Just wanted to point out a story my old boss, Kathy Brown, wrote in today's Gillette News-Record. Read it by clicking here.

It's a great column, and it got me thinking about high school sports -- who we know because of it, even if we don't "know" them. We know their faces because we see them in the stands at every game. Or we know them because we see them three times a year -- once when you're at their gym, once when they're at your gym, once at regionals (and, if you're both lucky, once at state).

I challenge each one of you to go put a name with a familiar face this weekend. You won't be disappointed.

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This week's five on the rise is here! Try to contain your excitement as we take a look back at five teams that did some pretty cool stuff last weekend:

1. Dubois wrestling: Granted, it's not like winning the Ron Thon, but the Rams beat almost a dozen other 2A teams on their way to winning the Greybull Invitational. Watch out for those smaller Rams -- Dubois won brackets at 103, 112, 125 and 130 pounds.

2. Saratoga boys basketball: The Panthers keep getting better. This time, it was victories over conference rival Hanna and 2A power Wyoming Indian that turned heads.

3. Cody boys basketball: I don't care what's happening elsewhere, because what Cody is doing is pretty impressive. Knocking off highly ranked teams on back-to-back weekends is a good sign for a team that looks like it's improved dramatically since December.

4. Cokeville girls basketball: Don't look now, but with a 13-game winning streak, it's the Panthers who have the longest such streak in the state for girls. Cokeville added to the streak last week with a 48-point win over Farson and a 41-point win over Big Piney.

5. Everyone: January's doldrums are almost done. That means state everything is coming up soon. This is when it starts to get exciting. Thank goodness; I was afraid January was never going to die. :)

Add to the list by noting your favorite team's notable performance below.

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Just like that, and we're down to one unbeaten basketball team.

Four teams came into the weekend unbeaten, but three didn't survive. Natrona County lost to Billings West, Mont., 60-39 in Big Sky country, Lovell lost to suddenly resurgent Cody 47-33 on Friday (did the Broncs get Adam Waddell back or what?), and Ten Sleep lost to Burlington 58-37.

Wind River's boys are the only remaining unbeaten team at 18-0.

I guess Natrona's loss shouldn't have been a surprise -- the Wyoming boys have been pretty mediocre when they've faced out-of-state opponents this year, managing just a 39-55 record. The Equality State girls have done much better, going 52-47 in the interstate matchups.

That's all for now. I'm tired and cranky, so I better go home.

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Forgot to ask earlier this year, but I was just curious to see what y'all thought of the new quarter score format for our basketball roundups. So.... what do you think? Like the quarter scores? Dislike? Any changes you'd make?

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For those who are interested, the Natrona County-Billings West boys game on Saturday will be Webcast live at www.kurlradio.com.

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Sorry about the lack of updates recently, but I've been pondering a state tournament that could be more fun than a barrel of monkeys:

Class 1A girls.

It's already been an amazing year, and the best is yet to come. The classification is incredibly top-heavy, as Burlington (11-1), Southeast (11-2), St. Stephens (14-2), Arvada-Clearmont (10-1) and Cokeville (13-1) hold down the top five spots. Every single one has proven they deserve the No. 1 ranking, and believe me -- ordering them every week is one of the toughest tasks I have.

Past those five, though, there are several other teams that have dropped hints that they, too, could compete for a state championship, including Midwest (10-2), Kaycee (7-5) and Hulett (7-5) from the Northeast and Ten Sleep (8-3) and Fort Washakie (6-3) from the Northwest. Some deserving teams won't get past regionals.

This week might help provide some separation -- or maybe just create more parity. In the Northwest, Burlington plays Ten Sleep and St. Stephens (and the Burlington JV plays Fort Washakie in a game that counts in the conference standings), while in the Northeast, Kaycee plays Arvada-Clearmont and Midwest plays Hulett.

Southeast and Cokeville are the undisputed leaders in their respective conferences and might not be challenged by any Class 1A teams until regionals.

And the semifinals and finals of this year's state tournament could be among the best ever. The unbelievable parity of the top five teams all but guarantees that.

Sure, other classifications have similar parity. The difference between 1A girls and the rest of the state is that here we are in late January, and no clear leader (or pair of leaders) has emerged. Instead, the top five of 1A remains a mishmash, one that won't be cleared up until March 1 in Casper.

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This week's homage to Bob, the five on the rise, in "no particular order":

1. Douglas wrestling: The Bearcats have been one of 3A's top teams all season, but this weekend's victory at the Bobcat Invitational in Thermopolis (by a scant 10 points over Powell) helped cement Douglas' claim to a frontrunners' spot at state.

2. Kemmerer boys basketball: The Rangers don't have any quit in them. They were down 10 points after one quarter against Jackson on Saturday, but came back to win by that amount (10). Comeback victories are good signs for teams that just need a little confidence to be a threat, and that's what the Rangers are now.

