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
