Editor’s note: The following information was put together by “Stat Rat” Jim Craig, a longtime follower of Wyoming high school sports, as part of his ongoing research into Wyoming high school basketball. Mr. Craig has spent numerous hours researching Wyoming high school basketball, and I’m proud to share his research here. Thanks to the “Stat Rat” for putting in the time to expand the knowledge base of Wyoming high school basketball!
1972-73 Girls Basketball Results
Existing in anonymity—Girls’ basketball continued its growth and more schools played than ever before. I’ve found evidences of 41 different teams being fielded, up from numbers in the low thirties during the 1971-72 season. (There were 74 boys’ teams competing statewide at the time.) Newspaper coverage still ran the gamut from enthusiastic to mild interest to no coverage at all. Daily newspapers around the state mirrored this. For example, the Casper Star-Tribune did a great job of covering the two local high schools, particularly Natrona’s win streak as it progressed. The Rawlins Daily Times and the Riverton Ranger followed their home teams closely. Even the previously blasé Sheridan Press became more involved as Sheridan began to compete against area teams. Other dailies are girls’ hoops wastelands: the two Cheyenne papers, Rock Springs Daily Rocket-Miner, Laramie Boomerang, and Worland’s Northern Wyoming Daily News are no help in researching from this time period.
Budgets??—It seems that several girls’ teams were still dependent on outside sources for their budgets as in previous years. A couple of teams scrimmaged their fathers to raise funds. Laramie’s Girl’s Athletic Association basketball team played the disk jockeys from station KOGO. The game’s purpose was to raise money for uniforms for the LHS volleyball team. (This is the only mention of the Laramie girls’ basketball team in the Boomerang. Whether they played other games that season is anyone’s guess.) Budgets for the girls were tighter and their schedules were still shorter than the regular-season 18 games that the boys played. The longest schedule for the ladies was 10 games.
Best teams? Casper Natrona finished another undefeated season, amassing a win streak of 30 games dating back three-plus years. Rawlins almost stopped the streak in mid-February in a double-overtime game, but the Fillies hung on for a one-point win. Sundance ended another season undefeated as well, riding a 26-game heater. Always strong Powell impressed with an 8-2 mark in the NW, while Saratoga was 8-0 against area schools in the SW. (In the SE portion of Wyoming, I imagine Albin, Pine Bluffs and Burns had teams like in previous years, but no contests were reported.)
Northeast Wyoming
Buffalo Lady Bison***Ina Hubbell
12/12 42 at Gillette 34 W BB D Norman 20
12/18 29 ?Arvada/Clrmnt 24 W BB
1/6 17 Casper Natrona 46 L CST
1/? 14 at Big Horn 25 L SP
1/27 30 Sundance 34 L BB
2/1 45 Gillette 6 W BB
2/3 28 Hulett 17 W BB
2/17 16 at Kelly Walsh 23 L CST
2/20 26 Big Horn 23 W BB
Record : 5-5 Pct: .500
Gillette Lady Camels***Bonnie McAtee
12/9 9 at Casper Natrona 62 L CST
12/12 30 Buffalo 42 L GNR
1/6 12 Kelly Walsh 39 L CST
1/9 17 Sundance 41 L GNR
1/18 25 Newcastle 37 L GNR
1/23 20 at Moorcroft 18 W GNR
2/1 6 at Buffalo 45 L GlltYbk
2/13 26 at Upton 27 L GNR
2/20 16 Moorcroft 27 L GNR
Record: 1-8 Pct: .111
Newcastle Lady Dogies***JoAnne Owens
12/14 18 at Moorcroft 14 W NLJ
12/21 Sundance L NLJ
1/4 34 at Hulett 23 W NLJ
1/11 27 Hulett 12 W NLJ
1/18 37 at Gillette 25 W NLJ