3. Rock Springs gymnastics: With Gillette taking the weekend off, it was the Tigers' turn to shine at the Kelly Walsh Invitational, placing first with 95.900 team points. On a good day like that, Rock Springs can challenge for first at state; the trick now is just following through.

4. Natrona County girls basketball: A 2-0 start to West Conference play, with a victory AT Evanston? Can't get much better for the Fillies.

5. Ten Sleep boys basketball: Still undefeated. 'Nuff said.

There it is, this week's five. Add to it below, and pay your respects to Bob.

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Released today. We'll post the South roster here as soon as we get it.

North
BIG HORN: Thomas Nowakowski. BUFFALO: Peter Fenster, Dakota Ramey. CODY: Mike Thompson, Reed Gifford. GILLETTE: Braden Benson, Anthony Fleak, Casey Sullivan, Steven Antle. GREYBULL: Curtis Lindgren. JACKSON: Daniel Goe, Alex Bush. KELLY WALSH: Erik Heiss, Joel Holbrook, Zach Johnson. LANDER: Matt Sebade. LOVELL: Dane Robertson. NATRONA COUNTY: Carson Rowley, Ross Schulte, Mike Mounce, Matt Rich, Zach Edwards. POWELL: Tyler Dahlgren. RIVERSIDE: Toby Wood, Kasey Garnhart. RIVERTON: Kyle Blumenshine. SHERIDAN: Josh Dunkelberger, Ryan Morton. SHOSHONI: Chase McNamee. SUNDANCE: Ray Moore, Cody Emrick. TONGUE RIVER: Rob Johnson. WORLAND: Stephen Pyer, Scott Soderstrom. WRIGHT: Randall Haefele, James Hepp.
Alternates: Mike McQuade, Natrona County; Eric Anderson, Gillette; R.J. Boylan, Gillette; Matt Hurst, Sheridan; Tyler Wetzel, Jackson; Austin Brosious, Powell; Trevor Feusner, Cody; Bill Royse, Moorcroft; Chanse Darling, Riverside; Jake St. John, Big Horn; Levi Bain, Wind River; Jeremy Brandl, Dubois.
Student manager: Kaytlin Parke, Natrona County.
Coaching staff: Michael McGuire, Riverside (head coach); Kent Dempsey, Riverside; Jim Horne, Kelly Walsh; Bill Wiley, Jackson; Larry Yeradi, Wright; Andy Garland, Upton.

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A couple postponements to pass along:

This weekend's Cody Invitational alpine skiing races, set for Red Lodge, Mont., has been postponed. There was too much snow at Red Lodge, which created unsafe racing conditions. No make-up date has been set, although it could be made up next week.

Also, tonight's basketball games between Wright and Big Horn have been postponed; no make-up date has been set.

Know of more postponements? Comment below or e-mail me at patrick.schmiedt@trib.com . Thanks.

We did this about a year ago, but now I'm narrowed down and focused. And a little bit wiser.

Before state basketball, I'm going to take a look back at the 25 best state championship games ever played in the Events Center. By no means is the list final. I'm asking for your help.

There are a few that stick out to me:

2006 Class 1A girls, Lingle beats Encampment by one on a 3-pointer at the buzzer

1997 Class 2A boys, Rocky Mountain beats Wyoming Indian on a last-second shot

2000 Class 4A girls, Natrona County tops Gillette in double-overtime

2004 Class 3A boys, Thermopolis beats Kemmerer in overtime

2002 Class 1A boys, Chugwater beats Arvada-Clearmont as Doug Baker goes off for 51

And... wait for it...

1990 Class 3A boys, Newcastle beats Torrington for the fourth time that season. :)

But to get to 25, I'm going to need some help. What are some other Events Center championship games that stick out in your mind? And which championship game was the best of them all?

Remember, state championship hoops came to Casper in 1983, but not every tournament since then was played under the red roof. I'm looking for Casper-specific championship games....

Please help me out. I'm planning to include some of the comments posted here with my story that will run in the paper. If you'd rather keep your comments private, you can e-mail them directly to me at patrick.schmiedt@trib.com.

Go!

Here it is, the way to beat your January blahs, the Five on the Rise:

1. Powell girls basketball: Yeah, I know, I know. Powell lost on Friday to Riverton. Maybe the Panthers were just saving their energy for the bigger game -- the one on Saturday, in which the Panthers beat Lovell to move into a tie for second in the 3A West.

2. Torrington girls basketball: When you've won five conference games by mid-January, you're doing something right. By beating Lander last week, the Trailblazers won their sixth game in a row and improved to 5-0 in East Conference games.

3. Green River wrestling: Of the 40 teams that scored points at the Vernal (Utah) Tournament of Champions, it was the Wolves that had the best Wyoming finish, placing fourth.

