Plainsmen beat KW for first win

By Wyoming Sports.org

CASPER -- The Laramie Plainsmen finished the job this time.

Laramie earned its first win of the season and first in the Bob Knapton Era with a 24-16 victory over Casper Kelly Walsh on Friday night. The loss snapped an eight-game losing skid dating back to last season and moved Laramie to 1-3 on the season. KW fell to 0-3 on the year.

The Plainsmen, who had never led this season in its previous three games, never trailed against the Trojans on Friday night. Laramie jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, and clinging to a two-point lead, got a big fourth-quarter turnover and drove 80 yards for the insurance score.

The Achilles Heel for the Plainsmen offense this season had been not finishing plays and drives, resulting in slow starts, and last week, a blowout loss to Sheridan.

That was the emphasis this week, along with the return of starting quarterback Coleton Wilson, who missed the loss to Sheridan last week with a shoulder injury.

Laramie took the opening drive and marched 72 yards on nine plays, scoring on a 20-yard pass from Wilson to junior wingback Jon Sorenson.

The Plainsmen then took a 12-0 lead late in the first quarter when wingback Mike Lanich went around the corner from 5 yards out for the score. Laramie missed on the 2-point conversion but took a 12-point lead into the second quarter.

Kelly Walsh, however, got going offensively and cut into the Laramie lead. After a big kickoff return by Kevin Bell, the Trojans moved 50 yards on six plays and got into the end zone on a 7-yard run by fullback Thomas Manning. Bell’s kick made it 12-7.

The Plainsmen answered on another 72-yard drive and made it 18-7 on a 23-yard run by Sorenson. Again, the Trojans had an answer themselves and cut the lead to 18-13 on a 42-yard run by halfback Joe Munsell.

That’s how the first half ended and KW took the opening drive in the third quarter and cut the lead to 18-16 on a 45-yard field goal by Bell.

The two teams then battled for the rest of the quarter without a score and it appeared as is Kelly Walsh was on its way to take its first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter.

The Trojans moved from mid-field to inside the Laramie 20-yard line, but a bad exchange between quarterback Lucas Nolan and Munsell ended the drive as Sorenson pounced on the fumble on the 20.

The Plainsmen took advantage and put together another impressive drive, led by power runs from Sorenson, Charles Swearingen and wingback Luke Knapton.

Sorenson scored his third touchdown of the game with another outstanding run, this time from 27 yards out. The 2-point extra point try failed and Laramie built its lead to 24-16 with 5:48 left.
Kelly Walsh still had a chance to at least tie the game, but the Plainsmen defense stiffened and took over on downs near mid-field with 3:27 to play. Laramie then ran out the clock and celebrated the win.

In unofficial statistics provided by KOWB radio, the Plainsmen finished with 290 yards on the ground, led by Sorenson's 137 yards. Swearingen and Knapton added 79 and 65 yards respectively. Wilson was 5 of 13 passing for 60 yards.

Kelly Walsh was led by Munsell with 102 yards, followed by Manning with 51. KW had 202 total yards.

The Plainsmen will return home next Friday when they host Scottsbluff, Neb., beginning at 7 p.m. at Deti Stadium.