I was a senior in high school, playing on a baseball team in  Missouri that was ranked fifth in the state. We had just lost to a team we were not supposed to lose to.

The next day at practice, our coach gave a history lesson about the Battle of the Wilderness. If you’re not familiar with this battle, it was the first sage of a major Union offense toward the Confederate capital of Richmond in 1864. It was ordered by the newly named Union General-In-Chief Ulysses S. Grant. 

Both sides suffered significant casualties. But Grant never retreated. And, as you know, the Union eventually went on to win the Civil War — a war that lasted four years.

My coach was trying to relate that battle to our loss. He knew we were down, and his speech got us back into that fighting mode. How could hearing a history lesson like that not get you fired up? 

Some might think the Evanston High School football team is playing a meaningless game when the Red Devils host Jackson at 6 p.m. today for the final game of the season. Jackson is 0-7 overall and 0-5 in conference play. Evanston’s playoffs hopes are over after falling to Worland last Week.

But I hope members of the community and the team don’t see this as a meaningless game. I’ve been around the Evanston football team for a month now, and based on what I know about the Red Devils, I believe they will put it all on the line. I know for a fact head coach Pat Fackrell will.

Evanston (3-4, 2-3 3A West) has a chance to finish the season on a high note and the Red Devils could also build some momentum going into next year. 

I know Evanston is disappointed about missing the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean the Red Devils are going to surrender in the final battle of 2017. They return a lot of players in 2018, and you could see some fresh faces get some reps on tonight. 

Multiple scenarios could determine Lyman’s playoff fate

If you read Tuesday’s paper, you know there are eight scenarios that could affect if the Eagles’ football team makes or misses the playoffs and the seed Lyman (3-4, 2-3 2A West) will receive if the Eagles do.

While it might be interesting for the public to read about, I hope the Eagles, who host Big Piney (5-2, 2-4 2A West) today, aren’t buying too much into it. 

Go out there, control what you can, play your tails off and let the chips fall where they may. 

Mountain View isn’t overlooking anyone

When I talked to head football coach Brent Walk on Sunday, he had already studied hours of film on Greybull. The teams will square off Friday night at Greybull (4-3, 3-2 2A West) for the final game of the regular season.

Mountain View (6-1, 5-0 2A West) could lose this game by 100 points and it wouldn’t matter. The Buffalos, the No. 2 ranked team in Class 2A, have already clinched the West Conference and secured homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

But Mountain View doesn’t look at it like that. The Buffalos want to win.

This is a football team that has gotten better each week and is a legitimate contender to win a state championship.

Swimming, volleyball seasons winding down

The Evanston High School volleyball team (15-11, 4-4 4A West) has two regular-season games remaining before the Lady Red Devils compete at regionals at Natrona Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. Evanston will host Rock Springs today for the Lady Red Devils’ final home game, before closing out the regular season on Saturday at Green River. The Class 4A state championship will take place Nov. 2 through Nov. 4 at Casper.

As of Thursday morning, Lyman held a 22-4 record and was in control of the 3A West Conference at 5-0. The Lady Eagles close out the season Thursday at home against Mountain View. Results were not available as of press time. After facing Lyman, the Lady Buffalos (13-12, 1-3 3A West) travel to Cokeville today and close out the regular season on Saturday at home against Pinedale. Mountain View and Lyman will compete in regionals Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 at Riverton. The Class 3A state championship takes place Nov. 2 through Nov. 4 at Casper.

The Evanston girls’ swim team will compete at Green River today and Saturday for regionals. The Lady Red Devils close out the regular season with the “Last Chance” meet on Oct. 26 at Green River. The state meet will take place Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 at Gillette. 

As of now, Evanston has three state-qualifying swimmers. Rachel Buzarde has qualified in the 50 free (27.32), 100 free (59.51), 200 free (2:12.15), 500 free (6:05.71), and the 100 backstroke (1:08.53). Jade Caves qualified in the 50 free (27.71) while McKinzey Camphouse will compete in the 50 free (27.75) and the 100 butterfly (1:07.67) at state. 

The Lyman swim team will compete at regionals today and Saturday at Powell. The Lady Eagles will also swim at Green River on Oct. 26 and will compete at state Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 at Gillette. 

Lyman state qualifiers as of Thursday: 

50 free

21. Harper Hewitt – 27.80 ; 25. Samantha Weston – 28.02 ; 29. Emma Beck – 28.20 

100 free

21. Nikayla Garner – 1:02.62 ; 32. Samantha Weston – 1:03.56; 37. Emma Beck – 1:03.73; 44. Harper Hewitt – 1:04.16

200 free

23. Samantha Weston – 2:21.80 

500 free

26. Kira Walk – 6:33.48; 29. Brooklyn Busskohl – 6:34.94; 36. Brynlee Busskohl – 6:40.51 

100 back

15. Brooklyn Busskohl – 1:10.28; 20. Harper Hewitt – 1:11.60 

100 breast

8. Brynlee Busskohl – 1:19.20; 12. Samantha Weston – 1:19.69; 27. Harper Hewitt – 1:22.55 

100 Fly

19. Brooklyn Busskohl – 1:12.62; 21. Samantha Weston – 1:12.83; 30. Harper Hewitt – 1:15.29 

200 IM

18. Samantha Weston – 2:37.17; 19. Harper Hewitt – 2:38.50; 27. Brynlee Busskohl – 2:41.18; 34. Brooklyn Busskohl – 2:42.67