1/25 38 at Kaycee 24 W NLJ
2/5 23 Moorcroft 22 W ML
2/8 Custer, SD L CstrYbk
2/20 at Custer, SD L CstrYbk
Record: 6-3 Pct: .667
Sheridan Lady Broncs***Tina Kibielusz
12/9 25 Kelly Walsh 55 L CST
12/16 15 at Casper Natrona 32 L CST
1/13 29 at WY Girls School 0 W ShrdnYbk
1/16 4 Big Horn 17 L ShrdnYbk
1/30 18 at Tongue River 16 W ShrdnYbk
2/10 46 WY Girls School 5 W ShrdnYbk
2/17 18 at Big Horn 7 W ShrdnYbk
2/27 13 Tongue River 12 W ShrdnYbk
Record: 5-3 Pct: .625
Arvada-Clearmont Lady Panthers***
12/18 24 ?Buffalo 29 L BB
1/16 14 at Kaycee 21 L BB
2/10 at Sundance–cancelled
2/20 16 at Tongue River 21 L SP
2/27 18 at Big Horn 21 L SP
Record: 0-4 Pct: .000
Big Horn Lady Rams***Debbie Moody
W
L
1/? 25 Buffalo 14 W SP
1/? 24 at Kaycee 18 W BB
1/? 17 Tongue River 14 W SP
1/16 17 at Sheridan 4 W ShrdnYbk
2/8 16 Kaycee 17 L BB
2/17 7 Sheridan 18 L ShrdnYbk
2/20 23 at Buffalo 26 L BB
2/27 21 Arvada/Clearmont 18 W SP
Record: 6-4 Pct: .600
Hulett Lady Red Devils***
12/14 13 at Sundance 63 L ST
12/19 18 Moorcroft 20 L ML
1/4 23 Newcastle 34 L NLJ
1/11 12 at Newcastle 27 L NLJ
1/16 at Custer, SD L CstrYbk
1/23 25 at Upton 29 L WCG
2/3 17 at Buffalo 28 L BB
2/6 at Moorcroft L ML
2/13 14 Sundance 47 L ST
2/20 18 Upton 24 L UptnYbk
Record: 0-10 Pct: .000
Kaycee Lady Buckaroos***
1/? 18 Big Horn 24 L BB
1/16 21 Arvada-Clearmont 14 W BB
1/25 24 Newcastle 38 L BB
2/8 17 at Big Horn 16 W BB
2/20 WY Girls School
Record: 2-2 Pct: .500
Moorcroft Lady Wolves***Sharon Shuck
12/14 21 Newcastle 23 L ML
12/19 20 at Hulett 18 W ML
1/4 21 Upton 23 L ML
1/16 24 Sundance 36 L ML
1/23 18 Gillette 20 L ML
2/1 27 at Custer, SD 26 W ML
2/5 22 at Newcastle 23 L ML
2/6 Hulett W ML
2/20 27 at Gillette 16 W GNR
2/27 19 at Upton 15 W ML
Record: 5-5 Pct: .500
Sundance Lady Bulldogs***Carolyn Fiscus
12/9 32 at Upton 17 W ST
12/14 63 Hulett 13 W ST
12/21 at Newcastle W ST
1/4 35 at Custer, SD 32 W ST
1/9 41 at Gillette 17 W ST
1/16 36 at Moorcroft 24 W ST
1/27 34 at Buffalo 30 W ST
2/10 Arvada/Clearmont—cancelled
2/13 47 at Hulett 14 W ST
2/20 46 Newell, SD 26 W ST
Record: 9-0 Pct: 1.000 (26 straight victories)
Tongue River Lady Eagles***Fiedler
1/? 14 at Big Horn 17 L SP
1/30 16 Sheridan 18 L ShrdnYbk
2/? 27 WY Girls School 8 W SP
2/20 21 Arvada-Clearmont 16 W SP
2/27 12 at Sheridan 13 L ShrdnYbk
Record: 2-3 Pct: .400
Upton Lady Bobcats***Betty Jones (thru 1/4)/Paula McDaniels
12/9 17 Sundance 31 L WCG
12/19 25 Custer, SD 26 L WCG
1/4 23 at Moorcroft 21 W WCG
1/ 15 at Custer, SD 28 L WCG
1/23 29 Hulett 25 W WCG
2/13 27 Gillette 25 W WCG
2/20 24 at Hulett 18 W UptnYbk
2/27 15 Moorcroft 19 L ML
Record: 4-4 Pct: .500
Wyoming Girls School***
1/13 0 Sheridan 29 L ShrdnYbk
2/? 8 at Tongue River 27 L SP
2/10 5 at Sheridan 46 L ShrdnYbk
2/20 at Kaycee
Record: 0-3 Pct: .000
Southeast Wyoming
Casper Kelly Walsh Lady Trojans***Sandra Wood
12/9 55 at Sheridan 25 W CST
12/16 41 at Rawlins 20 W CST
1/6 39 at Gillette 12 W CST
1/12 19 Casper Natrona 36 L CST
1/20 34 Riverton 9 W CST
2/10 27 Rawlins 23 ot W CST
2/15 16 at Casper Natrona 25 L CST
2/17 23 Buffalo 16 W CST
2/23 15 Powell 25 L PT
Record: 6-3 Pct: .667
Casper Natrona Fillies***Deanna D’Abbracio
12/9 62 Gillette 9 W CST
12/16 32 Sheridan 15 W CST
1/6 46 at Buffalo 17 W CST
1/12 36 at Kelly Walsh 19 W CST
2/10 33 at Riverton 10 W CST
2/15 25 Kelly Walsh 16 W CST
2/17 39 Rawlins 38 2ot W CST
2/24 32 at Powell 28 W CST
Record: 8-0 Pct: 1.000
Torrington Lady Trailblazers***
1/? 20 at Goshen Hole 17 W TT
1/? 7 at Goshen Hole 30 L TT (JV or varsity?
