SWEETWATER COUNTY — There’s no question that 2019 has been an incredible year for sports stories throughout Sweetwater County.
From individual success to team effort on the national stage, there’s a plethora of jaw-dropping and heartfelt sports stories from 2019.
Before you flip the calendar to 2020, take a minute to review our top 10 sports stories of 2019. Thank you for letting us be a part of the action throughout the year!
Softball Becomes a Sanctioned High School Sport in Wyoming

WYOMING – The Wyoming High School Activities Association voted unanimously today to approve softball as an official high school sport in Wyoming.
“Today at the Wyoming High School Activities Association our fight became reality,” Heather Anderson of Rock Springs Girls Softball said.
According to the Casper Star Tribune, the first sanctioned softball season will begin in the spring of 2021.
Read more about Wyoming softball here.
From the Hospital Bed to the National Stage: An Incredible Comeback Story

ROCK SPRINGS — Rhett Stott loves motocross and Pokémon. When he isn’t investing time into one, he’s doing the other. The six-year-old is all about having fun and being happy. But these two joys Rhett has come to love wouldn’t have been a part in his life if it weren’t for a fighting spirit and a few miracles along the way.
Life is a precious, and the Stott family learned that lesson through their young motocross star.
Rhett’s incredible comeback story is a story that can inspire us all to care for what we have in the present and work hard for what we want in the future.
Read more about Rhett’s amazing comeback story here.
One Team, One Fight — Rock Springs All-Stars Win National Title

LAS VEGAS — Running a youth football league is no easy task. Running a youth football league, forming an all-star team and winning a championship game in Las Vegas may be even more daunting. However, current Rock Springs YAFL president, Teno Trujillo, and former league president, Mel Carlson, accomplished the impossible.
The two football junkies joined the Beyond the Game Podcast to talk about the incredible win down in Las Vegas, Nevada that put Rock Springs YAFL on the map and crowned them national champions. The conversation also delves into the 50th anniversary of the YAFL and what changes the league has seen during the last few decades. Lastly, Trujillo and Carlson share their thoughts on what they have learned and what kind of influence the league has on local youth.
While youth sports are often overlooked, we forget the value that they carry into the lives of kids. Youth sports offer a strong foundation to build passion, skill and work ethic. The Rock Springs All-Star football team is a simple reminder of how powerful youth sports are in a small community.
Listen to the podcast here.
Rock Springs’ Matt Hanson Wins Midwest Toughest Mudder Race

MINNESOTA — Local resident and school counselor, Matt Hanson, competed in the 2019 Midwest Toughest Mudder Race in Minnesota over the weekend. Hanson, who is known for his competitive and profound races, took first place in the race out of 327 runners from the United States, Canada, Australia and United Kingdom.
Hanson began the 12-hour overnight race on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. and finished near 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning. He completed twelve laps which equated to 60 miles. The race also featured over 200 total obstacles that he overcame. He clocked in at 11:18:07 which beat out second place by 19:15.
Read more about Matt’s first place finish here.
Three RSHS Soccer Stars Make Wyoming Soccer History; Finish Third at US National Cup

DENVER, Colorado — Soccer and Wyoming are not two words you typically hear in the same sentence. Elite soccer talent doesn’t come out of Wyoming and certainly competing in a US National Cup is far from anyone’s thoughts.
But make no mistake.
Three Rock Springs High School Lady Tigers soccer players broke all of the above myths. Alyssa Bedard, Rylee Berry and Olivia Politi recently returned from Denver, Colorado where they placed third in the U17 Girls US National Cup. The three teammates played for High Plains Select, a Wyoming club team organized by Jason Redmond who resides in Casper.
Read more about the three soccer stars here.
Mustangs Place Three Wrestlers, Finish Eighth at National Wrestling Tournament

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA — Western Wyoming Community College wrestling finished the 2019 NJCAA Wrestling Championship on a strong note. The Mustangs placed two third-place wrestlers and one fifth place during Saturday. WWCC finished eighth overall with 71.5 team points.
Heading into Saturday’s competition, WWCC pushed through Landon Brown, Connor Kirkland and Kyle Evans into the consolation bracket.
Read more about the Mustangs national placers here.
FEHS Boys Basketball Take State; Girls Take Fourth

FARSON-EDEN– The Farson-Eden High School boys basketball team fought their way to a 1A state championship this weekend.
The Lady Pronghorns placed fourth.
State took place in Casper, starting on Thursday, February 28, and ended Saturday, March 2.
Read more about the Pronghorns state title buzzer beater here.
Green River U-10 Spurs Soccer Team Claims State Championship

GREEN RIVER — The Green River U-10 Spurs team brought home the state title in the Wyoming U-10 Boys Gold Division State Championship taking home the coveted #1 Wyoming State ranking.
This group was made up of of nine talented soccer players that included 7 boys and 2 girls. The team had an overall season record of 13-2.
Read more about the Green River U-10 Spurs here.
Green River Little League State Champions Gather Together for 20-Year Anniversary

GREEN RIVER — Wyoming Park in Green River was the site of the 20-year anniversary for the 1999 Green River Little League baseball team that took home the state championship.
Players, coaches and their families gathered for the first time in two decades to reflect on the memories of the magical 1999 season. Green River won the state title which was hosted in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The little league sluggers marched through the tournament and dominated Laramie in the state title game 13-5.
While the memories are faintly remembered by the players, the friendships built have withheld the test of time.
Read more about the Green River Little League team here.