Looking to improve on back-to-back 2-6 seasons, the Kemmerer High School football team will rely on a Youth Movement to make that happen in 2023, though head coach Bart Jernigan likes what he sees so far after a full week of practice. “We look all right — young, in a lot of spots — but the kids we have coming out definitely have a pretty good base underneath them, and are pretty aggressive,” Jernigan said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to ease them into contact where we need it and — outside of that — our older guys can step up and take the lead, and show them [the younger players] the things we want and need done.”
This year’s Lincoln County Fair in Afton offered something for everyone, and for rodeo fans, two nights of PRCA Rodeo action Friday and Saturday was a great way to cap off the weeklong event. Les Ohlhauser handled the announcing duties, and longtime PRCA rodeo clown/barrelman Kevin Higley was on hand to entertain the crowd. Keeping the cowboys safe were bullfighters Tyson Twitchell and Sam Childress, and pickup men Marc Dickinson, Cody Miller and Royce Breeden.
Longtime Cokeville High School wrestling head coach Marty Linford decided to call it a career earlier this summer, leaving an impressive list of accomplishments in his wake: seven state titles, 44 individual champions, seven WCA Coach of the Year awards and was once named National Coach of the Year. Now, to cap off a stellar, 22-year career with the Panthers, Linford can add one more accolade: Hall of Fame inductee. Linford was one of 10 coaches from around the state so honored at the annual WCA Hall of Fame banquet, held on July 21 in Casper.
Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji had the full attention of at least 50 kids while playing basketball in the parking lot at the Kemmerer Recreation Center on Thursday, Aug. 3. Despite wet weather conditions, participants took a jog before breaking into teams to run drills. Rec center director Trista Gordon said that, because the gym floor is being refinished at the recreation center, they decided to let kids play in the parking lot.
COKEVILLE — The town of Cokeville held its annual Pioneer Day celebration over the weekend of July 21-22, culminating in the Cokeville Pioneer Day Rodeo, hosted by the Cokeville Stock & Saddle Club. This year’s junior rodeo — held all day Friday — featured nearly 600 entries, while Saturday’s open rodeo featured plenty of fan favorites, including mutton bustin’, a chicken and calf chase, barrel racing, tie down roping and plenty of bull and bronc riding.
A fixture on the baseball fields, basketball courts and football fields of Southwest Wyoming for nearly two decades was honored last weekend by the Wyoming High School Activities Association for his hard work and dedication on the gridiron. Eric Quinney – Uinta County Fire and Ambulance Chief Administrative Officer – was named the 2023 Football Official of the Year at last weekend’s 39th Annual Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame Banquet in Casper, presented by the Wyoming High School Activities Association and the Wyoming Sports Officials Association.
The Kemmerer Little League Majors All-Stars may have been one of the smallest teams at last weekend’s Bear Lake Little League Tournament, but that didn’t stop them from making their presence felt at the Bear Lake County Fairgrounds. Led by coaches Jake Parks and Dan Salo, the Kemmerer squad opened pool play Thursday with a 7-3 win over the Minico Braves, and followed that with an 8-8 tie against host Bear Lake.
Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race organizers recently announced the 2024 race schedule and entry criteria, and the popular winter race will return to Kemmerer next year. The stop will be during Stage Five of the event, set for Jan. 31.
$6,000 raised for domestic violence awareness
The Kemmerer Ladies Golf League held their opening meeting with lunch at the Kettle Restaurant on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 and a second meeting held at the Fossil Island Golf Course on May 22, 2023.
Girls 2nd, Boys 8th; Burnett, Walker win multiple events
The Kemmerer High School track and field teams enjoyed their busiest four-day road stretch of the season last week, and the weather finally decided to cooperate, providing optimal conditions for meets at Evanston, Pinedale and Riverton. The road swing began Wednesday with the Rick and Wendy Schuler Invitational in Evanston, the first track and field meet held at the newly-renovated Kay Fackrell Stadium. The teams then traveled to Pinedale Friday for the Mountain Man Invitational, with the Lady Rangers finishing fourth as a team, while the Rangers finished sixth. The KHS track and field teams ended the weekend Saturday at the Roy Peck Invitational in Riverton, with the Lady Rangers once again placing fourth, while the Rangers finished fifth.
