Editors note: The following changes were made to this story: 1. Rock Springs players pay $100 to play, parents also pay the cost of travel, motels and meals. 2. Rock Springs plays in Jamborees in Las Vegas, Riverton, Green River and Laramie, but not in Utah or at Gillette. 3. Rock Springs lost to two Wyoming teams in 2021 not just Green River.
The second annual Brett Watson Memorial Tournament, formerly known as the Riverton Junior Football Jamboree, was held at Brett Watson Field on Major Avenue Saturday. Teams from Green River, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Lander, and Riverton competed, with the Rock Springs squad rolling through the competition.
Rock Springs has a very involved parent base, fees of $100 per player to join the team and they travel heavily. The Tigers played in a larger jamboree in Las Vegas. After the Riverton Jamboree, they’ll play next weekend in Green River, then travel to a 20-team tournament in Laramie the following weekend playing against southeast Wyoming teams and many squads from the Denver Metro area.
Riverton opened with a 29-0 win over Rawlins in the first game of the day at 9 a.m. At noon, the team of fifth and sixth-grade players fell to Green River 39-0.
Lander moved the ball at times in their opener with Rock Springs but the Green and White Tigers fell to the Orange and Black Tigers from Sweetwater County 38-0. In their second game, Lander rolled over Rawlins 32-0.
It’s always a little strange when two teams only 18 miles apart never play each other but eventually meet on a field 141 miles away for one, and 159 for the other, but that was the case with Green River and Rock Springs in the championship game.
Green River handed Rock Springs their only second loss against Wyoming competition a year ago, but there was no doubt this time as the Tigers took an early 32-6 lead over the Wolves and rolled to the title 38-6.
Dozens of volunteers helped with this event, and the Riverton Officials Association, one of the best high school football officiating groups in the entire Rocky Mountain region donated their time to work each of the games.
