Indians use big plays to stop Plainsmen

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie junior Jon Sorenson runs away from the Central defenders on a 45-yard gain Friday night at Deti Stadium.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

One big play led to another, then to another, then to another, then to another …

It was the story of the Laramie Plainsmen’s season and night, as Cheyenne Central overcame a 6-0 deficit to thump the Plainsmen 42-6 Friday night at Deti Stadium.

The big plays obviously didn’t go Laramie’s way, as it ended its season 1-8 overall, including 0-5 in South Conference action. Cheyenne Central, 3-2 and 3-5, will move on to next week’s state quarterfinals.

For much of the first half, the Plainsmen appeared to be at least on their way to a competitive game. In fact, Laramie controlled the ball for much of the first and second quarters, but still went into the locker room down 21-6 at halftime.

A matter of two plays resulted in a potential 14-point swing in the game.

Trailing 7-6, Laramie was on its away to a possible score when junior wingback Jon Sorenson took a screen pass and rambled 27 yards to the Central 10-yard line. But Sorenson was hit from behind and fumbled, with Central recovering on the 8-yard line.

One play later, the Indians struck pay dirt when running back Brad Ramsey took the hand-off on a draw play and scored from 92 yards. Instead of trailing, the Indians were up 14-6.

“When you are in a game like this and the plays are there, you have to make them and you have to keep the momentum,” first-year Laramie head coach Bob Knapton said. “Our kids know it is the last ballgame, and if they don’t keep the momentum, you can see it starting to slide down.

“We run a fake punt and get the first down and then throw an interception. If we finish that off and score, the kids are up and the kids are fired up and playing hard. We run a screen down to the 10 and we fumble it. You have to finish these things off.”

Later in the second quarter, Central gave the Plainsmen two golden opportunities to do something, as Josh Borm fumbled two straight punt returns, with Laramie recovering. But the Plainsmen couldn’t move the football and gave Central the ball back with 1:45 left on the clock.

The Indians took advantage, as quarterback Conner Long drove his team 72 yards on just five plays, hitting Kyle Grott on a 16-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone with no time left on the clock.

That seemed to zap the life out of the Plainsmen and Central took that 21-6 lead and added three scores in the second half for the easy win.

The Plainsmen got on the scoreboard first on a 4-yard touchdown run by junior fullback Charles Swearingen, capping a 10-play, 81-yard drive. The score was set up by a 45-yard run by Sorenson.

Central came right back for the lead, thanks to long kickoff return by Michael Davis to the Plainsmen 13-yard line. Long scored three plays later on a 1-yard sneak.

The Indians used a little trickery early in the third quarter, when Ramsey took the pitch and then tossed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Grott, giving Central 28-7 lead. The Indians closed the scoring on a 23-yard run by Ramsey with 4:23 left in the third and a 5-yard touchdown pass from Long to tight end Trevor Mordhorst one play into the fourth quarter.

The Plainsmen actually ran 22 more plays from scrimmage (64-42), but the Indians out-gained Laramie in total yardage, 452-305. Ramsey had 131 yards rushing on just six carries and Long was 14 of 23 passing for 263 yards. Grott caught five passes for 136 yards.

Sorenson had his second straight 100-yard plus rushing game, with 103 yards on 20 carries. He had 187 yard last week against Rock Springs. Coleton Wilson completed 7 of 20 passes for 111 yards. He had two passes intercepted.

Despite a tough season, Knapton said it is just a matter of working hard and trying to improve going into next season. Laramie had just nine seniors play in Friday’s game and will try to build on some positives.

One of the positives Friday night was no personal foul penalties, a problem for the team at times this season.

"We finished on a good note that way,” Knapton said. “We talked to them about that. You will come out, you will come out if you start playing that way. We finished up playing good, clean ball, but the momentum is a big thing with high school kids.

“We have a lot of work to do and we’re going to get after them. That’s what we talked about on the field afterwards … getting everybody to camps, getting everybody lifting -- not just half the team. If you are going to play, you better show up to practice.”
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INDIANS 42, PLAINSMEN 6
Central 0 21 14 7 — 42
Laramie 6 0 0 0 — 6
First Quarter
LHS -- Charles Swearingen 4 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter
CC -- Conner Long 1 run (Brad Ramsey kick)
CC -- Brad Ramsey 92 run (Brad Ramsey kick)
CC -- Kyle Grott 16 pass from Conner Long (Brad Ramsey kick)
Third Quarter
CC -- Kyle Grott 31 pass from Brad Ramsey (Brad Ramsey kick)
CC -- Brad Ramsey 23 run (Brad Ramsey kick)
Fourth Quarter
CC -- Trevor Mordhorst 5 pass from Conner Long (Brad Ramsey kick)
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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Cheyenne Central — Brad Ramsey 6-131 & 2TDs, Conner Long 5-26 & 1TD, Michael Davis 4-36, Thad Lain 2-(minus 3), Austin Breckenridge 2-(minus). Totals: 19-189. Laramie — Jon Sorenson 20-103, Charles Swearingen 8-26 & 1TD, Luke Knapton 7-37, Coleton Wilson 5-14, Nathan Cowper 2-4, Phillip Callahan 2-10. Totals: 44-194.
PASSING
Cheyenne Central — Conner Long 13-23-2 & 2TD, Brad Ramsey 1--1-0 31 & 1TD. Totals: 14-24-2 263 & 3TDs. Laramie — Coleton Wilson 7-20-2 111. Totals: 7-20-2 111.
RECEIVING
Cheyenne Central — Kyle Grott 5-136 & 2TDs, Trevor Mordhorst 5-87 & 1TD, Kevin Cox 2-17, Josh Borm 1-7, Austin Breckenridge 1-16. Totals: 14-263. Laramie — Jon Sorenson 2-41, Tyler English 2-40, Luke Knapton 1-28, Kelby Wilkison 1-7, Jacob Weise 1-5. Totals: 7-111.