I never really made a decision to include things like this in my sports column but it’s just kind of happened over the past few years. The remembering of people who had big impacts on SVHS sports who have passed on. I’m only coming at this subject just from my own experiences with the people themselves and the bits of information I’ve compiled in my own research. This past week, the SVHS sports community took a big hit with the passing of Eddie Hunsaker. I don’t know that I ever saw Eddie without a smile and to say he must have been a hard worker is an understatement. People in the valley may now expect there to be three full functioning grocery stores but let me assure you, it wasn’t that long ago that this was certainly not the case. Eddie and his brother, John, were a big part of that evolution. Did I mention I spent a lot of my formative years stocking shelves? And it wasn’t even for the Hunsakers but I respect that grind and what their efforts helped do for the locals. My connection with him in sports is limited to just my research but “Fast” Eddie Hunsaker was the top running back for Star Valley’s first ever football championship, which was the school’s first championship period back in 1961. During that season, I calculated that he ran for 658 yards which may sound modest by modern standards, but there are only two guys from the 60’s in front of him for a single season total (Mel Olson in 1962 and Emery Frost in 1964). Coach McKay Young references how his current program is built “On the Shoulders of Giants” when it comes to adding to the legacy of the Star Valley football team. Eddie was one of those.

With the Lincoln County Fair now tucked away for another year, the attention of the fall sports season is now coming into focus and this year’s early slate of outings is maybe being overshadowed by the very unique opportunity for the Star Valley football team to play in Soldotna, Alaska. The first official practice of the season is Monday and the game is two weeks from this upcoming Friday some 3,000 miles away. I’m not even playing and that seems daunting. But as time will pass on, what a great story the players will have to tell. SVI will have our own stories to tell too as we make the trip up north to stream the game back home for most of you. We are already working on making it the best broadcast we can in a scenario we never expected.

Speaking of the fair, I spent quite a bit of time in the arena dirt taking pictures over the past week and maybe it’s the perspective of becoming older overtaking me, but the rodeo competitors and the arena crews make something that’s quite honestly a bit crazy, look like a normal undertaking. I don’t remember there being so many 80+ point rides in Bareback, Saddlebronc and Bull Riding and it was very entertaining. Trying to get a good picture in the waning light and shooting through the slats of a metal gate is challenging, but when you get a good one, it’s satisfying. Check out SVInews.com for some of the pictures from the week and I hope you see some you like. I’m still sweeping up pig wrestling “mud” from my floor and it will be another month before it all comes off my shoes. Maybe some of Lincoln County will be left in Soldotna in a few weeks.