Wyoming High School Football Rankings: Week 5, 2015 [POLL]

Entering the second half of the season, the coaches and media have anointed 2 new #1 teams, to replace those that lost last week.

The issue of which team is #1 in Class 4A will be decided in a rivalry game. It's Energy Bowl time, as #1 Sheridan visits #2 Gillette. Last year's game was a thriller and if the teams can live up to their rankings, we could see the same this year as well. Counting playoff meetings, the Camels have won the 4 times that these 2 teams have faced each other. Sheridan's last win was in the 2011 semi-finals, which means varsity wise, the Bronc seniors don't know what it's like to beat the Camels. Rivalry games are all over the 4A schedule. #3 Natrona hosts Kelly Walsh in the Oil Bowl...a game that has seen the visiting teams win the last 2 times, not counting the playoffs. Which means that last time the OB trophy was on the line at NC...KW won. #4 Cheyenne East hosts Cheyenne Central in the Capital Bowl. The Indians haven't won on the ThunderBirds turf since 2007, but East does have new facilities, so we'll see if the home field means anything this time around. #5 Rock Springs was able to hang with Sheridan before coming up short. The Tigers will try to restart their momentum when they host Evanston.

The 3A scales has shifted westward in the latest rankings. Star Valley has reached the top for now, after their impressive road win. The Braves have had great success against former #1 Cody, but not so much against this week's opponent...Powell, who has won the last 4 games, and 6 of the last 8. SV hopes the homecoming atmosphere can change that. Jackson is up to #2, and is keeping an eye out on Green River, who appears to be on the rebound as of late...especially when the Wolves are on the road. Torrington is up to #3, and can take command of the East with a win at Douglas...but nay be easier said than done. The Bearcats have won the last 10 times, and 15 of the last 17. The TrailBlazers last win in enemy territory was back in 2002. Meanwhile, Cody has dropped down to #4 and will visit Worland. The Broncs have won the last 10 games in this Big Horn Basin rivalry. The Warriors last won this game, back in 2003. Riverton is the #5 teams, and will host a Rawlins squad that they've beaten 18 out of the last 20 times. 1985 was the last time, that the Outlaws won in Fremont County.

There's very little change in the 2A ranks. The top 3 remain the same with Wheatland, Greybull and Glenrock taking the top 3 spots. Big Horn moves ahead of Newcastle for #4, thus bumping the Dogies to #5. The Bulldogs play the non-conference game this week, as they visit a place they've never been to before...Big Piney. Greybull looks to add on to Kemmerer's woes. The Buffalos have won the last 5 vs. the Rangers. The Herders look to get back on track as they host Burns...a team that they've split the last 6 games with. The Rams go to a place that they've never won at...Thermopolis (0-2 lifetime). Newcastle will visit Wright this weekend. The Dogies have won the last 4 games vs. the Panthers.

Like 2A, the only change in the 1A ranks was #4 and #5. Upton-Sundance remains on top, and hosts #3 Lingle-Ft. Laramie this weekend. The winner will take control of the East. #2 Shoshoni doesn't have to travel far this week. The Wranglers visit Wyoming Indian. #4 Cokeville will take their forfeit win this week vs. Burlington, but they'll play Evanston's JV team on Thursday, in order to avoid any rust. #5 Southeast will look to regroup from their sloppy performance last week, and go to Moorcroft. This is the first time that the Cyclones have ever visited the Wolves.

There's a new team on top of 6-man, but most of the action will be concentrated in the east. Meeteetse rules the roost heading into this week's game at Dubois...a team that the Longhorns have only beaten once in the last 5 games. The big game is in Kaycee this week, as the #2 Buckaroos host the only East team that has yet to lose a conference game...that would be #5 Hulett. #3 Little Snake River will visit St. Stephens this week. Guernsey-Sunrise dropped from #1 to #4, after last week's wake up call. They'll see if H.E.M. has studied any game film, when they host the Miners on Friday. Another game of interest is between the 2 teams that just missed out on the rankings. Normative Services visits Farson-Eden on Saturday.

Disclaimer: The polls have no official say or use on post-season positioning, and are only to be used as a measuring stick on the regular season. Please don’t read too much into the rankings.