GREEN RIVER — The Green River Wolves will take on the Riverton Wolverines Friday at 6 p.m. in Riverton in the first round of the 3A football playoffs, with the winner advancing to the semifinals. TRN Media will broadcast the game, with a live audio stream available on The Radio Network Facebook page and on KUGR 104.9 FM with Jayson Klepper on the call.
Green River enters the postseason as the No. 4 seed from the 3A West, while Riverton secured the top seed in the East, giving the Wolverines home-field advantage. The two teams have met in the playoffs three times in school history, with Green River winning all three contests, most recently in 2011, 49-21, when the Wolves had home-field advantage. In all-time matchups, Green River leads 23-16, but the Wolves have lost the last two meetings, including a 41-21 defeat at home earlier this season. Despite the losses, Green River has been able to move the ball effectively against Riverton, scoring 34 points in the two matchups while allowing 69 points combined.
Friday’s playoff matchup will pit Riverton’s high-powered offense against a Wolves team looking to capitalize on its strengths in the passing game. Riverton boasts the second-best offense in 3A, averaging 424 total yards per game, including 236 rushing yards, while scoring nearly 40 points per contest with just nine turnovers on the season. Star running back Hunter Saltsgaver leads 3A with 1,313 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Quarterback Blake Gantenbein has been efficient in the air and on the ground, pairing with top receivers to create a balanced attack.
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Green River’s offense has leaned heavily on the air this season, ranking third in 3A in passing while struggling on the ground. Senior quarterback Max Hintz has thrown for 1,819 yards, completing 59.7% of his passes with 16 touchdowns, but also leads 3A in interceptions with 13. Dax Taylor has been a weapon, ranking second in the state with 102.7 receiving yards per game, thanks to 61 catches for 924 yards and five touchdowns. Despite a 10th-ranked defense that has allowed 392 yards and 32.1 points per game, the Wolves will rely on opportunistic plays and big passing gains to keep pace with Riverton.
On the defensive side, Riverton ranks third in the state overall, allowing just 15.1 points per game while forcing 17 turnovers. Cameron Vincent has been a standout, recording 81 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown. Green River will need to contain both Gantenbein and Saltsgaver to have a chance at pulling off the upset and advancing to the semifinals..
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., and TRN Media will provide live coverage for fans unable to attend.
