As predicted the top four teams in the Class 1-A West all remain in position to win the conference or take one of the other three playoff positions.
Wind River, Shoshoni, and Big Piney are all unbeaten in West 9-man play, while Rocky Mountain has a single 12-8 loss to the Big Piney Punchers and stands currently in fourth place with a 2-1 overall record and a 1-1 conference mark.
Friday will be a telling day for all four teams with 3-0 Wind River traveling to play 3-0 Big Piney in Sublette County at 2 p.m.
Big Piney sports a 32-12 win over Greybull and a 14-6 win over Lusk on the season.
Wind River has lopsided wins over Saratoga 46-12, St. Stephen’s 76-6, and last week a 50-6 win over Riverside.
Shoshoni’s only loss came in opening week action against unbeaten, top-seeded East 9-man Pine Bluffs 34-26.
Since then the Wranglers have rolled Greybull 53-0 and picked up a forfeit win over Wyoming Indian but replaced that game with a long trip to Cheyenne where they handled the junior varsity of Class 4-A leading Cheyenne East 54-21.
Rocky Mountain blew out Wright 59-0 in week one before losing to the Punchers. Since then they haven’t played since Wyoming Indian forfeited to them. They have a replacement game scheduled later with the Natrona County Junior Varsity.
Friday’s results mark the halfway point of the regular football season for all but Class 4-A.
Wind River’s running game and physical defense will present a challenge for Big Piney they haven’t experienced yet this season.
Shoshoni’s aggressive defense always gives Rocky Mountain problems, and the Wranglers defend the pass as well or better than anyone in the division, giving them an edge other teams don’t have against a good Grizzly aerial attack.
Saturday morning the playoff picture will be much clearer in the 9-man west.