Drainage pipes and  soil shaping that will eventually help the track drain were constructed, as was the posts for the fencing which will surround the field and the track.

In addition to the work on the main portion of the field, grading work has also taken place in the throwing area as well as a new layer of protection on the driving area and the parking lot surrounding SVHS and the athletics area.

Be sure to click below

First off, no cheating.  A powerful temptation the internet is (Yoda voice).  Use the comment section to make your guess and I’ll let you know if it’s right.  If we go the weekend without a correct answer then I’ll give the answer on Monday.

We’ll have one of these every Friday so that you can have an excuse to have lower productivity on a day that you should have off anyway.  Rotten five-day work weeks anyway.

And with that, today’s Star Valley sports question is related to wrestling:  The Braves have a long tradition of wrestling proficiency dating back to the 1960’s.  In that time, three Star Valley wrestlers have claimed three individual state titles during their high school career.  Who are they?

Okay Star Valley faithful, let’s get those answers rolling in.  Also, if you have a great sports question, send it along to svidahl@silverstar.com.

Here are the newest additions to the Fall Sports staffs as approved in L.C.S.D. No. 2’s latest meeting held June 12, 2008.

Football: Newly minted Head Coach Chris Howell will also serve as the team’s offensive coordinator. Jason Cazier will return as the team’s defensive coordinator, while Kelly Merritt will serve as the linebackers coach. Joe Hale will handle offensive lineman duties and Winston Patterson will coach the running backs. Nick Crosby is the new defensive backs coach, while newcomer to the valley Justin Walker, will take the defensive ends and tight ends. Chris Abrams rounds out the new staff as the wide receivers coach.

Additionally, Star Valley picked up a valuable Jackson defection as Dustin Shockley will join the freshman staff in addition to picking up freshman boy’s basketball duties in the winter. Shockley has coached in Jackson as part of the Lady Broncs basketball squad and served as the Broncs linebackers coach up until last season including Jackson’s 11-0 state championship season.

New Head Golf Coach Kelly Fulmer will welcome long-time Star Valley coach Homer Bennett as an assistant coach this fall.

The Lady Braves’ staff remains unchanged as Brandy Taylor, Jayne Filibi, SaVanna Romine and Dahl Simpson helm the volleyball programs respectively.

Ty Draney and Corena Ricks will remain as the Cross-Country staff.

That goal is when the athletes and students of Star Valley High School attend the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, that a fabulous new facility will be at their disposal.

The current location of the football field is now undergoing the initial phases of what will result in a new artificial field turf that will house the Braves as well as the Braves and Lady Braves soccer teams.  In addition to the field itself, a track & field area like none that SVHS has ever seen will also be constructed, including an eight-lane track and a state-of-the-art timing system.

Be sure to click below for an update on the project with SVHS Activities Director Jamie Holyoak who had his sleeves rolled up and was aiding in the process before taking a break to speak with the Independent.

Also, look for an update on the progress of the project every Tuesday right here at starvalleyindependent.com.

The district has showed preference in the past to look internally at those employees in order to create more stability.  It’s a mindset that is being put to the test as two more varsity coaching positions were coached this past school year by individuals who will not be in the employ of the district next year.

Namely, Bill Hopes, who helmed the SVHS Varsity Golf position for 20 of the  program’s 21 years is retiring from the school district and Brandon Sanchez has tenured his resignation to the district from his teaching position for other employment opportunities.  In light of those moves, the district has decided to make a few changes.

It was determined late Wednesday evening that the Golf position was offered to Kelly Fulmer who will become the third coach in the program’s history.

The Track position will also be filled internally by distance coach Ty Draney. The boy’s basketball position will be filled internally by Dr. Mark Taylor.

All three of these offers have been accepted but are still pending board approval at their next meeting, June 12.

Be sure read the May 29, edition of the Star Valley Independent for more details.

For the span of about two years the tide was rolling toward a classification change for Star Valley. It finally happened and now that the school year is coming to a close, I thought I’d recap some of my favorite moments in a year of change.

• Reversal of Fortune - an 0-3 start including a loss on the home field against Jackson had the Braves reeling as they made the trip to Cody to face the Park County Broncs. A mistake-laden first half and four-improbable missed extra points by the home team saw the Broncs lead 24-7 to begin the fourth quarter. The Braves woke up that day, rushing for over 200 yards in the second half and coming away with a thrilling 31-30 game that ended by snuffing out a two-point attempt by Cody. Although the Braves had several close contests, this reversal of fortune will likely stick in my mind as the reminder of the year.

