It’s been a successful football season in Campbell County this year as all three high schools – Campbell County, Thunder Basin and Wright – are all headed to the Wyoming High School Activities Association’s state playoffs beginning Friday night.
For all schools in every classifications, it takes two victories to reach the state championship game at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie. So, that quest for the Camels and Bolts begins in a matter of hours as they will be on the road for quarterfinal-round games against familiar foes.
The Camels
This year, Campbell County won its most games in a season since the splitting of the high school with cross-town rival Thunder Basin in 2017. That goal was well-earned but this young and talented bunch has more goals than that.
The sixth-seeded Camels are headed to the playoffs for just the second time since that split. The only other time was in 2019 when they lost to TBHS 24-20. This time, it will be defending state champion Cheyenne East, the No. 3 seed, waiting for CCHS in the first round.
The Camels have had trouble with the T-Birds since the opening of Thunder Basin. Their last win over Cheyenne East was a 41-13 victory in 2016, and since that time, they have lost all four games by a combined score of 207-14.
Campbell County will look to carry over its momentum from last week’s 33-6 whipping of Kelly Walsh to end the regular season. Behind freshman quarterback Mason Drube, the team opened the playbook and the offense. I was a masterpiece as Drube threw for four touchdowns and his defense was simply dominating for four quarters.
The Camels face one of the best quarterbacks in Wyoming. Gavin Goff has completed 101 of 144 passes this season for 1,321 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. His favorite target is Garet Schlabs, who is the No. 1 receiver in the state with 666 yards and 13 TDs.
Campbell County will counter that with the No. 2-ranked passing defense in the state. Led by Will Miller, Logan Dymond, Brady Tompkins and Kiefer Gossel, CCHS only allows 129 yards in the air per game.
The two teams met in a close game nearly two months ago. Cheyenne East won that game 27-21 in week two.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
The Bolts
Thunder Basin will not be riding the same momentum. In fact, it will enter the playoffs for the fifth-straight year but this time on a two-game losing streak.
Those two losses cost the team a chance to play at home, in the first round anyway. Back-to-back losses to Natrona County and Sheridan to close out the regular season has the state’s No. 1 passing offense grounded.
Friday night’s playoff contest will be a rematch of the game that started the struggles and dropped Thunder Basin from a No. 2 seed to the No. 5 seed. It’s a new three-week season for all teams so TBHS has just one thing on its mind – beat Natrona County this time around.
The Mustangs are one of the hottest teams entering the playoffs. They have won three straight – including wins over both Gillette schools – and have outscored those teams 114-43 during that time.
It’s becoming quite the rivalry between the two schools. TBHS had a three-game win streak over NCHS before losing two weeks ago. Since 2017, the series is even at 3-3 and the Bolts have outscored their Casper foes 135-115.
All that matters this week, is what happens on Friday. Natrona County will bring in a dangerous, time-consuming offense that loves to own the clock. The unit is led by quarterback Tyler Hill, who ranks fourth in Wyoming after completing 85 passes on 161 attempts with 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions. His favorite receiver is Breckin Mcclintock who has 24 catches, 424 yards and three scores.
Natrona County is dangerous on the ground as well with a trio of running backs keeping defenses honest. Expected to carry the ball in the rematch are Luke Spencer (619 yards), Wyatt Powell (440 yards) and Kaeden Wilcox (303 yards).
For Thunder Basin, Ryan Baker is the state’s top passer as he has competed 148 of 258 passes for 1,967 yards, 25 TDs and seven picks. His top two receivers going into the game are Cade Ayers with 46 catches, 516 yards and five touchdowns and Kayden Laframboise has 30 catches for 481 yards and seven TDs.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Final standings
4A
Team Conf. Overall
Cheyenne East 7-2 7-2
Sheridan 8-1 8-1
Rock Springs 8-1 8-1
Thunder Basin 6-3 6-3
Natrona County 6-3 6-3
Campbell County 4-5 4-5
Kelly Walsh 3-6 3-6
Cheyenne Central 2-7 2-7
Laramie 1-8 1-8
Cheyenne South 0-9 0-9
Last week’s results: Campbell County def. Kelly Walsh 33-6, Sheridan def. Thunder Basin 28-20, Natrona County def. Cheyenne South 51-27, Cheyenne Central def. Laramie 58-13, Rock Springs def. Cheyenne East 31-15.
