Finalists named for NFF scholar-athlete

LARAMIE – Wyoming’s top prep football scholar-athlete for 2008 will be chosen from a field of 12 finalists from 12 different state high schools, according to the Wyoming Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, sponsor of the award.

The finalists will be honored at the Chapter’s 15th annual awards banquet, set for March 21 at the Hilton Garden Inn and University of Wyoming Conference Center.

Additionally, two other prep athletes will be recognized for their courage and perseverance and two University of Wyoming football team members will be honored for their academic and football achievements. All will receive commemorative plaques and $1,200 scholarships from the chapter and the state’s top scholar-athlete, who will be announced at the event, will receive an additional scholarship.

Ten state residents will also be recognized during the banquet for their respective contributions to fandom, contributions to amateur football and achievement in coaching and officiating. The banquet’s keynote address features new University of Wyoming head football coach Dave Christensen.

The 2009 banquet marks the first time the event has been held in Laramie.

Wyoming Chapter President Mike Schutte said the finalists, including a lineman and a back from each division, were chosen from a field of 85 nominations from prep coaches across the state. Recognition as a scholar-athlete is based upon a combination of a player’s academic achievement, football skill and community involvement. Each nominee receives a certificate from the Wyoming Chapter.

Schutte said another sellout crowd is anticipated for the popular banquet. “It is an exciting and motivational evening and anyone can attend," Schutte said.

Tickets are $30 and may be purchased by contacting Schutte at 970-484-2797 or at MShootee@starband.net.

The Wyoming Chapter of the NFF-CHF is the second largest chapter in the nation out of 120 chapters. Schutte said his goal to have the largest chapter from the least populated state is within reach.
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The Wyoming Chapter Selection Committee, based on the high number of outstanding nominations, chose as finalists two backs each from Classes 1-A and 5-A.
Finalists and Special Award Recipients are:
Class 1-A
Trevor Ross, Southeast (lineman)
Rage Geringer, Guernsey Sunrise (back)
Andrew Petersen, Cokeville (back)
Class 2-A
Chad McKinney, Encampment (lineman)
Duell Petsch, Burns (back)
Class 3-A
Casey Hoskinson, Glenrock (lineman)
Duncan Jones, Wright (back)
Class 4-A
Kyle Lenz, Wheatland (lineman)
Gavin Mills, Powell (back)
Class 5-A
Nathan Bales, Green River (lineman)
Tom Earl, Natrona County (back)
Garrett Heusinkveld, Campbell County (back)
University of Wyoming
Michael Ray, Safety
Jake Edmund, Linebacker
The Keith and Joyce Bloom Scholar-Athlete Courage Award
Brett Johnson, Kemmerer
Scholar-Athlete Perseverance Award
Nathan Rogers, Rock Springs
Greatest UW Football Fan
Rod Chisholm, Laramie
Brian Morgen, Sheridan
Greatest High School Football Fan
Van, Barbara and Travis Johnson, Evanston
Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football
Bob Hammond, Laramie
Steve Core, Green River
Troy Wilkinson, Greybull
Football Coach Career Achievement Award
Don Dinnel, Evanston
The Ox Zellner Football Official Career Achievement Award
Rusty Anderson, Casper

Plainsmen rally past Broncs

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie's Mason Orcutt looks to drive the lane against Sheridan Saturday at Plainsman Gym.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Trailing by 10 at halftime, it appeared as if the five Laramie High school seniors were going to close their home careers with another disappointing night.

A big third quarter gave them some life and a strong finish rewarded them some hope, as the Plainsmen rallied to down Sheridan 46-40 Saturday at Plainsman Gym.

It was the final home game for five Plainsmen seniors and after a tough second quarter, it appeared that it would be another disappointing night.

The Plainsmen, 2-5 in the 4A East Conference, 6-12 overall, stayed in the locker room at halftime for about as long as possible, and came out with a new focus.

“We just talked about that it was the last time in front of our home fans and how we wanted to be remembered, and we didn’t want to be remembered as a losing team; we wanted to go out with a win,” Laramie senior guard Dan Nachtigal said. “We just had to try to pump each other up, try to play for our fans and for ourselves, to see what we are made of.”

Laramie head coach Jason Mountain told the team at halftime that they needed to play hard for a reason.

“Despite any discrepancies they have with the program or with myself, they needed to play for something, and I didn’t feel that they were playing for much of anything in that first half, let alone the last couple of games,” Mountain said. “It must have lit a fire under them in the second half, because they came out intense and aggressive.”

With seniors Mason Orcutt (six points) and Jordan Rhodine (eight points) taking control in the paint in the third quarter, the Plainsmen made a big run and chipped away, cutting the lead to 31-30 going into the fourth quarter.

A 3-pointer by junior Cameron Fry to open the fourth quarter gave the Plainsmen their first lead since 1-0. Laramie never trailed again, although the game wasn’t decided until the final seconds.

Leading 41-40, Orcutt hit 3-of-4 free throws and Nachtigal hit 2-of-2 from the line to close the game. Orcutt had a big block in the final seconds to preserve a four-point lead.

The four Laramie seniors who played in the game (Karsten Hiser was injured), scored 24 of the team’s 32 points in the second half. Playing the final home games of their LHS careers were Nachtigal, Orcutt, Rhodine and Allen West.

“I thought that was going to be motivation enough in itself, the fact that it was Senior Night,” Mountain said. “I played all of my seniors a lot of minutes and I started all the seniors that I had with the exception of Karsten, who, of course, was hurt. They played very, very well and they led the charge in the third quarter when we needed to the most.”

Orcutt led the Plainsmen with 13 points, with Fry and Rhodine adding 11 and nine respectively.

Austin Woodward led the Broncs, 2-5, 8-10, with 15 points.

It not only was the home finale, but it was a much-needed win for the Plainsmen, who were thumped 84-43 by second-ranked Gillette on Friday night.

“After such a tough loss to Gillette (Friday night), I’m glad we rebounded back. Collectively, we played very, very well,” Mountain said.

What the win does for the team, Mountain added, is it lets them know exactly where they need to go.

“I hope we continue to stay on that path and we continue to push forward,” Mountain said. “We need more wins under our belt for conference, we’re still in contention for a good seeding. We’re just hoping to stay optimistic now and we’ll focus on the Cheyenne schools.”

The Plainsmen play at Cheyenne Central Friday night and Cheyenne East on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a dogfight for that two, three, four, five seed, it really is,” Mountain said. “We know who we want to play at regionals, we know who we don’t want to play. It’s just about jockeying for position and trying to get the best seed possible.”

Added Nachtigal: “Gillette is up there, but the rest of the teams are pretty even. If we keep winning, we’ll get a good seed at (regionals).”

LHS basketball sweeps Riverton

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie's Allen West looks to grab the ball before Riverton's Chad Hopkins can get to it Saturday night. At bottom, Lady Plainsmen freshman Kyleigh Hiser goes after a loose ball.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Laramie High School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams both needed a win in the worst way and got a shot in the arm on Saturday night with a sweep of Riverton in East Conference play at Plainsman Gym.

The Lady Plainsmen broke an eight-game losing skid with a big 54-26 victory, while the Plainsmen ended a six-game slide and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 77-64 victory.


Plainsmen start, finish strong
At times this season the Plainsmen, 1-4 in league play and 5-11 overall, have started well, but not finished strong and visa versa. On Saturday, it was a good all-around effort. The Plainsmen outscored the Wolverines in all four quarters and played especially strong in the second half.

“I guess we felt like we had a chance the entire game,” Laramie coach Jason Mountain said. “My guess started each quarter well again and that was a focus for us all week in practice. We were hanging with them. There were a couple of lulls here and there., but all-in-all, the guys started and finished the game very, very well. They worked together, everyone contributed and we had a good time.”

Karsten Hiser had 13 points in the first half, as the Plainsmen trailed only once in the first quarter and led 19-15 after eight minutes of play. Riverton, behind Chad Hopkins, led four times before the Plainsmen got a big 3-pointer from Hiser to break a 33-33 tie and then close with four straight for a 40-35 halftime lead.

Sophomore Nick Mayes then came off the bench and scored nine points in the third quarter as the Plainsmen outscored the Wolverines 14-12.

Laramie broke the game open with a 10-0 run to begin the fourth quarter on a pair of 3-pointers by Cameron Fry and two baskets by Allen West. Laramie led by as much as 18 and Riverton got no closer than 13.

“Nick Mayes, holy cow, nine points in the third quarter -- his only nine of the game,” Mountain said. “He showed why he is a varsity player. He gave us three good quarters, but he had a great one in the third quarter. Cameron Fry hit some big 3s as well in the fourth.”

Four Plainsmen scored in double figures, led by Fry with 14, Jon Sorenson and Hiser with 13 each and Dan Nachtigal with 11.

“I told me guys that that was an excellent, well-rounded job, just a team effort,“ Mountain said. “My post guys were working hard -- their post got his scoring in -- but they battled all game long. Our guys got down the floor well in transition. Karsten didn’t score in the second half, but he had an amazing charge in the first half.”

Hopkins led the Wolverines, 2-3, 6-11, with 27 points, whiled Corbin Nichols added 22.

The Plainsmen will now begin the second half of conference by hosting Gillette and Sheridan next weekend with a little confidence.

“It’s kind of a now or never mentality and we needed this one,” Mountain said. “We started the same way last year. We were down 0-4 and we ended up winning four of out last six and this is the way to do it. We have Gillette and Sheridan next weekend, so this will give us that confidence that we need.”

Lady Plainsmen roll
Riverton made a late run to cut the Laramie lead to 11-6 at the end of the first quarter. That was as close as it got. The Lady Plainsmen, 1-4, 6-10, outscored Riverton 33-12 in the next two quarters and never looked back.

“The girls are quite happy,” Lady Plainsmen coach Rod Tyson said. “We still had a lot of unforced turnovers, stuff that has been nagging us in close games, so we have to keep working. But it always nice to get a win.”

Although the depleted Wolverines, who were playing the game without three starters, stayed with Laramie a little in the first half, Tyson said the game was in control.

“At no time did we feel that we were going to lose control of the game,” Tyson said. “That is always nice.”

As is usually the case, Tyson got his entire bench in the lop-sided game, as 14 Lady Plainsmen saw action and 10 scored.

Sophomore Amber Vandiver led the way with 12 points, followed by Alyssa Schmidt with 10 and Kyleigh Hiser with seven.

“That’s how we normally play,“ Tyson said. “When we play well, everyone contributes in some form or another. We’re getting back to that. But it is all about being smart and staying as a team.”

Brook Poffenroth led Riverton, 0-5, 5-12, with 10 points.

Laramie will begin the second half of league play at Gillette and Sheridan next weekend, but they will go on the road knowing that they can get some good results out of solid play.

“The win helps us more with confidence knowing that the things we’re doing will work,” Tyson said. “We just have to keep going.”