(Lander, WY) – In the annals of the 103-year rivalry between Riverton and Lander on the gridiron, this one will go down as one of the best.
The visiting Wolverines put 17 unanswered points on the board in the opening half, dominating the line of scrimmage and opening huge holes for senior running back Hunter Saltsgaver, but Lander roared back in the final period with 13 unanswered points of their own before stalling late in the game.
“It lived up to what we all thought,” Riverton head coach Mark Lenhardt said. “You have to give the Lander kids and coaches a lot of credit when it’s 17-0 at half.”
The win moves both teams to 5-1 on the season with just two games each remaining in the regular season. With the records of their next two opponents, it’s likely that Riverton will win the East 3-A Conference and Lander will finish as runner-up. That means they’ll each host an opening round playoff game, likely Green River for Riverton and Jackson for Lander.
“That was a tough one,” Lander head coach Jim Burton said. “We had an initial plan on how to stop the run, we made a few changes, then said just line up and play football.”
Meanwhile, 165 miles to the north, Star Valley edged Cody 14-7 to win the 3-A West with the Broncs second.
In a game this close, it’s a multitude of little events that lead to the final outcome. The first of many came at 9:38 when Clay Sheets made a high-flying, tiptoe interception of a Paxon Hollingshead pass at the Lander 48-yard line on the Tigers’ first possession of the game.
It gave the Wolverines outstanding field position, and they proceeded to march into the end zone on a seven-play drive highlighted by power blocking by Riverton’s front five and good reads by Hunter Saltsgaver. Saltsgaver scored on a nine-yard run, but the Wolverines were called for holding, bringing the ball back to the 12. Lander’s defense stiffened, and three plays later, Saltsgaver hit a 28-yard field goal for the game’s first score.
“I think one big adjustment they made was to play Cody West at defensive tackle and he gave us some problems with his quickness,” Lenhardt said. “Carrying the ball and playing on the d-line for the whole game, he is a tough kid.”
West finished the game with 107 rushing yards and 48 receiving.
It was a quick three-and-out by the Tigers, highlighted by a bruising tackle of West by Riverton’s Gage Treber.
The Wolverines stalled near midfield, facing a fourth and three. Lenhardt rolled the dice with a perfectly timed fake punt. Treber sold the play with an Academy Award-level fake, spinning in the air as if the ball had gone over his head.
Paxton Yeates’ snap went to up back Brayden Martin. Riverton’s line opened a gap in the Tiger defense, and Martin did the rest, picking up a first down at the Tiger 31.
Blake Gantenbein found Payton Larsen in the middle on a 25-yard catch and run to the one-yard line, and Saltsgaver scored from there, lifting the Wolverines to a 10-0 advantage.
Lander showed their first signs of life offensively on the next series with Cody West breaking a run to the Riverton 48. The drive ended with Yeates and Martin sacking Hollingshead for a nine-yard loss.
Downfield blocking at the second level is often the difference between a good play and a great play.
Gantenbein tossed the ball on a left sweep to Saltsgaver. The Riverton line sealed Lander’s front six, and Saltsgaver was off to the races. At the 20-yard line, Larson pancaked a Tiger defender, and Saltsgaver cut around the pile. At the eight, Sheets spun the final Tiger to the left, and Saltsgaver read the block perfectly, capping a 43-yard touchdown scamper with 4:08 remaining in the half.
In an omen of what was to come in the second half, the Tigers moved quickly toward the south endzone as the clock ticked away.
On the final play of the second period, Hollingshead scrambled to an open spot surrounded by his offensive line and hit Parker Burton at the 10-yard line, but time expired.
Riverton took the third-period kickoff and marched on a 15-play, eight-minute, and 20-second drive that didn’t score any points.
“We didn’t get points which is disappointing, if we did that might have sealed the game,” Lenhardt said.
The Wolverines reached the 15 with a first and 10, then backed up on a holding call, a motion penalty, and then a six-yard loss when West drilled Saltsgaver in the backfield.
Larsen made another catch in the middle of the field. He had three crossing pattern receptions in the game and paid for each one with hammering hits from the Tiger safeties.
The 20-yard gain left the Wolverines short, and Saltsgaver lined up for a 31-yard field goal attempt, but it was wide left by inches.
West broke a 37-yard run up the middle behind solid Tiger wedge blocking to the Riverton 36 as the third period horn sounded.