• Ticket for Casper - The Lady Braves volleyball team was coming off five straight appearances in the 3A title game, with four championships when the season began. It didn’t take long for the doubter to concede that Star Valley’s chances for a trip to the state tournament were slim. However, with a group of raw sophomores and a mix of crafty veterans, the Lady Braves shocked both Rock Springs and Green River at the Regional tournament held at Kelly Walsh. The performance kept alive a streak of seven straight state appearances in the sport’s culminating event.

• The Makeshift Student Sections - So far as the win column was concerned, the Braves didn’t have a stellar season on the hardwood, but one of their wins will be a positive reminder of the season for me. Having lost a heart-breaker to Riverton the evening before, the Braves faced the Sheridan Broncs in the final hours of the Riverton Invitational. Despite threatening to run away with the game at several points, the Braves found themselves fighting for every point they could find as the Broncs, buoyed by their girls’ team and others, refused to go away. The Star Valley crowd reciprocated in kind and the two sections battled it out as their two teams fought to the very end, a 68-65 Star Valley victory. I’ve never seen two enthusiastic groups spontaneously appear on a neutral court for two struggling teams, and I may never see one again. But it certainly was memorable.

• The Burning Cross - No, not that kind. The Braves, fresh off the tragedy involving the Dana family, hosted the 4A West Regional wrestling tournament and needless to say, emotions were high. The Braves remained in control the entire time and pulled out a big team victory over rival Natrona overall. The capper was the heavyweight match in which Lynk Nield performed a technique usually not attributed to the style of heavyweight wrestlers as I sat calling the match with SVHS wresting legend, Richard Hoopes. The Burning Cross, which gave Nield the Regional crown and topped off a feel-good weekend for a community that desperately needed one, will always be remembered in my mind.

• The Hat Trick - For the considerable number of Star Valley seniors who play on the boys soccer team, success has been a measured response. In four years, they’ve had three head coaches, and just a handful of wins. Through those hard times however, they were able to find positives and it came to a head as the Braves hosted Evanston down the stretch of their second straight winless season to that point. The soccer gods were wearing their Crimson and Gold that day as the Braves dismantled the Devils, including a hat trick, or a three goal game, by Jon Scherbel, the first in school history. Despite the mounting losses and little interest, the soccer seniors finished their season with effort and grit and the Hat Trick game will signify this for yours truly.

• Ricks’ Kicks - The Braves and Lady Braves made their way to the 4A West Regional track meet at Natrona County High School, and while injuries, weather and apathy took an effect on the team’s numbers for this season, there were a lot of impressive standout performances from Star Valley athletes. Two in particular took place at this meet in the 3200 Meter and 1600 Meter events as Trevor Ricks battled with the crowd and a select few individuals and won both of these events with a final “kick” in the race’s last 100 meters, a new addition to Ricks’ considerable running skills. The 3200 Meter in particular will stand out to me as, despite running nearly two miles in ten minutes, Ricks pulled away from his nearest competitor with yardage to spare. Ricks’ uncommon work ethic and commitment to his craft is indicative of the Track team and is what I’ll remember most.

• The Catch - I know NFL fans will remember this phrase as Joe Montana to Dwight Clark, but for me, it will be Jordan Abrams to Tim Hokanson in a cold wet contest on the home field with Powell. Trailing late, Abrams was pressured and heaved the ball into the air where Hokanson was double covered by two taller defenders. Despite the odds, he came down with the ball in the rain, and then Abrams knocked through a 41-yard field goal in horrible conditions to force overtime where the Braves eventually won, 20-13. For over 20 years, Dan Dockstader has captured Star Valley on film, and he took the picture of Hokanson straining to catch this particular ball. I’ve looked at it nearly 50 times since that game in early October, and do you know what? I still don’t know how he got that ball. Definitely a memorable play in a very memorable game.

So, there are a few of my memories of this last sports school year, what are yours? Please use the comment section to fill in those that I may have missed.

The Lady Braves had a rude awakening this morning as they played a 9 a.m. match with Cheyenne Central, losing in a one-sided affair, 7-0. The Lady Braves don’t exactly get a break despite moving to the consolation bracket, as Cheyenne East’s upset of Kelly Walsh has sent the Trojans down to face Star Valley. Kelly Walsh defeated the Lady Braves 2-0 in the 4A West semi-finals last weekend. The match is scheduled for 9 a.m. again Friday morning.

