LARAMIE — In a championship game that lived up to every expectation, Mountain View outdueled Big Horn 41–38 on Friday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium, securing the Buffalos’ seventh state title in school history and their first since 2019.
Mountain View completed a perfect season with the win, finishing as undefeated state champions.
Senior quarterback Justus Platts delivered one of the greatest individual performances in recent state championship memory. The dual-threat standout rushed for 323 yards and three touchdowns and added 162 passing yards and three more scores, accounting for all six of Mountain View’s touchdowns.
Receiver Ashton Colangelo hauled in five catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns, continuing his dominant postseason.
Defensively, the Buffalos came up with three critical interceptions, including one by Levi Jones, who finished with 27 defensive points to help slow Big Horn’s late surge.
Big Horn’s Cruz Hernandez put on a show of his own, totaling 260 yards of offense and four touchdowns, keeping the Rams within striking distance throughout the second half.
Mountain View struck early and held a 14–7 lead after the first quarter. Both defenses tightened significantly in the second, producing a rare scoreless frame that sent the Buffalos into halftime still ahead 14–7.
The offenses reignited in the third quarter. Mountain View posted 13 points while Big Horn answered with 10, giving the Buffalos a 27–17 advantage entering the fourth.
The final quarter turned into a shootout. Big Horn scored 21 fourth-quarter points, refusing to go away, while Mountain View countered with 14 of its own.
With under two minutes remaining, Big Horn punched in a touchdown to cut the lead to 41–38, setting up a potential game-tying opportunity. The Rams attempted an onside kick, but Mountain View smothered it, allowing the Buffalos to take over and kneel out the clock to claim the state crown.
As the final seconds ticked away, Mountain View players and fans erupted, celebrating the program’s return to the top of Class 2A football after a six-year wait.
Congratulations to all the players and coaches, and best of luck to the seniors in their future endeavors.