3A standings
East Conference
Team Conf. Overall
Douglas 5-0 7-1
Buffalo 3-2 5-3
Worland 3-2 4-4
Lander 3-2 4-4
Rawlins 0-5 0-9
Riverton 1-4 1-8
West Conference
Team Conf. Overall
Cody 5-0 8-0
Jackson 4-1 7-2
Star Valley 3-2 5-4
Evanston 1-4 5-4
Powell 2-3 6-3
Green River 0-5 0-8
Last week’s results: Cody def. Jackson 21-15, Douglas def. Worland 16-7, Powell def. Evanston 39-6, Lander def. Buffalo 22-12, Riverton def. Rawlins 40-14, Star Valley def. Green River 51-7.
2A standings
East Conference
Team Conf. Overall
Torrington 7-0 7-2
Wheatland 5-2 7-2
Upton-Sundance 5-2 6-2
Newcastle 3-4 3-6
Burns 2-5 2-7
Tongue River 3-4 4-4
Glenrock 0-7 2-7
West Conference
Lyman 7-0 9-0
Cokeville 4-3 5-3
Lovell 6-1 7-1
Kemmerer 2-5 2-6
Thermopolis 2-5 2-6
Mountain View 1-6 1-7
Pinedale 0-7 0-8
Last week’s results: def. Mountain View 40-7, Upton-Sundance def. Big Horn 40-14, Lovell def. Cokeville 21-6, Thermopolis def. Pinedale 42-20, Big Piney def. Kemmerer 37-20, Tongue River def. Glenrock 42-14, Wheatland def. Newcastle 40-38, Torrington def. Burns 25-6
1A football – 9 Man
East Conference
Team Conf. Overall
Pine Bluffs 6-0 8-0
Lusk 5-1 6-2
Southeast 4-2 4-4
Wright 3-3 4-4
Lingle-Ft. Laramie 2-4 3-5
Saratoga 1-5 3-5
Moorcroft 0-6 0-8
West Conference
Shoshoni 6-0 7-1
Rocky Mountain 5-1 7-1
Wind River 4-2 6-2
Riverside 3-3 4-4
Greybull 2-4 3-5
St. Stephens 1-5 1-7
Wyoming Indian 0-6 0-8
Last week’s results: Rocky Mountain def. St. Stephens 80-0. Wind River def. Wyoming Indian 54-0. Shoshoni def. Riverside 46-12, Lingle-Ft. Laramie 31-24, Lusk def. Saratoga 48-6, Pine Bluffs def. Moorcroft 66-0, Southeast def. Wright 40-6
1A football – 6 Man
East Conference
Team Conf. Overall
Hulett 4-0 8-0
Guernsey-Sunrise 2-2 3-5
Midwest 2-2 4-4
Kaycee 2-2 2-5
H.E.M. 0-4 0-6
West Conference
Little Snake River 5-0 7-0
Meeteetse 3-2 4-3
Encampment 4-1 6-1
Dubois 2-3 4-4
Farson-Eden 1-4 3-4
Burlington 0-5 1-6
Last week’s results: Kaycee def. H.E.M. 53-6, Little Snake River def. Farson-Eden 29-12, Hulett def. Dubois 40-26
First round playoff schedules
Friday, Oct. 29
4A
Campbell County at Cheyenne East, 6 p.m.
Thunder Basin at Natrona County, 6 p.m.
Cheyenne Central at Sheridan, 6 p.m.
Kelly Walsh at Rock Springs, 6 p.m.
3A
Worland at Cody, 6 p.m.
Star Valley at Lander, 5 p.m.
Buffalo at Jackson, 3 p.m.
Powell at Douglas, 3 p.m.
2A
Big Horn at Lyman, 1 p.m.
Big Piney at Wheatland, 7 p.m.
Upton-Sundance at Lovell, 6 p.m.
Cokeville at Torrington, 6 p.m.
1A – 9 Man
Wright at Shoshoni, 5 p.m.
Wind River at Lusk, 6 p.m.
Southeast at Rocky Mountain, 6 p.m.
Riverside at Pine Bluffs, 2 p.m.
Kaycee at Little Snake River, 2 p.m.
Meeteetse at Midwest, 5 p.m.
Guernsey-Sunrise at Encampment, 1 p.m.
Dubois at Hulett, 12 p.