In Casper, the weather is considerably more pleasant than it was a week ago when the team competed at regionals. At this point in the day, nearly all of the updates involve the Braves. Trevor Ricks, who won both the 3200 and 1600 meter events a week ago, ran his fastest time of the year to place second in a time of 9:46, just five seconds short of the school record set by Holbrook Call in 1995. Dominick Robinson of Gillette won the event with a time of 9:31. It bears noting that Ricks’ time in Star Valley’s first year of 4A competition, was a full 25 seconds faster than the winning time in Class 3A. In fact, six runners in the 4A field broke the ten minute barrier.

At the High Jump PIt, regional champion, Tyler “Skinny” Skinner had a few near misses, placing fourth with a jump of 6′ 2″. Team mate Mitch Schwab placed second with a leap of 6′ 4″ for an impressive finish for the Braves in the event.

Thursday Evening -

Danette Warren threw 36′ 6″ in the Shot Put, but missed out on the top eight by several inches. Warren will graduate having set the school record a year ago at 37′ 3.5″. Junior Madison Wilkes threw her best distance of the season, hitting 35′.

In the Long Jump, Audrey West leaped 16′ 11.25″, good enough for fourth place and the total points scored by the Lady Braves on day one. Star Valley is currently in eighth place with those five points, while Rock Springs and Cheyenne Central are tied for first with 32 points.

Senior Chad McKen earned a trip to the finals in the 110 Meter Hurdles with a time of 16.36, while sophomore Brandon Taylor barely missed the cut with a time of 16.79

The Braves currently sit in third place with 21 team points. Gillette is leading the pack with 34 points while Central is right behind with 32 points.

Friday Morning -

The Lady Braves rebounded from a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Cheyenne Central to play in a hard-fought loss against 4A West Champion Kelly Walsh, eventually losing, 2-1.  This officially ends the Lady Braves season, but they will return a large percentage of their players again next year where they should continue to improve.

On the Track front, both Audrey West and Kevin Brough both ran the 200 Meter event.  West qualified for the finals with a time 26.22, which will rank her sixth going into the finals.  Brough ran a 23.24 which was .07 off from qualifying for the finals in the event.

Friday Afternoon -

The 400 Meter event was a very good stretch for Star Valley High as both Audrey West and Kevin Brough both had the fastest times of any runner in the preliminary heats.  West broke her own record for the second time in seven days, running 58.00 for the top time.  Brough also slightly bested his own personal best for the year, running a 49.93, the only time under 50 seconds for the day.

Saturday -

It was an exciting day to wrap up the 4A Track & Field Championships, and several events included some very noteworthy performances by several Star Valley standouts.

On the girl’s side, Audrey West placed fourth in the 100 Meter Dash, running a 12.95.  West also placed fifth in the 200 Meter, matching her school record time of 25.95 seconds.  And to top it all off, West broke her own 400 Meter record for the third time in nine days, setting a new time for herself at 57.40 which was good enough for third place, just a few tenths behind the winner.  Kirsten McKen placed in the points running a 2:27 in the 800 Meter Run, good enough for eighth place.  Danette Warren also scored points in the High Jump, clearing 4′ 10″, which put her in seventh place.

As for the Braves, they notched a pair of second place finishes.  First off, Kevin Brough broke through another personal best in the 400 Meter Dash, running a 49.64, just behind Mario Harris of Natrona who ran a 48.85.  Brough’s time is now just .3 seconds from breaking the 20-year old mark of Matt Hansen in the event, a feat he will try to perform next year.  Trevor Ricks also had an exciting finish in the 1600 Meter Run, placed second with his fastest time of the season at 4:24,  just two seconds behind the winner, not to mention the 35-year old school record of Kevin Hyde. 

Chad McKen ran his fastest times of the season in both the 110 and 300 Meter Hurdles, placing fifth in both events with times of 15.75 and 40.21 respectively.

As a team, the Lady Braves finished with 26 points which placed them tenth, in front of Green River and Riverton.  Cheyenne Central claimed the state title with 117 points, while Kelly Walsh finished in second with 99.2 points.  As for the Braves, they finished in sixth place with 50 points, just 1.5 points behind Kelly Walsh for a fifth and seven points behind Laramie who finished fourth.  Gillette continued a dominant year, winning the event with 140 points, edging Natrona and their 132.

In other classifications, Cody swept Class 3A by running away from all the other teams in both the boys and girls events.  Fellow L.C.S.D. No. 2 school, Cokeville, finished with a pair of State Runner-Up titles in Class 1A.

