CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) – The Thunderbirds capped off an impressive regular season with a win last Friday over Kelly Walsh to solidify an 8-1 record and the #2 seed going into the playoffs. Their lone loss was a neck and neck game on the road against top ranked Sheridan.
Now they turn their attention to the playoffs and a first round game against Rock Springs, and coach Chad Goff said the Tigers pose plenty of problems that the team needs to be ready for.
“They’re very multiple on offense. They do a lot of different things, different formations. I feel like their quarterback does a really good job, he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the state. He slings it pretty well. Their little running back last time against us had a pretty good game. Special teams wise they had a return on us. So there’s just things they do well, and you’ve got to make sure you’re still solid in all aspects,” Goff said.
East did win the previous matchup between the teams earlier this season 54-20, but as Goff said there were several ways that Rock Springs hurt the Thunderbirds in the contest. He did point out that his team has made significant improvements on the defensive side of the ball since that game, and one of East’s leaders on D has seen the unit come together over the course of the season.
“I definitely think that our guys on defense, we got some really good playmakers. Every single guy, they can make plays. I feel like throughout the season, in the beginning we were playing as individuals. We were worrying too much about our own defensive points, and I feel like we really started to grow in the way that we’re playing for each other now. We’re not playing for ourselves,” junior linebacker Caleb Ruff said.
The game will kick off on Friday at 6 p.m.
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