Plainsmen on the road to Gillette

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie head coach Bob Knapton talks to his team during a timeout Friday against Rock Springs. Laramie, 1-0, will hit the road for the first time Friday at Gillette, beginning at 7 p.m.

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By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Momentum … these Laramie Plainsmen aren’t used to it. Gillette … these Laramie Plainsmen have never played the Camels.

These Plainsmen are in unchartered territory.

It’s been a while since the Plainsmen have begun the season with a win over a Wyoming team (2003, 20-17 over Evanston). The Plainsmen rolled over Rock Springs 35-14 last Friday.

It’s been a while since the Plainsmen have faced perennial power Gillette … since the 2001 season, to be exact.

Playing with some much-needed momentum, fifth-ranked Laramie will hit the road for the first time this season at second-ranked Gillette, taking on the defending-state champion Camels Friday at 7 p.m.

“They weren’t in our league; we didn’t play them. So, there is not a lot of history there,” second-year Laramie head coach Bob Knapton, who is also getting his first crack at the Camels. “Our kids know that they are one of the team’s that is always in the playoffs and in state championship games, so they know that this is a chance to play against a top team, to show them what they got.”

Knapton’s advice, especially to his seniors: It’s time to step up.

“When you talk to your seniors, you say, ‘Hey, this the first time you have played them and this is the last time (in the regular season) that you’ll play them. This is your shot,” Knapton said.

Knock on wood, Knapton said he hopes that they can, “Find out how to play on the road, how they can get ready to motivated football again, like they did last week against Rock Springs.”

Throughout his coaching career, Knapton said there is always that one or two games a year against a rival that the team is focused and “it is amazing how they play.”

Knapton then thinks to himself, “Why can’t we play that way every week?” he said.

That’s a key ingredient.

“That’s what I am going to try to find out, if we can play that way every week, and that is how you get to the playoffs,” he added.

Knapton said football should be fun. He admits that he is getting to the point that he isn’t sweating what is out of his control.

“I’m like, ‘You know, we’ve done everything we can do, we’ve done a lot of stuff in the off-season with these kids. It’s time to just turn them loose on Friday night and have fun, have people come out and enjoy the game because it is high school football,” he said. “We all want to look good, play good. I’m going to do my best to get them ready and I think they are.”

The Plainsmen looked good last Friday, likely as good as they have looked under Knapton. Laramie finished with 344 yards of offense – 272 yards rushing and 72 yards passing, scoring five touchdowns. Quarterback Jon Sorenson led the way with 144 yards rushing and 72 yards passing. Charles Swearingen added 72 yards form his fullback position.

On defense, the Plainsmen gave up just 170 total yards, tops in the state. Linebacker Luke Knapton had 23 defensive points, which is good for fourth int he state.

Before last week's game, Bob Knapton said they needed to open with a win in the worst way. That has the Plainsmen thinking, he said, “Why not more of the same?”

Plainsmen said his players have to have the attitude of: “We just beat them, and they start looking around the state and thinking there are other teams they can beat,” he said. “Their mindset going on is, ‘We have a chance now. Let’s keep going and let’s show people how tough we are.’”

Of course, there is a difference between Rock Springs and Gillette in caliber of play. The Camels did start slow, but beat Evanston on the road in their opener, 23-14.

“They have the tall receivers, they have the fast running back and they have the d-line that can come at you,” Bob Knapton said. “They have the personnel; they definitely have enough kids up there. We have kids playing both ways, so that is a concern for us because we had kids cramping up, we had kids who were a little tired.”

Individually, the Camels are led by Jordan Roberts with 169 yards rushing in 17 carries and quarterback Alan Sisel was 16 of 29 passing for 151 yards. Stephen Turbin and Cameron Quinn lead the way with five and four catches respectively.

On defense, Alex Coolidge is third in the state with 23.5 defensive points, with Cammry Nelson adding 21.

“We’re going to have to shut them down and get good field position,” Bob Knapton said. “We’re going to have to have some kids playing hard and getting after it.”