Upton-Sundance Has Some Rebuilding to Do [VIDEO]

The Upton-Sundance Patriots have to replace some quality seniors but they’re looking forward to another good year in 2022.

The Patriots have an impressive streak of finishing with an overall record above .500 for eight straight years. Since the co-op began in 2012, Upton-Sundance has been a playoff team every season. They went 6-3 in 2021 and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up, Lovell.

With the loss of three all-state and two more all-conference players, Upton-Sundance will have to replace some key players. The Patriots will be led by returning all-conference QB Keaton Mills. He threw for 18 TDs and only four interceptions last year. Mills added 85 points on defense with 48 tackles and two interceptions. Also back is lineman Jeral Nehl. He had 48 tackles on defense, which included one sack and two tackles for loss.

Head coach Andy Garland is in his 11th season at the helm of the U-S Patriots. It’s his 19th season overall as a head coach. WyoPreps’ ninth stop on our Preseason Football Tour was in Upton. We talked with Coach Garland, who says they need to have some young players step up, so a lot of teaching is going on in practice. With more experience on their line, Garland is seeing good things in the trenches. One tough piece to the Patriots’ schedule is no game in Week 1 of the season. While an extra week benefits young players, he’d like to be playing to see how his team plays.

A little mishap with our tour schedule prevented us from seeing practice and visiting with U-S players.

The 2022 season will start on Friday, Sept. 9 versus Big Horn in a Class 2A East Conference game. Every game on the Patriots’ schedule will be a league game this year.