Rich's sometimes disjointed rambling

Cheyenne Central scored the game's final 30 points to thump the Plainsmen 44-14 Saturday in the first round of the Class 4A football playoffs in Cheyenne. Seventh-seed Laramie, 3-7, and the second-seed Indians were deadlocked at 14-14 at the end of the first quarter, but Central scored three times in the second quarter and never looked back. The game was postponed from Friday night due to weather conditions. Central will face Gillette in the semifinals .

Class 4A Friday's Games #1 Sheridan 41, #8 Natrona 17 #5 Kelly Walsh 38, #4 Green River 20 #3 Gillette 27, #6 Rock Springs 20 Saturday's Game #2 Central 44, #7 Laramie 14 Class 3A: Friday's Games #1E Douglas 40, #4W Lander 6 #2W Worland 38, #3E Riverton 37 2 OT's #2E Buffalo 21, #3W Star Valley 0 #1W Cody 19, #4E Torrington 6 Class 2A Friday's Games #1E Glenrock 38, #4W Lovell 7 #2W Greybull 42, #3E Big Horn 20 #2E Thermopolis 25, #3W Big Piney 0 #1W Kemmerer 27, #4E Wright 9 Class 1A Saturday's Games #1E Southeast 42, #4W Riverside 0 #2W Wind River 14, #3E Lusk 2 #2E Lingle-Ft. Laramie 49, #3W Rocky Mountain 13 Monday's Game 1 p.m. -- #4E Pine Bluffs at #1W Cokeville 6-Man Friday's Games #3E Hanna-Elk Mountain 41, #2W Little Snake River 20 #2E Midwest 72, #3W Meeteetse 32 #4E Kaycee 48, #1W Ten Sleep 43 Saturday's Game #1E Guernsey 73, #4W Farson-Eden 6

Cowboys basketball coach Heath Schroyer announced on Thursday that sophomore center Adam Waddell had successful arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday to repair cartilage damage in his right knee. The Cody native is expected to miss only two to three weeks of practice. Waddell started 24 of 33 games as a redshirt freshman last season. He averaged 5.1 points per game, 3.9 rebounds and blocked 21 shots. Schroyer said that he would have no further comment on Waddell ’s injury.

For those old enough, you might remember the old 1960s TV show, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. If not, then ask your parents. Regardless, there was a skit on the show called, "The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate Award." Wyoming’s version of that award came two years ago when then head football coach Joe Glenn, not happy with what he perceived as Utah coach Kyle Whittingham running up the score when the Utes tried an on-side kick with a big, big lead in the game, gave Whittingham the finger. As one would expect, the middle finger salute was the talk of the town … Salt Lake City, Laramie … any college football town actually. Oh yeah, the Utes blasted the Cowboys 50-0 in the game. In fact, Utah has outscored Wyoming 175-30 in the last four games in Salt Lake City. Utah also belted the Cowboys 40-7 last year in Laramie. The Cowboys – not Glenn, but new head coach Dave Christensen – are going back to scene of the finger this week to take on another good Utah team. On Monday, Christ...

What a gutsy effort by the Laramie Plainsmen, as they rallied to beat Cheyenne East 35-28 Friday night in the regular-season finale at Deti Stadium. For both teams, it was win or likely stay home for the playoffs. Late in the third quarter, it looked as if the Plainsmen would be on the wrong end of the final score once again against the T-Birds. East had won 11 straight against Laramie , and in fact, the Plainsmen had dropped 21 straight games to the Cheyenne schools (East and Central). Those losing skids, however, are in the rear view mirror. Laramie rallied from 11 points down to score the game's final 18 points, including the game-winner on a 2-yard run by Jon Sorenson with just under a minute to play. Unlike last week when the Plainsmen defense couldn't stop Green River in the final seconds in a tough 42-35 loss, Laramie came through in crunch time when Nathan Cowper intercepted an East pass to clinch the win. The Plainsmen, the seventh seed, will face No. 2 Cheyenn...