4. Gillette gymnastics: The Camels have won both in-state meets since Auld Lang Syne, and have done so in pretty dominating fashion. With state just a few weeks away, now is not a bad time for a team to be hitting its stride.

5. Everyone involved with indoor track: The season finally got started last weekend. I can't tell you much about it (no one ever sent us results), but it must be nice to finally shake off the cobwebs and compete.

Add your thoughts below. You know how by now.

Posted by patrick.schmiedt@trib.com

Tonight's basketball games between Moorcroft and Wright have been postponed to Thursday, and the game's location will be changing.

The game was originally scheduled for tonight in Wright, but will now be played Thursday in Moorcroft. In exchange, the two teams' games scheduled for Feb. 2 will be played in Wright instead of in Moorcroft.

Edit, added 6 p.m. Tuesday: Tonight's basketball games between Upton and Midwest have also been postponed. No make-up date has been set.

If you know of any other postponements or cancellations, please e-mail me at sports@trib.com. Thanks.

Admittedly, I've been a lazy college basketball fan this year. So it shouldn't be too surprising that, somehow, an NCAA rule change new this season slipped past me.

This season, players are lining up one spot closer to the shooter on foul shots. Basically, there is no longer a player under the block; the first two defensive players are lined up above the block (much like women's college basketball has been for the past few years).

The argument is that players are so athletic these days that the defense no longer had the advantage on rebounding a missed foul shot. Really, though, it's just another excuse for basketball to become a less physical game.

It's only a matter of time before this rule change trickles down to the high school ranks.

And I'm against it.

When I started playing basketball, we filled all eight spots in the lane and we could enter the lane as soon as the ball left the shooter's hand. Then those dirty little rats that believe basketball isn't a contact sport got involved....

First they took away playing the release, instead only allowing players in the lane when the ball hits the rim (which means if you know how to box out, too bad... you'll have to save that for, you know, REAL shots). Then they took away the right to stand in the top two spots in the lane (so much for boxing the shooter effectively, or for anyone on offense that's not the shooter grabbing a long rebound).

And now they want to move everyone up the lane? No. I will not stand for it. No, no, no. Basketball is a physical game, and free throws have been the unwilling, unfortunate scapegoat in trying to reduce overly physical play.

On the plus side, players can now enter the lane on the release of the shot. But it's only a matter of time before that, too, is taken away -- again.

If reducing physical play the goal, why not shoot all foul shots with an open lane, just like a technical? If you miss, the other team gets the ball out of bounds.

Don't laugh. At our current rate, I wouldn't be surprised to see that. Soon.

Posted by patrick.schmiedt@trib.com

A quick glance at this week's high school events around the state:

INDOOR TRACK: Finally! The shortest winter sports season of them all gets going with the Shine Invitational, which starts Friday in Laramie. Watch out -- before you know it, it'll be time for state.

SWIMMING: Can you say Cheyenne? The Pre-Invitational on Friday is tough enough, but then the Cheyenne Invitational on Saturday is basically a preview for the Class 4A state meet -- all 11 4A teams are scheduled to be in the Capital City on Saturday.

WRESTLING: It's a big weekend for the grapplers, as the Shane Shatto Invitational in Douglas and the Don Runner Invitational in Pavillion both have 14 Wyoming teams scheduled to attend. But several Wyoming teams are headed out of state, too, mostly to Vernal, Utah, or Miles City, Mont.

GYMNASTICS: Go to Gillette on Saturday, where the Rick Mills Invitational is the only event of the weekend.

The skiers, both downhill and XC, are off this week. They'll be back next week, though.

Where are you headed this weekend? Don't be shy; let the world know by commenting below.

Posted by patrick.schmiedt@trib.com

This week's "Five on the Rise," five teams destined to make it past Simon and onto the stage:

1. Wheatland boys basketball: A pair of important victories last week -- by 13 on the road over top-ranked Buffalo and by 12 at home against No. 3 Newcastle -- have the Bulldogs in control of the 3A East.

2. Evanston girls basketball: Last weekend wasn't supposed to be easy for the Red Devils. It wasn't, but two hard-fought victories, including one over top-ranked Sheridan, made the effort worth it. Evanston has now won seven in a row and has this weekend off before starting 4A West play.

3. Lingle wrestling: A 4-1 performance at the Burns Duals bodes well for the Doggers, who have been solid so far this season and could cause a ton of problems for teams at regionals and state if they continue to improve.

4. Jackson alpine skiing: The Bronc girls absolutely dominated the first meet of the season, winning the Britt Farr Memorial in Casper by 70 points (Jackson had 133; runner-up Natrona had 63). The boys made a statement of their own, holding off hard-charging (and two-time defending state champion) Natrona County on Saturday to notch a win in meet No. 1.