The Kemmerer High School track and field teams continued to make the most of the spring-like weather over the weekend, competing at the Strata Invitational in Roosevelt, Utah, Friday, then heading over to Rock Springs Saturday for the Ted Schroeder ‘Meet of Hope.’ The Lady Rangers placed sixth overall at the Strata Invite, while the Rangers finished 10th in the 14-team field. In Rock Springs the following day, the Lady Rangers finished in the top spot at the Meet of Hope, while the Rangers finished ninth.
The Lucky Dogs from Kemmerer won the 29th Annual AMOW 8-Ball State Championships held in Casper March 22-26. Last year the Lucky Dogs won the C Division in the VNEA pool tournament. This year there were five divisions in the BCA pool league in which Lucky Dogs placed first in the Silver Division. The tournament was put on by Cue Sports International and took place at the Ford Wyoming Center. The Wyoming State Pool Tournament starts with singles play on Wednesday and Thursday preceded by team play Friday through Sunday.
After weeks of indoor training and canceled meets, the Kemmerer High School track and field teams finally had the opportunity to compete outdoors over the weekend, taking part in the 2023 Alpha Invitational in Orem, Utah. The Rangers placed 20th in the 30-team field, while the Lady Rangers placed 24th. Owen Burnett was the Rangers’ top finisher, winning the 3200 meters in a time of 9:33.25, while Laynee Walker was the top finisher for the girls, placing seventh in the pole vault, clearing a height of 8 feet, 6 inches.
It was a lousy night for a drive. My wife Aimee and I had gotten a late start to begin with, as we lit out in the eye of a winter storm, heading for the 2023 Wyoming Press Association Annual Convention in Cheyenne. This year’s event was scheduled for mid-January at the Little America Hotel and Convention Center, and after white-knuckling it the entire trip, we finally rolled into the parking lot around 2 a.m., well after the rest of our colleagues at the Uinta County Herald (and probably every other paper in the state) had called it a night. As we lugged our bags up the icy outdoor staircase that led to our room on the second floor, the glass door at the top of the stairs suddenly flew open, and a figure stepped out, holding the door against the bitter wind and ushering us inside. I turned to thank whoever it was, and found myself face-to-face with the smiling mug of Sam Smith, sportswriter and photographer for the Lovell Chronicle. What he was doing up at that hour, I have no clue; probably waiting for members of his own party to arrive. But I remember thinking I’d never been happier to see Sam in my life.
With a talented mix of returning athletes and new faces, the Kemmerer High School cheer team performed well at the 2023 State Spirit Competition in Casper earlier this month, placing fifth in 2A Game Day Cheer and sixth in 3A All Girl Cheer (Stunts). “The girls did a really good job,” said KHS head coach Sheril Slater. “They hit their stunts, and did really great – it was a good showing for them. It was the first time they had done all girls stunt in a long time, so they did really, really well.” This year’s state squad was made up of 12 girls, led by four seniors and Slater, who returned to coaching after a seven-year break.
Competing for the Mountain View High School indoor track and field team, Kemmerer’s Owen Burnett continued his assault on the record books, breaking a pair of records at the 2023 WHSAA 3A State Indoor Track and Field Championships in Gillette, March 3-4. Burnett won the 1600 meters in a blistering time of 4:21.70, and the 3200 in a time of 9:41.57, setting new state standards in both.
Old Man Winter has so far had other plans, but the Kemmerer High School track and field teams are practicing like there will, indeed, be a spring sports season, with solid numbers turning out for the Rangers and Lady Rangers as they make the move to Class 2A for the 2023 campaign. “Things are looking pretty good — I think we’re at 39-40 kids this year,” said KHS head coach Phil Thatcher. “I think we’re about even as far as boys and girls go, which is good for us — last year, we only had about eight or nine boys; this year we have 18. We have around 21 or 22 girls, so it’s a lot better mix for us.”
The young but scrappy Kemmerer High School girls’ basketball team — well-versed in overcoming adversity this season — went 0-2 over the weekend at the 2A State Basketball Tournament in Casper, though, in typical Lady Rangers fashion, fought hard until the very end. The Lady Rangers (15-10 opened play Thursday against Sundance, losing to the Lady Bulldogs 38-28. In Friday’s elimination game against Rocky Mountain, Kemmerer struggled to find a scoring rhythm, falling to the Lady Grizzlies 33-16.