2/14 35 Lingle 38 L LGR
2/26 21 at Lingle 26 L LGR
Record: 1-3 Pct: .250
Rat Droppings***One of the Torrington games is a JV game. Not sure which one it is, the Torrington paper’s coverage is spotty.
Wheatland Lady Bulldogs***
2/21 Lingle
Record:
Goshen Hole Lady Spartans***
1/? 17 Torrington 20 L TT
1/? 30 Torrington 7 W TT
2/3 at Lingle
2/10 16 Lingle 15 W LGR
Record: 2-1 Pct: .667
Rat Droppings***One of the Torrington games is a JV game. Not sure which one it is, the Torrington paper’s coverage is spotty.
Lingle-Fort Laramie Lady Doggers***Mariann Robertson
2/3 Goshen Hole
2/10 15 at Goshen Hole 16 L LGR
2/14 38 at Torrington 35 W LGR S Howell 24
2/21 at Wheatland
2/26 26 Torrington 21 W LGR S Howell 20
Record: 2-1 Pct: .667
Northwest Wyoming
Greybull Lady Buffaloes***
1/18 Powell L PT
1/22 16 Basin 21 L BRR
Record: 0-2 Pct: .000
Lovell Lady Bulldogs***
1/20 22 at Meeteetse 21 W CE
1/27 8 Meeteetse 16 L CE*
*Ten Sleep Tourney
Record: 1-1 Pct: .500
Powell Lady Panthers***
W
12/16 25 Thermopolis 18 W TIR
1/4 or 1/6 45 Meeteetse 14 W PT
1/13 41 Riverton 11 W RR
1/18 at Greybull W PT
W
2/10 37 at Meeteetse 20 W CE
2/17 32 at Riverton 37 L RR
2/23 25 at Kelly Walsh 15 W PT
2/24 28 Casper Natrona 32 L CST
Record: 8-2 Pct: .800
Riverton Lady Wolverines***Leora Kennedy
12/ L
1/6 15 at Rawlins 35 L RDT
1/13 11 at Powell 41 L RR
1/20 9 Kelly Walsh 34 L CST
1/27 9 at Thermopolis 19 L RR
1/29 28 Wind River 23 W RR
2/10 10 Casper Natrona 33 L CST
2/17 37 Powell 32 W RR
2/24 18 Rawlins 25 L CST
2/27 Thermopolis
Record: 2-7 Pct: .222
Thermopolis Lady Bobcats***
12/16 18 at Powell 25 L TIR
1/13 20 Meeteetse 14 W TIR
1/ L?