5. The 3A West girls basketball teams: Take a look at those standings. Of the eight teams, five of them are 3-1 or better. Whichever team ends up winning that conference will have had to fight awfully hard to do so.

That's it for now. Add other solid weekends to the comments section...

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.... Then again, isn't every year?

The Lander boys swimming team is shooting for its 12th consecutive state championship. Read that again: a dozen state championships in a row. Think about how hard it is to win one, let alone 12, let alone 12 in a row.

It's the second-longest active boys swimming championship streak in the nation.

Within the Wyoming borders, 12 has a certain meaning, as well. For all WHSAA-sanctioned sports, no team has ever won more than 12 titles in a row. The only team to win 12 straight was the Gillette girls cross country team (a streak that, coincidentally, ended in October when Gillette finished second to Cheyenne Central).

Bruce Gresly has built a dynasty in Fremont County, and the Tigers have every reason to be proud. The question now is, "How long will it last?"

That's the question I pose: How long will the Tigers' reign atop Class 3A last? What will it take for another team to dethrone the team that can't seem to lose?

Posted by patrick.schmiedt@trib.com

From state tournament drought to state championship favorites -- a lot has changed for the Wind River Cougars.

In 2007, the Cougars made the state tournament for the first time since 1984, beating longtime regional rival and perennial state tournament attendee Wyoming Indian to do so. Although the Cougars did not advance past the first round at state, it's obvious the Cougars learned something.

So far this year, Wind River is 11-0 and ranked first in Class 2A. Among those vanquished are 4A Riverton and 3A Lander, who both lost to the Cougars last week at the Fremont County Shootout.

There is no reason to think the Cougars can't finish the regular season undefeated. Wind River's toughest games figure to be its league games with Wyoming Indian -- and the Cougars beat the Chiefs by 21 at the Fremont County Shootout last week. The rest of the schedule shapes up well, and barring an upset, Wind River could be 27-0 entering the state tournament. (And that's where Lusk, Sundance, Tongue River and a host of other 2A schools will be waiting to knock Wind River off that perch).

It's an impressive start. Now, all Wind River has to do is finish.

Here's a quick look at the rest of the state through the first month of the regular season:

Class 4A Boys
The favorite: Natrona County. The Mustangs are living up to the hype. They're 7-0 and, for now, they're head and shoulders above the rest of the 4A teams.
But I also like: Evanston and Gillette. Both teams have proven they can get hot from outside and knock off anyone. The only issue is that they HAVE to be hot to do so.

Class 3A Boys
The favorite: Buffalo, for now. The Bison are always strong and they haven't lost yet.
But I also like: Lovell and Pinedale. Lovell is the only other 3A team that's still unbeaten, and Pinedale -- despite a 4-4 record and an "unranked" status right now -- is the one team I see that could go .500 during the regular season, but still mow through three games once it gets to state.

Class 2A Boys
The favorite: Wind River. Their victories speak volumes.
But I also like: Sundance and Lusk. Both have the athleticism and the depth to do a lot of damage in the postseason.

Class 1A Boys
The favorite: Burlington. The Huskies have done a lot of things right, and they're 6-1 having faced exclusively 2A teams (the only loss was by 7 to Wind River).
But I also like: Kaycee and Saratoga. The Buckaroos' problem right now is depth and foul trouble at any stage of the state tournament could de-rail their title hopes. The Panthers, meanwhile, have been surprisingly efficient and will cause a lot of problems with their athleticism.

Class 4A Girls
The favorite: Sheridan. It's simple math: Lots of experience + fast start + state championship to build from = a team that's tough to beat.
But I also like: Gillette. The Camels aren't the regional power they've been the past few years, but they're still good enough to win it all in Wyoming.

Class 3A Girls
The favorite: Jackson. As long as the Broncs maintain their consistent play, they'll be tough to beat.
But I also like: Lovell. Talent can take you a long way. The Bulldogs have it -- and it's not just limited to one player.

Class 2A Girls
The favorite: Big Horn. The schedule gets no easier -- especially with both Tongue River and Wright waiting for the Rams in conference play -- but it's not unrealistic to think Big Horn can't run through the rest of the regular season without a loss.
But I also like: Mountain View. The Buffalos have only two losses this year, by a combined four points. And those losses were to 3A Lovell and 4A Evanston.

Class 1A Girls
The favorite: Burlington. The Huskies have started solid and return nearly everyone from last year's runner-up team.
But I also like: Southeast. Everyone seems to have forgotten about the Cyclones. Why? This is a team that lost only once in the regular season last year and was ranked first heading into the state tournament last year. And that was in Class 2A. And most of that team is back. It will be absolutely no surprise to me if the Cyclones don't lose again in the regular season.

Thoughts? Post them below in the comments section. And then come Friday, we can get back into the season and start playing again!

Posted by patrick.schmiedt@trib.com