Richard Anderson photo
Laramie junior fullback Charles Swearingen looks to get past an East defender earlier in the season.
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Plainsmen had a little extra bounce in their step this week in practice after picking up their first win of the season last week against Casper Kelly Walsh.
Laramie head coach Bob Knapton, however, made sure the bounce wasn’t too obvious this week, as they host Scottsbluff, Neb., in a non-conference game at Deti Stadium (7 p.m.).
While it is noticeable that the 1-3 Plainsmen have a little momentum, Knapton said that from their standpoint, they are going through a normal routine.
“We try to keep everything the same way that we have been doing it,” Knapton said. “The kids seemed a little bit more focused, they asked more questions about certain plays. That was a bright spot. They have got it in their head that we have to do a few more things here.”
While Knapton said that every coach worries about a team being over confident after a big win, he doesn’t think the Plainsmen are at that point yet.
“I think they know that the reason we have been doing all of this stuff is because when you get into the game and do it that way, it works,” he said. “At least make people beat you; you don’t have all of the mistakes that give them gifts that help them finish their drives. That’s a learning process and I think they have learned that now. I told them you don’t have to be perfect, but you want to be better than the other team.”
The Plainsmen beat Kelly Walsh 24-16 in Casper last week and got the game going on the right foot with a touchdown drive on the opening series. Laramie led 12-0 and 18-6 in the game before holding off the Trojans.
At times this season, the Plainsmen have made critical mistakes early that has either stalled drives or prolonged their opponents time on the field offensively. Last week’s success in curbing those problems made that week a confidence booster, Knapton said.
“When you go down and score on somebody, that gives your team something like, ‘Let’s do it again, let’s drive again.’ It’s very important,” he said. “You’re talking about momentum, you’re talking about high school kids. When they think they can do it, it makes a heck of a difference, rather than not thinking they can do it.”
Friday’s game against Scottsbluff is the final non-conference game of the season for both teams. The Plainsmen will get back in South 5A action for their final four games. Knapton said that Friday’s contest is a game where you want to finalize everything.
“You don’t want to come out of this game and say, ‘We need to work on this,’” Knapton said. “You want to come out of this game and say, ‘Everything is in place.’ The next game is where your start your conference up again. We want to say, ‘We got it now and everything is rolling and there is not a lot of mistakes to fix.’”
The Bearcats, 1-3 on the season, are in the same boat. Scottsbluff beat Hastings, Neb., 35-7 two weeks ago for their only win of the season. In their three losses, they have just one other touchdown. Last week Scottsbluff fell to McCook, Neb., 44-7.
“We kind of shot ourselves in the foot early in the year; we could of won a couple of games, losing 6-0 and 14-0,” Scottsbluff co-head coach Derek Deaver said. “We have four or five turnovers in each game. We can’t win too many games doing that.”
Friday’s game could likely come down to which team doesn’t make mistakes and which team is ready to go early.
“We’re in mid season right now,” Knapton said. “You’re taking a look at the people you play, where the standings are and where are our opportunities going to be, where are we going to end up. Everything is starting to fall into place.”
Last week the Plainsmen welcomed back senior quarterback Coleton Wilson, who missed the previous week with a shoulder injury. Wilson was 5 of 13 passing for 60 yards. Junior wingback Jon Sorenson had his best game of his career with 137 yards rushing. Sorenson ran for two touchdowns and caught another score, a 20-yarder from Wilson on that critical first Laramie drive. Laramie had 290 yards rushing against the Trojans.
Deaver said he looks for two pretty evenly-matched teams.
“Watching film on Laramie, they have had some bad breaks here and there and they are definitely a team that has gotten better. That’s what you want to do,” Deaver said. “They have some good athletes there with the Sorenson kid, the Knapton (Luke) kid and the Wilson kid. We’ve definitely taken some steps forward.
We’re not in district play yet, so we’re in pretty good shape. We just have to keep getting better.”
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Plainsmen vs. Bearcats
LHS starting lineup
Offense
QB -- Coleton Wilson (6-2, 205, Sr.)
FB -- Charles Swearingen (6-0, 215, Jr.)
WB -- Luke Knapton (6-2, 180, Jr.)
TE -- Marshall Fisher (6-2, 205, Jr.)
LT -- James Van Kirk (6-1, 230, Sr.)
LG -- Allan Saunders (5-11, 215, Jr.)
C -- Ben Farber (6-1, 245, Jr.)
RG -- Allen West (6-3, 225, Sr.)
RT -- Nick Yelton (6-3, 245, Sr.)
TE -- Tyler English (6-2, 195, Jr.)
WB -- Jon Sorenson (6-0, 195, Jr.)
PK -- Alex Zuniga (5-8, 155, Sr.)
Defense
Tackle -- Trent Schneider (6-3, 210, Sr.)
Nose guard -- Ben Farber (6-1, 245, Jr.)
Tackle -- Nick Armijo (6-0, 205, Sr.)
DE -- Charles Swearingen (6-0, 215, Jr.)
WLB -- Austin Ontiveroz (6-0, 195, So.)
BLB -- Tyler English (6-2, 195, Jr.)
MLB -- Luke Knapton (6-2, 180, Jr.)
FC -- Nathan Cowper (6-2, 175, Jr.)
BC -- Kelby Wilkison (5-11, 165, Jr.)
SS -- Jon Sorenson (6-0, 195, Jr.)
FS -- Rylan Harding (5-11, 175, Jr.)
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Plainsmen Statistics
(Counting Steamboat Springs game)
Rushing
Jon Sorenson: 61-374 & 3TD; Charles Swearingen: 45-223 & 1 TD; Mike Lanich: 27-40 & 1TD; Coleton Wilson: 16-(minus 66) & 1TD; Kelby Wilkison: 1-17 & 0TDs; Allen West: 1-0 & 0TDs; Luke Knapton: 38-172 & 0TDs, Phillip Callahan 14-41 & 0TDs. Totals: 212-765 & 6 TDS
Passing
Coleton Wilson: 16-38-1 189 & 1TD, Jon Sorenson 0-9-1 0. Totals: 16-47-2 189 & 1TD.
Receiving
Tyler English: 1-25 & 0TDs; Marshall Fisher 1-14 & 0TDs, Nathan Cowper 2-31 & 0TDs; Jon Sorenson 5-43 & 1TD; Luke Knapton 4-38 & 0TDs; Charles Swearingen 2-26 & 0TDs, Rylan Harding 1-13 & 0TDs. Totals: 16-189 & 1TD.
Defense
Luke Knapton 75.5 points, Kelby Wilkison 45, Tyler English 35, Allen West 35, Nathan Cowper 30, Jon Sorenson 31, Nick Armijo 27, Nathan Clark 22, Austin Ontiveroz 20, Charles Swearingen 19, Trent Schneider 12, Ben Farber 12, Rylan Harding 11, Coleton Wilson 7, Alex Zuniga 4, Bryce Kemzt 2, Nick Yelton 5.5, Dylan Kramshuster 2, Dillon Elliott 1, Phillip Callahan 1, Brody Burnett 1.
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