Local Athletes Highlight Best High School Football Players in Wyoming
Written by Cole Havens on August 18, 2021
It’s been 100 years since football began play in the Cowboy state and to help commemorate this momentous occasion Wyoming-Football.com put together a list of the 100 greatest football players in Wyoming High School history. The year listed next to each player represents their final year of playing, not their graduation year.
Taking a look at what Cody athletes made the list, as well as other notable names.
From 1977, Mike Mees. Mees was recruited to play quarterback at BYU after a stellar High School career. He later became the Cougars punter.
From 1985, John McDougall. McDougall was a 3-time All-State choice for the Broncs as a quarterback.
Other notable names included, Jim Talich. Before becoming the Broncs defensive coordinator, Talich was a standout and Pine Bluffs and to this day is the 3rd all-time leading tackler in Wyoming Cowboy football history.
And Babe Nomura. Nomura from Heart Mountain was an internment camp resident later became a valuable player at San Jose State.
Full list of local and area athletes that made the Wyo 100 list can be viewed below:
1925- Ralph Cottrell- Worland: Two-wyua tackle was Wyoming’s first three-time all-state selection.
1928- Carl Dir- Worland: Speedy back led Warriors to two state titles; later coached in the state.
1932- Lee Kizzire- Greybull: Played both fullback and linebacker at UW before joining the Detroit Lions; killed during WWII.
1934- Johnny Winterholler- Lovell: Bulldogs’ all-around star made it big at UW; championed wheelchair sports after WWII.
1943- Babe Nomura- Heart Mountain: Internment camp resident later became a valuable player at San Jose State.
1944- Keith Bloom- Powell: Was one of the last three-sport lettermen at UW; had a long career as a coach and AD.
1944- Bill Roney- Powell: A two-time all-stater, he was all-conference and team MVP at Montana State on the DL.
1952- Jim Crawford- Greybull: Led the NCAA in rushing in 1956 for UW; Greybull’s field is named for him.
1954- Howard Cook- Worland: RB was an all-American as a senior; played for Colorado in college.
1960- Tom Wilkinson- Greybull: Parlayed success at Wyoming into a long and illustrious career as a QB in the CFL.
1966- Dennis Havig- Powell: After CU, played six years as an offensive lineman in the NFL; made the 1972 all-rookie team.
1967- Frosty Franklin- Powell: Running back helped Powell win two titles, became a record-setter while at Wyoming.
1971- John Kormylo- Thermopolis: Wyoming’s only ever Parade all-America selection played OL at both Colorado and BYU.
1977- Mike Mees- Cody: Recruited to play QB at BYU after stellar HS career, he became the Cougars’ punter.
1979- Don Bracken- Thermopolis: All-state DE found his calling as a punter at Michigan and in the NFL.
1985- John McDougall- Cody: QB was a three-time all-state choice for the Broncs.
1992- Jim Talich- Pine Bluffs: Twice an all-state selection, he grew into an all-conference linebacker at UW. Also, 3rd all-time leading tackler in Wyoming Football History. Cody’s DC.
1996- Brett Keisel- Greybull: DL played for a decade with the Steelers; Super Bowl champion.
You can check out Wyoming-Football.com’s full list of the top 100 here: http://wyoming-football.com/blog/?p=11213&fbclid=IwAR2hOqRDs2_FZ28aaDo33fkqPIt7txqLLHKXXdJC4V2eoTLB8OW027FlQ5g