The Independent wishes to congratulate the Braves and Lady Braves on a spectacular effort over the weekend where times were beaten in seemingly every attempt.  A special congratulations goes out to the seniors such as Warren and Ricks who have performed admirably throughout their Star Valley career.  Warren graduates with the school Shot Put record and Ricks will graduate as arguably the finest long-distance runner in school history. 

The weekend began on the soccer pitch, where despite more losses than wins overall, both the Braves and Lady Braves felt they had favorable conditions heading into the post-season. The Braves, fresh off a thrilling 2-1 overtime loss to Rock Springs, thought momentum was on their side as the two met up again just six days later. This time, the Tigers were ready and able. Rock Springs earned a state birth and regained momentum in a 6-1 drubbing of the Braves. Rock Springs eventually fell in the title match with Kelly Walsh, 2-1. (Photo by Kay Cox)

With a slightly higher number five seed, the Lady Braves met up with the Green River Lady Wolves with a chance to earn their first ever state tournament birth in this their fourth season of soccer, all under Head Coach Allison Hicks. Much like their most recent meeting, it was a physical, low-scoring affair, but this time it was Star Valley punching their ticket to Laramie and prevailing with the 1-0 win. In a bit of numerical favor, Star Valley was one of three number five seeds to advance to the state tournament of the four regional tournaments in the 4A Class.

Despite dropping a hard-fought contest to top-ranked Kelly Walsh in the semi-finals, 2-0, the Lady Braves capped off a very memorable weekend by dispatching Rock Springs for the second time in two weeks in a shoot-out. The pair of wins not only were the first for the program, but also netted Star Valley the third place trophy coming out of the regional tournament. The performance now earns Star Valley the right to face the Cheyenne Central team as the number two seed coming out of the East regionals. The Independentwishes to congratulate the Lady Braves on this achivement and wish them the best of luck at their first ever state tournament.

As for the Track & Field team, the Braves managed a third place finish as a team, scoring 95 team points and claiming a trio of Regional champions from the 4A West Meet held on the campus of Natrona High School. Standout senior Trevor Ricks won both the 1600 and 3200 Meter events in impressive fashion, pulling away from his nearest competitiors in both events for the set of titles. Ricks won both of these events at the state level a year ago at the 3A classification. In addition to Ricks, junior Tyler “Skinny” Skinner cleared 6′ 5″ and won in a jump off for the High Jump title. The home team Mustangs won the team title with 218.5 points, far outdistancing their cross-town rivals Kelly Walsh who finished with 116.5. The Rock Springs Tigers finished behind the Braves with 86.5 points.

The girls squad, despite taking a total of just 15 athletes still scored 56 points in a sixth place finish. Evanston took the title with 151 points, nipping Natrona who finished with 148.5. Sophomores Audrey West and Kirsten McKen both qualified for state action next week in four events, while West broke her own school record in the 400 Meter event Finals with a time of 59.15, besting her mark of 59.47 from two weeks ago.

State Track will take place in Casper at Kelly Walsh High School.

Added urgency comes in the wake of the vacancy of the head basketball job as well, a fact well understood by Holyoak. That being said, the committee worked through nearly 60 applicants into eight interviews and they believe they’ve found their man.

That man’s name is Chris Howell and he has served as the defensive coordinator at Sky View High School for the past several years. He was approved by the school board of L.C.S.D. No. 2 Wednesday evening in their meeting.

Howell has also served in the same capacity at Logan High School from 1992-1997.

At Sky View, he has been involved in football, basketball and baseball where he was the head coach on the diamond. He comes to Star Valley with a master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis on strength and conditioning. Howell has developed a regimen for strength training at both Logan and Sky View High Schools and has performed on the summer football staffs of BYU, the University of Washington and Boise State University.

For Howell, he will be exchanging one SVHS for another, this time in Crimson and Gold.
According to Holyoak, it’s Howell’s experience, his vigor, his enthusiasm and his organization that impressed the interview committee.

“The committee feels that within the pool of applicants that we’ve found who they wanted,” stated Holyoak. “This is a young applicant compared to some of the others that we saw, but the guy that we’re going with is young, enthusiastic and he wants this job. He wants to be in Star Valley and we could tell. He has done an exceptional job with his organization and we’re excited to have him.”

The Bobcats have gone an impressive 21-4 over the last two seasons, averaging over 33 points per game in that span.