In a bend but never break performance the Wyoming 6-man all-stars held off Nebraska in their annual tilt 68-44 on Friday at Chadron, Nebraska. The combined 112 points is a record in the 11-game series and lifted Wyoming to a 6-5 overall lead in the annual event.
Dubois senior Max Claar played in the game, tallying a quarterback sack and recovering a fumble for the brown and gold squad largely represented by teams from the Class 1-A 6-man division.
The game opened with scores by Zander Risner from Little Snake River and the first of five touchdowns Meeteetse standout Dace Bennett was involved in. With fellow Meeteetse Longhorn Mickle Ogden converting the point after kicks, Wyoming led 16-8 early in the second period.
Nebraska tied the game for the only time at 16-16, but Koye Gilbert of Encampment scored on a reception for a 22-16 lead then intercepted a pass, taking it to the house for another score late in the half. Ogden’s point after conversion kick gave Wyoming a 30-16 lead at the half.
Two quick scores, and 12 unanswered points put the Nebraska squad within two points at 30-28 in the third period, but a broken play lifted Wyoming into another double-digit lead.
Bennett dropped back to pass after taking a lateral, making his eligible to run in 6-man rules, then took off on the broken play for a long touchdown run and a 38-28 Wyoming lead.
Nebraska scored again, and converted the point after kick to close the gap to 38-36, but the squad from the Cowboy State answered again on a pass from Bennett to Cree Jones from Farson-Eden with Ogden’s kick moving the margin back to 10 points at 46-36.
Bryce Ackerman of Hulett broke into the secondary on a long run to give Wyoming a little breathing room at 54-36, but Nebraska tallied once last score close to 10 points early in the final period.
Ackerman scored again, and Risner added another receiving touchdown for the final 68-44 tally. Nebraska threatened late in the game, moving inside the five-yard line but the Wyoming defense held.
The 68 points ties the most ever scored by a Wyoming team, set back in 2014.
Wyoming 6-man All-Star Roster.
Burlington
Brac Walker
Dubois
Max Claar
Encampment
Michael Anderson
Caysen Barkhurst
Koye Gilbert
Farson-Eden
Cree Jones
Trevor Jones
Guernsey-Sunrise
Rawland Isabell
Hullett
Bryce Ackerman
Tyler Kromarek
Little Snake River
Wyatt Adams
Jerick Martinez
Zander Rising
Meeteetse
Dace Bennett
Jonathan Blessing
Kalvin Erickson
Mickle Ogden
Midwest
Jacob Hutchings
Staff: Head Coach – Jack Cobb – Little Snake River, Assistant Coaches: Sam Weeldreyer – Little Snake River, Zack Scott – Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow, Zeb Hagen – Meeteetse