Tongue River HS Football Team Looking To Put Fire Season Behind Them

While a phoenix may be a mythical creature, the Tongue River High School football team is looking to rise from the ashes of last year’s Elk Fire that had an impact on their season.

Practice started on Monday (August 18th) for all Wyoming non 4A High School teams, which includes TR.

Players can’t put the pads on until Thursday.

Last year, the Eagles went 2-6 and missed the playoffs.

One of those losses was a forfeit, due to complications from the Elk Fire, which got within 6 miles of the school, causing classes and all athletic competitions to be canceled for most of that week, practice included.

Head Coach Steve Hanson says one of the goals this year for the team is to have at the very least, a normal season.

“We would love a year without distraction. That was unique and pretty awful for the team and the community to go through that, but the boys responded really well, but losing 2 weeks of practice at a very critical point in the conference play that we just didn’t rebound from well, but we finished strong and we want to put that behind us. We want to have a solid year of uninterrupted practice and competition.”

TR plays one week from this coming Satuday at Sheridan against one of the Broncs’ JV teams.

The home opener is on Friday, September 5th vs. Thermopolis.