Miner football gets first home-field advantage in 64 years
The HEM Miner football team goes into action against Guernsey-Sunrise Vikings to win 60-26 on Friday to become undefeated in their conference for the first time since playing 6-man and getting their first home-field advantage since 1954.
The Miners could not be stopped from becoming undefeated on Friday although the Vikings tried hard.
Devon Grosstick (#23) makes a tackle.
Shane McGraw makes a cut to elude the Viking players trying to tackle him. McGraw and twin brother Conor had two rushing touchdowns a piece for the Miners on Friday.
For the first time since being a 6-man football team, the Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) high school football team went undefeated after beating the Guernsey-Sunrise Vikings 60-26 at 3 p.m. on Friday at HEM's playing field.
Going undefeated was not the only reason for the team to celebrate their victory. The Miners have not had home field advantage in playing opponents since 1954. They are ranked first in the eastern conference and number two in the overall conference behind Farson.
"It has been 1954 since we had a conference championship," Scott said. "If any team deserves it, it is these kids because they have been working hard and creating history."
The team started scoring immediately.
Tylor Goodro was the first Miner to put points on the board. The senior scored twice, once rushing and then receiving.
"We started out quickly like we want to and we kept pushing forward," Zach Scott, head HEM football coach said. "Honestly, these kids keep growing with their abilities each week."
The high scoring of the Miners is all that more impressive as Basil Phillips, a player that has made big defensive plays in the season, was out. Brendon Reeves was playing with the flu, but scored two touchdowns.
"We were a little undermanned but these kids stepped up and stepped into the role needed," Scott said.
The Vikings tried to stop the Miners, but couldn't find any answers to halt HEM and by the half, the score was 44-13. The Vikings did score twice during the second half putting 13 points on the board, but the Miners answered with 16 points of their own.
Besides Goodro scoring twice, and Reeves having two receiving touchdowns, twins Conor and Shane McGraw both rushed for two touchdowns a piece. S. McGraw passed for three touchdowns.
"I am so proud of these guys and I want to say thank you to my coaching staff," Scott said. "They have worked their butts off all year and due in large part to their hard work and their efforts, we have a team that did an amazing job this year."
The crowd cheered and yelled for several minutes after the game was over. It was the largest attendance for a home football game this year.
The Miners face the Burlington Huskies at 2 p.m. on Oct. 26 at HEM. The winner of this game will face the winner of the Guernsey-Sunrise and Meeteetse game on Nov. 2.
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