supposed to be a remedy for this situation in the small schools, but we sure haven't seen it yet. Wyoming has some beautiful tracks, but not many at the small school level. I have been to many of the tracks on the west side of SD and they are very nice facilities...Belle Fourche, Lead, Sturgis, Spearfish, Rapid City. Our Crook County kids do very well in track and I say again that I would love to see what they could do if they actually had facilities like "the big kids".

Thank you bulldog fan, I couldn't agree with you more.Your right on with you assement of our facilities in crook cnty.I suppose this give credance to the statement that it is the athlete not the facilities that make champs.You should come over and see our weight room this summer

How can you guys leave out the Lander Tigers State Championship run. A double overtime game with Pinedale which the Tigers played horribly and still managed to win. A thriller in the semi's with Wheatland in which I hated to see any teams lose but the Tigers prevailed on that one. Then the State Championship where they beat a good Newcastle team. The Tigers were the probably the scariest team to play at the end of the season as they would have beat anyone in there path. Coaches Selph and Noseep who have been coaching together for 5 years and have 4 state titles are something special. Those two have put together some special teams and I know it had to have been special for Coach Noseep winning at his alma mater. If you haven't seen him coach you should he is something special and I would love to see him get a head coaching job and whoever gives him the chance has a winner on his hands. Congrats to Coach Selph he seems to win not matter what and wherever he is. Most coaches spend there entire careers wanting to coach a state title team or even in a state title game and these two have coached in the big game since they started to coach. Perhaps Pat you should run a story on them that would be something Wyoming fans would love to see.

The best Volleyball players who ever came out of the State of Wyoming, Was Jami and Stephanie Laya From Tongue River High School, Dayton/Ranchester,Wyoming. Jami went to the Univer of Wyoming in Laramie and Stephanie went to Montana State Univer in Bozeman. What great ALL AMERICAN ALL AROUND PLAYERS!