The Wyoming Indian boys lost three games to Class 2-A West teams during the regular season. The Chiefs fell to Shoshoni on the road, Big Piney in Sublette County, and Thermopolis a long way from home.
In their march to the Class 2-A West Regional Championship, the Chiefs beat Shoshoni, Thermopolis and Big Piney.
Peaking at the right time is a testament to the work of the boys, but more of a statement on the skill of the head coach. Craig Ferris is an excellent head coach and has the Wyoming Indian boys playing their best ball of the season.
h/t Jessica Schooner
Pre-season predictors had the Chiefs finishing third or fourth in the west after losing two starters off last year’s state championship team. Evidently, no one told the boys at Ethete that was supposed to happen.
The Chiefs fell in overtime to Shoshoni on the road a few weeks ago. The Wranglers were a solid team this year but failed to qualify for the state tournament after an opening round 20-point loss to the Chiefs, and an easy win over winless Wind River before falling to another team on the rise at tournament time, the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies.
Kudos to Rocky Mountain head coach Pat Winland who is another outstanding coach from the west. Winland has his boys improving step by step each week and they may surprise some people at the state tournament next week.
Thermopolis had swagger and confidence entering the tournament after dropping down from Class 3-A and bringing a talented squad to the hardwood. Their loss to the Chiefs in the semi-finals sets up an opening round battle with the Wright Panthers. Both teams took turns with the top ranking in Class 2-A this season.
In the championship game, the Chiefs faced Southwest 2-A Champion Big Piney. The Punchers are a solid team as well and split with the Chiefs during the regular season. Big Piney earned the top spot with a regular season win over Wright, while the Chiefs fell twice to the Wright Panthers.
On the girls’ side, very few of head coach Aleta Moss’s girls are able to drive yet, they’re just too young for a license. They weren’t expected to be a contender, yet, here they are with the third place seed from a very tough regional tournament.
Moss enters the state tournament as the winningest coach in Wyoming history. Her current win total is 696 entering the state tournament.
The Wind River girls had a promising team, but had a disappointing regional tournament, losing two and winning just one over Shoshoni. They failed to qualify in the Saturday morning game.
In Class 1-A it was a quick exit for the Dubois boys and girls, and the Eagles and Lady Eagles of St. Stephen’s
The St. Stephen’s boys were up and down this season and failed to advance to a Saturday play in game by a single point against Riverside.
The Lady Chiefs open state tournament play at Casper College on Thursday at 9 am against second-seeded Pine Bluffs from the East.
The Chiefs play the late game at T-Bird Gym on the Casper College Campus against fourth-seeded Big Horn.
h/t Jessica Schooner