Hollingshead hit West out of the backfield on a flat pass, setting the Tigers up with a first and goal. Hollingshead scored on a one-yard sneak, and the Tigers were in business 17-7 with 10:08 remaining.
“We made a few little adjustments at half time, we moved a few guys around,” Burton said. “Offensively it was just a matter of securing things we missed. They showed an odd front after playing an even front all year.”
The Tiger defense roared like a prairie fire on a windy day. The front four blasted Riverton back and Saltsgaver had no room to run and Gantenbein had to force passes.
A pair of incomplete passes and a six-yard Hollingshead run set up a fourth-and-four at the Riverton 47.
Hollingshead hit Parker Burton on a 10-yard crossing pattern for the first down.
Lander mounted an eight-play scoring drive from the 37 with West and Hollingshead picking up chunks on the ground and Hollingshead hitting Caleb Andrews and Finn McFadden through the air. McFadden’s reception was just short of the goal line.
“The second half, Pax (Hollingshead) settled down and started making good reads,” Burton said.
Burton scored on a one-yard run.
On the ensuing point after kick, Kayden Liebrecht blocked the try, and the gap was four points, 17-13.
The block changed the nature of Lander’s offense in the final five minutes of the game. They had to reach the end zone; a field goal wouldn’t help.
Eric Smith waited for the kick near the goal line and hesitated. The ball took a fortuitous Riverton bounce and rolled into the end zone.
Lander’s defense filled the cool night air with heavy thuds as they brought the wood to the Riverton offense. Riverton’s running game came to a halt, but Gantenbein was able to connect with tight end Dane Cox for a first down.
The Wolverines waited until the back judge began waving his arm, indicating five seconds left on the play, before snapping the ball.
It was “mano au mano” in the final three minutes of the game as the two lines pounded at each other.
Gavin Romer broke through and bear-hugged Saltsgaver before tossing him to the ground.
Lenhardt took advantage of the Tiger ferocity, calling a left screen pass to Saltsgaver, but he was tackled four yards short of the marker.
Treber made another of the many game changers on the ensuing punt. He hit a 49-yard beauty down the right sideline and away from the speed McFadden that stayed inbounds, taking time off the clock.
“That was the best punt of the season at the most opportune time,” Lenhardt said. “McFadden is a dangerous kid back there.”
Lander took the ball at the 11 with 20 seconds left in the game.
Hollingshead threw two incomplete passes. The second one took eight seconds as the Tiger line held and the Riverton defense spread deep.
The final play of the game was a completion to Andrews. The Riverton defensive backs surrounded him, keeping him on his feet and not letting him out of bounds as the final horn sounded.
“I thought our special teams were the difference in the game,” Lenhardt said. “I thought Clay Sheets did a great job on McFadden.”
A classic high school football game.
“The ball bounces one way here or there, and it’s a different game,” Burton concluded.
Riverton hosts Torrington next Friday while Lander travels to Rawlins.
“I don’t care if we win by one or by a hundred, rivalry games are tough, you never know,” Lenhardt said.
Cody West burst through the banner during pregame. Paxton Yeates gave a prayer with both teams at the 50 yard line after the game. Hunter Saltsgaver celebrated a touchdown with his teammates after a long run. Lander stood for the National Anthem before the game Friday. Riverton kneeled for a team prayer “Mano au mano” Lander fans cheered as the Tigers mounted a comeback in the 4th. The Lander Band cheered on their team. Mark Lenhardt had a word with his defense in the first half. 
Riverton fans lined the fence at Bill Bush Stadium. Hunter Saltsgaver into the open Hunter Saltsgaver hit the end zone on all four kickoffs Injured captain Brayden Baker came out for the coin toss Kayden Liebrecht and Dane Cox cheered on the kickoff 
Tigers and Wolverines – Images by Carl Cote and Randy Tucker
LANDER 10 7 0 0 – 17
RIVERTON 0 0 0 13 – 13
First Quarter
RIV – Hunter Saltsgaver 28-field goal 5:22
RIV – Saltsgaver 2-run (Saltsgaver kick) :38
Second Quarter
RIV – Saltsgaver 43-run (Saltsgaver kick) 4:08
Fourth Quarter
LAN – Paxon Hollingshead 1-run (Caleb Andrews kick) 10:08
LAN – Parker Burton 1-run (kick failed) 5:25