LARAMIE — The Big Piney Punchers are the Class 1A/9-man State champions after overthrowing the Wind River Cougars, 39-14, at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 11. Head Coach Jeromy Moffat spoke to the Roundup after soaking it all in for a day. Speaking about the team, its season and securing the first State championship since 2006, Moffat said a few words come to mind: “rare, surreal and destiny.”

War Memorial Stadium wasn’t filled with 26,000 screaming fans on that cold afternoon in Laramie, but the small towns of Big Piney, Marbleton and LaBarge, showed up for their kids, traveling 624 miles roundtrip to bring enough noise and energy to the stands to convince any listener that the game was held on the Punchers’ home turf.

“I’ve always believed a football team could bring an energy and a togetherness to a community and that was on full display at the War,” Moffat said late Monday night. “Our side was packed with young elementary kids, former players and alumni, some lifelong Big Piney community members and so many families who made the trip to support this football team.”

Local businesses, elected officials, community members and students lined the streets of Big Piney on Friday to give the team a proper sendoff. The gas stations were bustling as fans and families gassed up to join a convoy of proud supporters traveling across the state.

“Small-town football is the purest form of football,” Moffat said, “These kids gave everything they had to earn this State title. They are beat up, bloody and bruised, riddled with injuries, yet by the time pregame rolls around, they’ve sucked it up, put on that Big Piney football helmet and are ready to go to battle.”

Winning at War

The big game was a hard-hitting, physical and intense one from the opening kickoff at 1 p.m. The Wind River Cougars made two quick touchdowns in the first quarter, but the Punchers were undeterred. “We came out with some nerves,” Moffat said. “The great thing about being a team that has been in some big-time games over the last few years is maturity. The kids didn’t panic. There were a few situations where the kids were actually telling me, ‘We got this, Coach.’”

And they did in a tenacious comeback — nearly closing the deficit by halftime. Big Piney headed into the second quarter in possession of the football in Cougar territory. A touchdown by senior Reuben Stoutenburg put the Punchers on the scoreboard with 6 points. A field goal kicked in by senior Roger Young took the team to 7. A subsequent touchdown by junior Caden Clifford narrowed the gap, with Big Piney down 1 at the half, 13-14.

The Big Piney D-line closed ranks in the second quarter, preventing Wind River from scoring another point.

“9-man defense is extremely challenging,” Moffat explained, “especially defending the pass. I thought our entire defensive unit won us this game. They always say defense wins championships.”

After halftime, the Punchers emerged from the locker room early, eager to take back the gridiron with a solid plan, a couple of adjustments and a goal to get points on the first drive.

Big Piney dominated the field both offensively and defensively; cool, calm and confident, with plenty of swagger, the Puncher offense pulled off 20 points in the third quarter alone.

“Statistically,” Moffat said, the “offense did what it has done all year. We had so many weapons, like (Caden) Clifford and (Reuben) Stoutenburg at running back, the accuracy of (senior QB) Champ Snively throwing and the deep threat on the edges with (senior) Karsyn Gurr and (senior) Jerrett Fear.”

Proving why he’s a leading rusher in 9-man football, Clifford concluded the championship game with 15 carries for 127 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Switching seamlessly to defense, Clifford proved a force to be reckoned with, tallying 13 tackles. Stoutenburg pulled off a combined total rushing and receiving of 182 yards and two touchdowns. Gurr made four catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Snively completed five passes for 103 yards with two touchdowns.

“It was a special day on offense and a gutty performance,” Moffat said. “From day one this year, we told the offensive line, we go how you go.”

The scores and stat lines could not have happened without the O-Line doing the dirty work up front, featuring (senior) Zack Murphy at center, Young at right guard, (sophomore) Zeferino Zuniga as left guard, (senior) Dylon Woodward as tight end and (senior) Preston Bennett as bandit, part defensive end and part pass rusher.

Of the offensive line, Moffat said, “They are a selfless unit and a team-based unit, and they deserve all the recognition in the world.”

As the final seconds of the third quarter ticked away, Big Piney dominated the scoreboard, 33-14.

The fourth quarter seemed like an eternity, Moffat said. Stoutenburg put the finishing touches on the Big Piney championship, making one more touchdown to bring the final score to 39-14. In the last 45 seconds, collectively as a team and coaching staff, the Punchers finally realized they had won the game. The state champs flooded the field to shake the hands of their opponents as a sea of red descended from the stands to celebrate.

A hero’s welcome home

Sublette County first responders and sheriff’s deputies joined a procession of proud parents and community members around 11:45 at night on Nov. 11 to welcome the team as the bus and a convoy of the teams’ supporters returned to town.

Summarizing a season

The Punchers rose to the top of the western 1A/9-man conference. Season highlights include resounding victories against conference rivals Rocky Mountain (58-0) on Sept. 8, Greybull (47-0) on Sept. 16, Shoshoni (26-7) on Oct. 6, Wyoming Indian High School (66-6) on Oct. 13 and Riverside (35-0) on Oct. 20.
The Big Piney defense finished the season ranked No. 2 in the statewide 1A/9-man conference in both rush defense and team defense. The Punchers 2023 season featured some “incredible stats for a defense in 9-man,” Moffat said.

“Game-breaking” receiver Gurr racked up 700 yards receiving with 11 touchdowns and a top-ranked defense that gave up an average of only 10.7 yards a game. Gurr posted 96 defensive points, 40 tackles and led the Punchers with three interceptions.

Bennett and Fear completed the puzzle perfectly for Big Piney, Moffat said. Bennett totaled 100 defensive points and 40 tackles. He also led the team in fumble recoveries with four. Fear’s 70-yard touchdown pass play in the Nov. 4 semifinals game against Lingle-Fort Laramie and two interceptions on defense helped define him as a scrappy player on both sides of the field.

Murphy posted 107 defensive points for the season. The senior made 59 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and three sacks.

Young finished the regular season with 121 defensive points, including 65 tackles — 8.5 for loss of yards and four sacks.

The Punchers put up a total of more than 4,000 offensive yards, averaging 40 points a game. Clifford rushed for 1,286 yards and Stoutenburg rushed for 1,146 yards, putting up over 1,450 total yards. As quarterback, Snively threw for 17 touchdowns with only four picks and rushed 1,100 yards.

The team’s younger players rose to the challenge when several of the first-string players were injured mid-season. Moffat credits the growth of these players with the team’s “survival” in a 6-1 conference season that culminated in winning the 1A/ 9-man State Championship title.

Moffat personally thanked all the young men on the team for an “incredible season,” noting the players and coaches will share the bond of being State Champions for their lifetimes.

“To the seniors and upperclassmen,” Moffat said, “We began this journey together last season in 9-man literally never playing or coaching it. Look what we did together — from laying the foundation to playing and winning a state championship at the War!!!”

Moffat added, “On behalf of the coaching staff and all the Big Piney football kids from freshmen all the way, thank you. It was one hell of a ride.”

Visit pinedaleroundup.com to view more photos from the championship game.