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It was a tough night for the Laramie Plainsmen in snowy Casper, as fourth-ranked Kelly Walsh rolled to a 46-6 victory Friday night. Kelly Walsh, 5-2, took advantage of several Laramie fumbles and good field position to dominate from the start. KW led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 32-0 at halftime. The only core for the Plainsmen came in the fourth quarter on a 20-yard pass from quar terback Billy Hysong to wide receiver Kelby Wilkison . Laramie, 2-5 on the season, will return home next Friday to host Green River.

This is a guest blog by Teresa and Cassie Clift One thing I must say about New Mexico Lobos fans is that they are extremely supportive, not only of their own team, but also of the rest of the Mountain West Conference. Back in 2008, our family traveled down to New Mexico in order for Rich to be able to cover the first and second rounds of the NCAA Women's Basketball championships, in which both the New Mexico Lobos and our very own Wyoming Cowgirls were taking part. To make a long story short, when UW was playing Pittsburgh in The Pit, the Lobos fans cheered just as much for our girls as would be expected of them to cheer for their own team. It was almost like if the Red Sox and Yankees fans coming together. Not only were they supportive in the stadium, they were also extremely receptive and hospitable to the Wyoming fans and are surely some of the most welcoming people it has ever been our pleasure to meet. Even after the game in the parking lot, we met up with some fellow Wyo...

It's been a while since I posted a story by The Onion. This one was too good to pass up. Remember, for those not familar with The Onion, this is not a real story. ESPN-Brett Favre And while we're at it, here's a parody on the Rockies. Adorable Rockies

Whether it is New Mexico’s ineptness or Wyoming’s improved play, the Cowboys are favored by 10 points Saturday in their homecoming contest. Yes, I said that Wyoming is favored by 10. What exactly does that mean? I’d say it is a little of the Lobos struggling big-time at 0-5 and the Cowboys, winners of two straight, beginning to put things together and are at home again. It’s somewhat of an unfairly position for the Cowboys lately. When was the last time Wyoming was a 10-point favorite against a 1A team? It’s been a while and those times have been few and far between. So, 10-point favorites and a chance for three straight wins. The last time Wyoming won three straight was in the 2006 season with wins over New Mexico, Utah and Colorado State, coming off a four-game losing streak. Just what does Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen think about being a favorite or the importance of winning streaks for his team? If you guessed not much, then you are correct. “Beating New Mexico is important...

The picture sometimes says it all. Carlos Gomez scores the winning run in Minnesota's wild 6-5 win over Detroit (12 innings) in the AL Central tiebreaker game. Great picture by Brian Peterson of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The Twins trailed the Tigers by seven games on Sept. 7 and by two games with three to play before forcing the tiebreaker game on Tuesday. Minnesota will now face the New York Yankees Wednesday afternoon in New York in the American League Division Series. Nerve-racking for Twins fans (myself, since the late 1960s), but when this happens, it's all worth it. Now, if the Twins could just beat the Yankees. You're never too old to dream.

At first glance, it looks a little surprising that Wyoming freshman quarterback Austyn Carta - Samuels was named Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the year. I say that because Carta - Samuels didn't throw a touchdown pass. First glances can be deceiving, and in this case, it was. Carta- Samuels was 29 of 38 (76.3 percent) passing for 223 yards and had a quarterback rating of 120.35. He added 69 yards on the ground. He would have had nearly 100 yards if not for some QB sacks. He finished with 292 yards of offense. Maybe the most impressive stat, though, was the fact that he led the Wyoming offense once again to a come-from-behind win with a gutsy 12-play, 91-yard scoring drive. On that winning drive with just under five minutes to play, the true freshman rushed for 28 yards and passed for 18 yards, accounting for half (46 yards) of Wyoming's 91 yards on the scoring drive. He was clutch in a tough situation. On the first possession, Carta - Samuels had his block k...

Game statistics The Wyoming Cowboys moved to 3-2 on the season with a come-from-behind 30-28 win over Florida Atlantic University Saturday in Fort L auderdale , Fla. The Cowboys fell behind early, but led 17-14 at halftime and wer e up by 10 in the third quarter before the Owls battled back to regain the lead at 28-24. Wyoming freshman Austyn Carta - Samuels , however, engineered a 12-play, 91-yard drive in the fourth quarter to put the Cowboys on top. freshman running back A lvester A lexander scored from 15 yards out for the game-winner. A lexander had three touchdown runs in the game.