(Gillette, WY) – For the first time in program history, the Lander Valley Tigers are state champions.
The Tigers claimed the Wyoming 3A boys soccer title Saturday, defeating Cody 2-1 in overtime to cap an unblemished run through the state tournament. Junior Caleb Andrews scored both goals, including the overtime winner, to send Lander’s sideline and a loud traveling crowd into a frenzy.
“It kind of eliminates that monkey on our back,” head coach Brian Reisig said after the match. “There’s been so many great teams. Finally having that championship is one thing, but as far as our journey and building this community, it just adds a sense of validation that we’re on the right track.”
Dierk Harms beats a Cody player to the ball for the Tigers. h/t Carl Cote Caleb Andrews naviagtes the midfield, dropping back for a pass. Andrews scored both of Lander’s goals, making the most of the few chances he got in dangerous areas for the Tigers. h/t Carl Cote Wiley Nachazel pushes up from Lander’s defensive half Saturday in Gillette. h/t Carl Cote Lander’s Keeper Stirling Baker collects a Cody freekick in front of goal. h/t Carl Cote
Lander opened the tournament by routing Torrington 8-1, then pulled off a 1-0 upset of top seeded Buffalo in the semifinals before facing Cody in the final. Andrews, who led Wyoming’s 3A scorers for the season, found the net in every state tournament game and delivered two game winning goals across the weekend.
Reisig credited Andrews not just for his finishing, but for stepping into a leadership role on a team that blended seniors, a large sophomore class and incoming freshmen. Andrews, who also played football and basketball for Lander this school year, didn’t decide to play for the Tigers until the last minute this spring.
“From game one, he found his stride,” Reisig said. “Once he found his finishing touch, it was unbelievable. He was always in the right place, always there in the crucial moments.”
Against Cody in the final, Lander scored first to take control before the Broncs equalized and pushed the game to overtime. The Tigers kept pressing, and Andrews delivered the winner in the second overtime period. Reisig said he stayed locked in on tactics until the final whistle, then barely made it onto the field.
“I couldn’t even run out onto the field,” he said. “I just kind of took a few steps and collapsed. And then I just let the boys have their celebration – they worked so hard for it.”
Senior captain and all-state centerback Sawyer Nachazel called the final the team’s collective best effort, even if it wasn’t their cleanest performance.
Sawyer Nachazel controls the ball out of the midfield for the Tigers. h/t Carl Cote Brenner Coleman gets his head to the ball for the Tigers. h/t Carl Cote Caleb Andrews celebrates his second goal putting Lander up 2-1 over Cody in overtime of the state championship game. h/t Carl Cote Lander runs back to midfield after Caleb Andrews’ game winning goal in overtime. h/t Carl Cote Lander’s bench sprinted onto the field when the final buzzer sounded, crowning Lander state champs over Cody 2-1. h/t Carl Cote
“I wouldn’t say it was our best game, but it was still a game that we played really, really well,” Nachazel said. “Everybody knew the goal and was focused on winning.”
Asked about his leadership role on the team, Nachazel said the team’s bond was built over the course of the season through shared meals before games, honest conversations after them, and a commitment to holding each other accountable without tearing each other down.
“If you want to be a leader, you have to be a good person too,” he said. “If someone makes a mistake, tell them they’re good and move on.”
Reisig said the turning point came earlier in the season, during an away win at Cody that came with Nachazel suspended after a red card. Rather than step in, Reisig handed the reins to his seniors, gave the team space, and watched them figure it out themselves.
“I gave them their space, they created a game on their own, and I didn’t touch it,” he said. “At that moment, we knew without one of our better players that the team could win. And that confidence ran all the way through state.”
Afteron Cox and coach Titus share an embrace at the final whistle. h/t Carl Cote Players celebrated Lander’s first state soccer championship. h/t Carl Cote Afton Cox hugs it out withh/t Carl Cote Wyatt Holloway and Caleb Andrews hug on the field after the overtime clock expired. h/t Carl Cote Coach Resig shook hands and hugged Cody players at the end of the state championship game Saturday. h/t Carl Cote
In his third year leading the program, Reisig also pointed to an offseason emphasis on strength and conditioning, borrowing from the football program’s model as a factor that sharpened the team’s physicality and helped them stay disciplined in crucial moments, cutting down on the cheap fouls that had hurt them in in the past.
Nachazel said the younger players will carry this forward.
“All of the younger classmen were fun to be around,” he said. “I feel like they’ll just continue having fun and keep winning, hopefully.”
As for Nachazel, a college soccer opportunity opened up this week. Casper College reached out after the title and invited him to visit their facility, a possibility that pairs with his interest in studying fire science. He was noncommittal heading into state, but the team’s win has him interested.
Head coach Brian Reisig screams in celebration before the boys head to the podium before awards. h/t Car Cote The Lander Tigers celebrate their 2026 state championship in Gillette after defeating the Cody Broncs 2-1 in the 3A championship game. h/t Carl Cote The 2026 Lander Tigers stand a top the awards podium with their first place medals and trophy Saturday. The Lander Tigers are crowned 2026 Wyoming 3A state champions Saturday in Gillette. h/t Carl Cote
“I was gonna see how state went,” he said, “and it turned out really good for us.”
For Reisig, beyond the trophy, what hit hardest was watching former players and community members pour onto the field after the final whistle. People who had been part of the program through the lean years were there to celebrate, too.
“The family didn’t leave when we lost,” he said. “The family was always there, and it’s growing.”