The season ended as it began for the Shoshoni Wranglers a long way from home in the far southeastern corner of Wyoming. The defending state champion Pine Bluffs Hornets dominated the Wranglers in every aspect of the game, building a 57-0 lead halfway through the second period en route to a 76-24 opening round playoff win.
The loss ends Shoshoni’s season at 3-6. Pine Bluffs returns to Class 1-A 9-man East Conference play this Friday against Lingle Ft. Laramie in the semi-finals. The Hornets handled the Doggers easily in the regular season, 47-10.
The Hornets opened the game with a 52-yard Ty Scarborough run and never took their foot off the gas, leading 24-0 at the end of the first period.
Before the smoke cleared in the second quarter, the Hornets scored seven touchdowns in the period, 46 total points, and led 70-8 at the half.
Shoshoni’s lone offensive spark came in the familiar combination of Caden Kisling to Oakley Hicks on a 92-yard catch and run. They combined for the conversion attempt to briefly halt the Pine Bluffs onslaught at 57-8.
The Hornets added two more scores before intermission.
With the running clock in place via the Mercy Rule at the first touch of the third period, the second half rolled by quickly.
Pine Bluffs reserved played most of the second half.
The Wrangler running game was stymied throughout the contest. Shoshoni gained just 22 yards on 21 rushing attempts, and 17 of those came on one play, a counter to Carlos Murrafo.
Kisling had 201 yards through the air, 118 of those to Hicks on three receptions.
Shoshoni’s final scores of the season came in the final minutes of the game. The first on a five-yard run by Cameron Eder and the second a 17-yard pass from Kisling to freshman Logan Bacon. Kisling found Hicks for the first conversion and on the second, Hicks returned the favor on a reverse pass back to the quarterback.
PINE BLUFFS 24 46 6 0 – 76
SHOSHONI 0 8 0 16 – 24
1st Quarter
PB: Ty Scarborough 52-run (Scarborough pass from Cade Fornstrom)
PB: Gabe Federer 2-run (Gabe Federer run)
PB: Ty Scarborough 23-run (Colby Lerwick pass from Carsten Freeburg)
2nd Quarter
PB: Gabe Federer 9-run (Fornstrom pass from Freeburg)
PB: Fornstrom 34-pass from Freeburg (pass failed)
PB: Federer 8-run (pass failed)
PB: Fornstrom 19-pass from Freeburg (Carter Perlinski kick)
PB: Scarborough 43-run (kick failed)
SHO: Oakley Hicks 92-pass from Caden Kisling (Hick pass from Kisling)
PB: Jax Thurin 1-run (kick failed)
PB: Payson Graves 3-run (Perlinski kick)
3rd Quarter
PB: Eli Currie 10-run
4th Quarter
SHO: Cameron Eder 5-yard run (Hicks pass from Kisling)
SHO: Logan Bacon17 pass Kisling (Kisling pass from Hicks)
Individual Statistics:
Rushing: Shoshoni – Carlos Marrufo 1-17, Caden Kisling 9-10, Cameron Eder 1-5, Brody Shepard 3 (-4), Carson Kisling 6-(-7), Pine Bluffs – Ty Scarborough 5-135, Jax Thurin 11-53, Carsten Freeburg 4-60, Gabe Federer 7-38, Payson Graves 7-21, Eli Currie 2-10, Jace Golding 1-0
Passing: Shoshoni – Caden Kisling 11-31-3 201 yards, Oakley Hicks 1-1 3 yards; Pine Bluffs – Carsten Freeburg 10-14-0 135 yards
Receiving: Shoshoni – Oakley Hicks 3-118, Brody Shepard 4-48, Logan Bacon 1-17, Corbin Brown 2-10, Carson Kisling 1-8; Pine Bluffs – Cade Fornstrom 3-64, Colby Lerwick 2-40, Eli Currie 1-14, Brady Freeburg 2-11, Kenny Lerwick 1-5, Asher Lee 1-1