Illness hurts Miners in exhibition loss

Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow High School (HEM) Football played an exhibition game with Cheyenne South for Homecoming when Rock River High School forfeited. The Bisons from Cheyenne brought younger players to the HEM football field, but the team was still physically large.

The Miners were down four team members due to illness and Conor McGraw, who did participate, showed true heart by playing even though he was not well. McGraw scored six touchdowns in the game that ended with the Bisons on top 81-40.

Pamela Glasser, the band director, gave a halftime show with her trumpet and got the crowd to cheer although the score at halftime was not favorable for the HEM football team.

The weather was overcast and chilly, but it did not deter the Miners from playing as best they could given their circumstances, and the homecoming crowd stayed until the end to show their support for the valiant effort of the football team.

"We had five players who basically couldn't play today, which put us at ten," Football Coach Zack Scott said.

Scott was not disappointed in his team's performance because of how hard they played on Saturday.

"It was good playing experience for every kid; they all got to play. It was all and all a good day," Scott said. "We still get the win, so it was really a bye week. We are 3 and 1."

Putting the exhibition game behind him, Scott is looking forward to playing Lingle in the week to come.

"Lingle has been playing pretty tough too, almost a mirror image of us," Scott said. "It is going to be a tough game, we have to do those things we did today a give them the best we got."

HEM plays Lingle at noon on Sept. 30 at home.