The Plainsmen Try to Take Down No. 1 Natrona [VIDEO]

The Laramie Plainsmen will be trying to accomplish something they haven’t in 17 years Friday night. That is beat the Natrona County Mustangs on a football field.

Laramie (2-1) gets their shot at No. 1 Natrona (3-0) in Casper at Cheney Alumni Field. Kick-off is at 7 p.m.

The Plainsmen are coming off back-to-back wins this early in a season for the first time since 2005, when LHS won three straight to get to 3-1 on the season. Laramie hasn’t enjoyed a 2-1 start since 2007.

Natrona has won 13 straight games in the series dating back to 2001. The biggest threat by the Plainsmen to snap the long skid came in Casper two years ago, when they lost 14-13. Now LHS gets a chance to take down the Mustangs in their backyard and as the No. 1 team in this week’s Wyopreps.com Coach’s and Media Poll.

Laramie head coach Clint Reed likes the way his team is playing right now and feels the back-to-back wins serve as a rallying point for them. Reed knows it’s going to be a difficult game because it’s a tough match-up with Natrona’s size, strength, and numbers, though he doesn’t feel like NC’s overly complicated with their schemes.

The Mustangs have a statistical edge in nearly every team category, except pass defense, where LHS allows 62 yards per game compared to 75 for NC. The Mustangs possess the No. 1 overall defense that allows only 95 yards and 4.3 points per game.

From an individual standpoint, this game features Class 4A’s No. 2 and No. 3 rushers. Laramie’s Baxter Tuggle is averaging 147 yards per game with five touchdowns. Natrona’s Dante Wallace is at 119 yards per game with six touchdowns. Both teams are in the top three in rushing yards per game.

It’s a match-up between two long-time rivals in a series that dates back to 1909. That makes it one of the longest-running series in Wyoming High School football history.

The latest chapter is Friday night at 7 p.m. in Casper.

KOWB (AM 1290) will provide live coverage of the game. You can also listen online, through the KOWB mobile app or Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. David Settle and Curt Moore will call the action. The broadcast begins at 6 p.m.