GMS teams combine to post 10-3 record

By: 
Nathan Oster

Greybull Middle School enjoyed a highly successful season on the gridiron, as its eighth, seventh and sixth grade teams combined to win 10 of 13 contests against their rivals in the Big Horn Basin. 

The capper came Saturday when the young Buffs swept a pair from Shoshoni, winning the eighth-grade game 24-8 and the seventh-grade contest 54-0.  The eighth graders finished 4-2, the seventh graders 5-1 and as winners of five straight.  The sixth graders provided a win, too.

Coach Logan Burningham said a goal of the eighth-grade team was to run the ball, exploiting seams created by their much-improved offensive line.  It was also partly out of necessity, as he learned shortly before kickoff that his starting quarterback would be unavailable due to injury.

The Buffs opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run by Larry Longshore, capping a long scoring drive. But Shoshoni knotted it up at 8 apiece with a score and conversion of its own late right before the half.

Having won the opening toss and deferred, the Buffs opted to receive the kick in the third and proceeded to march 70 yards for the go-ahead score.  They added another touchdown later on a nifty run by quarterback Aaron Corral to account for the 24-8 final.

Burningham credited Corral for the way he stepped up. “He really had an outstanding game of taking care of the ball, getting our offense set up and continuing drives,” he said. “He also made a couple really big plays on two point conversions.”

Offensive MVP honors went to not only Corral but the entire offensive line of Jaxson Hunt, William Harlow, Clayton Didrickson, Blade Baker and Izak Newman. The defensive MVP was Bennett Sanford. 

The seventh graders needed a 99-yard interception return by Corral to beat the Wranglers earlier in the season.  No heroics were needed in the rematch, however. The young Buffs dominated and everyone got to play, according to Burningham.  

Corral scored the first two touchdowns.  

Baron Eichelberger eventually relieved him as the team’s signal caller and scored on two long runs of his own.

After losing their first game of the season, the seventh graders finished on a five-game win streak.

“The future seems very bright for this group of kids,” said Burningham. “We need more players in the weight room and to keep everyone together playing as a team. 

“We, as coaches, can’t wait to see where they end up.”

 

 

 

 

Category: