The Wyoming Indian Middle School Chiefs completed a perfect Wind River Conference Athletic Association (WRCAA) football season and an overall 7-1 season on Tuesday with final two-period games against Ft. Washakie and Arapaho at the Chiefs Intertribal Complex at Wyoming Indian High School.
The Chiefs were 4-0 in WRCAA play with wins over Arapaho and Wind River and a pair of wins over Ft. Washakie.
The Tuesday event was originally scheduled for two complete games between the Chiefs and Arapaho, and Ft. Washakie and Wind River.
Wyoming Indian swept the conference, but the other three teams split with each other, leaving a three-way tie for second place.
Wind River had only 13 players out for football this season. The Cougars’ numbers reduced to nine by Monday due to injury, ineligibility, and illness. Without reserves available for the game Wind River decided to cancel.
That left the traditional end of the season tilt for third place and the WRCAA championship with only three teams.
Wyoming Indian athletic director Keith Bauder consulted the other schools and it was decided to have all three remaining teams play each other for a half.
Wyoming Indian opened with a 44-6 win over Ft. Washakie before Ft. Washakie played Arapaho in the second game.
In the nightcap, the game originally scheduled as the conference championship the Chiefs handled the Falcons 28-14 to conclude the season with six WRCAA wins.
Wyoming Indian beat the Riverton 7th grade team and had their only loss against the Lander 7th grade squad.
The WRCAA has changed in recent years, moving to 9-man football after decades of 11-man play.
Dubois dropped out of the football league since their middle school plays 6-man to match their high school squad.
St. Stephen’s students play with Arapaho though only one was on the roster Tuesday.
Shoshoni, a long-time WRCAA member moved to the Big Horn Basin where the Wranglers compete with Rocky Mountain, Greybull, Riverside, Lovell, Worland, and Thermopolis.
Tom Massey and Mike Hiwalker coached the Wyoming Indian team this season.