• Cokeville faces Big Horn on Friday at 12 noon
It was a season that promised a lot of success as a senior-laden and experienced Cokeville Panther squad delivered in 2026. CHS used their dominant run game to pull away from the visiting Mountain View Buffalos to secure their spot in the Wyoming 2A title game this Friday at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie. It was the second one-sided win over Mountain View this season for the Panthers who defeated the Buffs in conference play 41-0.
Kashton Walker rushed for three of those touchdowns and also collected an interception on defense to lead the way as the Panthers advanced to the title game for the second time in the last three seasons. It will be a rematch of that game as the Cokeville will take on the Big Horn Rams who are in the game for the fifth straight year.
“We knew it was going to be a harder game and it was,” replied head coach Marty Linford. “They came out ready to play but we did a great job with our rushing defense and held them to 15 yards. We overcome some adversity; we fumbled the ball early but we held them to a field goal and that’s the only points they got.”
After losing to the Mountain View Buffalos in the championship game last season, the Rams have gone undefeated in 2026. They will go up against a Cokeville squad that suffered just one loss, a one-point defeat in their second game of the season against West Jefferson, Idaho.
They are a team that thrives on explosive plays, something the Panthers will focus on this week.
“We’ve go to limit their big plays,” Linford added. “When you look at their offense and the way they score points. I don’t know how many plays over 30 yards for touchdowns they have but it’s astronomical. They are going to go for the homerun ball a a lot and we have got to limit those big plays.”
The Panthers have some extra help and are as healthy has they can expect after a full season.
“We did lose one of our starting corners in the Glenrock game but we did get Joey Thomas back from an extended injury,” Linford said.
The CHS faithful enjoyed back to back home playoff games and will now pack up the town to head to Laramie.
“It was really fun,” Linford said of the home atmosphere. “It was awesome. We didn’t have to worry about travel plans or hotels. We slept in our own beds and we come in and our routine didn’t change. The whole town and a lot of people and relatives from out of town will be there. I think Laramie will be a pretty good place for Cokeville on Friday.”
Linford and the program have appreciated the season but noted that they aren’t done yet.
“We’ve had a great year and we plan on going to Laramie and playing well,” he concluded. “I know they’ve beaten us in three straight times and we know they’re good but we know we are good and we’re going to give them everything we’ve got.”
Video Coverage
SVI Media will be producing all five games of the Wyoming State Championships this weekend from Laramie. Video broadcast rights are owned by the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and to watch the games, a subscription fee will be required by the NFHS. SVI will be providing links to this platform at svinews.com. Kickoff for the game between the Rams and the Panthers is scheduled for 12 noon.
At the War
Admission to the games this weekend are priced at $15 for a Single Day pass which is good for all games for the day. An All-Session pass is priced at $20. Youth prices are $10 and $15 respectively. Cokeville and Big Horn kick off the weekend on Friday with the Star Valley Braves and Cody Broncs playing at 3 p.m. Saturday will begin at 10 a.m. with the 6-Man championship between Casper Christian and Burlington. At 1 p.m. the 9-Man game will feature Pine Bluffs and Sundance. The final game on Saturday will determine the 4A championship between Natrona County and Cheyenne East.
