The Star Valley Braves opened up their 2024 campaign like they ended the 2023 season. With a shutout. 

The two-time defending 3A champs bombed the visiting Shelley Russets early with big plays through the air on offense while the defense racked up five interceptions on the night en route to a 44-0 victory. It was the third straight season Star Valley has defeated Shelley but the first time in program history that they have done so in Afton. 

Smith McClure was masterful inside the pocket and in the backfield as he maneuvered his way past the Shelley pass rush. His favorite target was fellow senior Bryson Nield who hauled in six catches for over 180 yards and a trio of touchdowns on the night. McClure finished with just a handful of yards under 300 on his passing total and also led the Braves on the ground with 80 yards on just four carries which included a 51-yard touchdown sprint. 

Defensively the Braves took the ball away from the Russets three times inside the Star Valley half of the field including one in the end zone. Nield, Dayton Schwab, Grant Thomson, Cam Mickelson and Kolter Martinson each went home with an interception while holding Shelley to 167 total yards. The Braves finished with 507 on the night. 

It was the third shutout in the last four games dating back to last season’s playoffs for the Star Valley defense. 

The Braves are back at home next week as they host the Preston Indians who lost to the Russets last weekend, 41-20.

• Around the State in Zero Week (Rankings and results courtesy of wyopreps.com)

Some teams played scrimmages or altered format contests while others played real games in what is Wyoming’s Zero Week. 

In 3A, it was a mild upset as #5 Riverton went on the road and shut out #3 Powell, 7-0. Jackson handled Glenrock in a 3A versus 2A matchup on a neutral field in Riverton, 42-6. Evanston went on the road to the Beehive State and picked up a 28-0 win over Ben Lomond High School in Ogden, Utah. The Braves picked up a victory in an interstate clash but other teams in the 307 were not as fortunate. Malad (ID) shut out #5 Lyman 6-0 while Nebraska went 2-0 with Gering beating Torrington 34-14 and Mitchell routing Wheatland 53-6. 

Two more interclass games involving 3A teams take place on Saturday with Green River hosting #3 Mountain View and Rawlins on the road in Burns. 

In the 4A classification, #1 Sheridan added to their 31-game winning streak with a blowout of Cheyenne South, 79-0. The Bison have now lost 39 in a row. This is the longest such pair of streaks to ever cross paths according to Wyoming-football.com. #2 Cheyenne East beat up Laramie, 37-6 while #3 Campbell County shut out Kelly Walsh 34-0. #4 Natrona County fended off #5 Thunder Basin 17-7 and Rock Springs defeated Cheyenne Central, 23-16.