1/27 19 Riverton 9 W RR
2/17 24 at Meeteetse 23 W CE
2/24 19 ?Ten Sleep 13 W TIR
2/27 at Riverton
Record: 4-2 Pct: .667
Basin Lady Bobcats***Everett March/McLain
1/15 Wyoming Indian L BRR
1/22 21 at Greybull 16 W BRR
1/29 Byron L BRR
2/12 at Deaver L BRR
Record: 1-3 Pct: .250
Byron Lady Eagles***
1/6 12 ?Wyoming Indian 35 L RR
1/29 at Basin W BRR
Record: 1-1 Pct: .500
Deaver-Frannie Lady Trojans***
2/12 Basin W BRR
Record: 1-0 Pct: 1.000
Dubois Lady Rams***
2/3 25 Meeteetse 28 2ot L CE
Record: 0-1 Pct: .000
Meeteetse Lady Longhorns***Hudson
1/4 or 1/6 14 at Powell 45 L CE
1/13 14 at Thermopolis 20 L CE
1/20 21 Lovell 22 L CE
1/27 16 Lovell 8 W CE*
1/27 19 at Ten Sleep 18 ot W CE*
2/3 28 at Dubois 25 2ot W CE
2/10 20 Powell 37 L CE
2/17 23 Thermopolis 24 L CE
2/ 29 ?Wind River 19 W CE
*Ten Sleep Tourney
Record: 4-5 Pct: .444
Ten Sleep Lady Pioneers***
1/27 18 Meeteetse 19 ot L CE*
2/24 13 ?Thermopolis 19 L TIR
*Ten Sleep Tourney
Record: 0-2 Pct: .000
Wind River Lady Cougars***
1/29 23 at Riverton 28 L RR
2/ 19 ?Meeteetse 29 L CE
Record: 0-2 Pct: .000
Wyoming Indian Lady Chiefs***
12/ W RR
12/ W RR
1/6 35 ?Byron 12 W RR
1/15 at Basin W RR
Record: 4-0 Pct: 1.000
Southwest Wyoming
Rawlins Lady Outlaws***Cathy James
12/16 20 Kelly Walsh 41 L CST
12/21 at Snake River W RDT
1/6 35 Riverton 15 W RDT
1/13 35 at Snake River 27 W RDT
1/25 30 Snake River 35 L RDT
2/1 28 Snake River 21 W RDT
2/10 23 at Kelly Walsh 27 ot L CST
2/17 38 at Casper Natrona 39 L 2ot CST
2/24 25 at Riverton 18 W RDT
Record: 5-4 Pct: .556
Hanna-Elk Mountain Lady Miners***Jodie Gregory
26 Encampment 16 W EncmpmntYbk
at Encampment L (fft) EncmpmntYbk
1/16 16 at Saratoga 28 L SS
2/14 25 Saratoga 31 L SS
2/22 33 at Medicine Bow 17 W SS*
2/22 19 Saratoga 24 L SS*
*Medicine Bow tourney
Record: 2-4 Pct: .333
Saratoga Lady Panthers***Louise Nixon
1/ 27 at Encampment 7 W SS
1/ 24 ?Medicine Bow 8 W SS
1/16 28 Hanna 16 W SS
1/ 21 Encampment 5 W SS
1/ 33 ?Medicine Bow 5 W SS
2/14 31 at Hanna 25 W SS
2/22 36 at Encampment 18 W SS*
2/22 24 Hanna 19 W SS*
*Medicine Bow tourney
Record: 8-0 Pct: 1.000
Encampment Lady Tigers***Tilden
16 at Hanna 26 L EncmpmntYbk
13 Medicine Bow 16 L EncmpmntYbk
15 at Medicine Bow 33 L EncmpmntYbk
2 Hanna 0 fft W EncmpmntYbk
1/ 7 Saratoga 27 L SS
1/ 5 at Saratoga 21 L SS
2/22 18 Saratoga 36 L SS*
2/22 at Medicine Bow W EncmpmntYbk*
*Medicine Bow tourney
Record: 2-6 Pct: .250
Medicine Bow Lady Wranglers***Goergia Foltz
16 at Encampment 13 W EncmpmntYbk
33 Encampment 15 W EncmpmntYbk
1/ 8 ?Saratoga 24 L SS
1/ 5 ?Saratoga 33 L SS
2/22 17 Hanna 33 L SS*
2/22 Encampment L SS*
*Medicine Bow tourney
Record: 2-4 Pct: .333
Snake River Rattlers***
12/21 Rawlins L RDT
1/13 27 Rawlins 35 L RDT
1/25 35 at Rawlins 30 W RDT
2/1 21 at Rawlins 28 L RDT
Record: 1-3 Pct: .250