LARAMIE — It’s officially “series season.”

This summer, with the help of some longtime Wyoming football followers, we will count down the Top 25 homegrown products in program history.

As always, what these guys did in professional football doesn’t matter. This is all about production in Laramie. A couple of the guys on this final list may not have been born here, but they grew up in Wyoming and graduated from an in-state high school.

Once we put a bow on these selections, we’ll move on to other states like Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, etc. You get the picture:

No. 1 – Jerry Hill

Running back, 1958-60, Lingle, Wyoming

Résumé in Laramie

Jerry Hill was named the Wyoming Football Player of the 20th Century during fan balloting in 1992, according to his Hall of fame plaque. He received the call to the hall the following year, becoming one of the first players in Cowboy history to be enshrined, joining names like Jay Novacek, Mike Dirks, Fennis Dembo, Kenny Sailors and others in that inaugural class. That right there shows his importance to Cowboy football. Hill’s Cowboys went 25-6 during his three-year stint in Laramie and claimed a 14-6 Sun Bowl victory over Hardin-Simmons after going 8-3 in 1958. The ’59 UW team pitched four shutouts and held its opponents to seven points or less in eight games while going 9-1. They didn’t receive a postseason invite. The Lingle product never lost a game to rivals BYU or Colorado State. Hill claimed back-to-back All-Skyline Conference honors during his final two seasons on campus. He also led the team in rushing and scoring, tallying 86 points. Hill was also an honorable mention All-American in those two seasons. He finished his career with 1,374 rushing yards on 288 carries. Hill was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts in 1961. He was also taken by the Denver Broncos in the AFL Draft. They took him in Round 2. Hill eventually signed with the Colts and played eight seasons for the franchise, winning a Super Bowl in 1971. He is still eight on the team’s all-time rushing list with 2,668 yards.

About Lingle

Home to less than 500 residents, Lingle is a rural farming, ranching town in Goshen County. A stone’s throw from Torrington and Fort Laramie, the famous Oregon Trail runs right past this “small but proud” community.

Pokes Football: Best of Wyoming series

* No. 25

* No. 24

* No. 23

* No. 22

* No. 21

* No. 20

* No. 19

* No. 18

* No. 17

* No. 16 

* No. 15

* No. 14

* No. 13

* No. 12

* No. 11

* No. 10

* No. 9

* No. 8

* No. 7

* No. 6 

* No. 5

* No. 4 

* No. 3

* No. 2

(Cody Tucker and Jared Newland both work for Townsquare Media, which owns 7220sports.com. Kevin McKinney has been a color commentator of Cowboy football for five decades. Ryan Thorburn now works for the University of Wyoming in a sports information role after spending decades in the newspaper industry, most recently at the Casper Star-Tribune. Sally Ann Shurmur, the daughter of former UW football coach Fritz Shurmur, is also a veteran of the newspaper industry, working as a journalist, columnist at the CST for 43 years. She currently writes for Cowboy State Daily.)

– University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

It’s been a while since the Wyoming Girls All-Star basketball team has beaten Montana in their annual series and the losing streak is now 15 games in a row. On Friday in Gillette, Wyoming lost 90-68 as Montana employed some tough-as-nails defense plus the Big Sky girls had a significant height advantage. Cami Curtis of Campbell County was Wyoming’s leading scorer with 10, Bradie Schlabs from Cheyenne East had 8 with Adeline Burgess from Sheridan along with Addy Thorington of Powell chipping in 6 apiece.

On Saturday in at Lockwood High School in Billings, Wyoming struggled offensively and lost 76-35. That was the lowest offensive output in the history of the series as Wyoming trailed 24-9 after one quarter of play. They were led in scoring by Schlabs with 16 and now Wyoming trails in the series 41-13.

We have a few images to share with you from the game in Gillette and a short video as well.

The following Death Certificates were filed in Wyoming County between June 9 and June 15:

• Sheila Kaye Lamb: filed June 10, 2024.
• Lucille Eileen Ashley: filed June 10, 2024.
• John David Collins: filed June 10, 2024.
• Roger Lee Lafferty: filed June 10, 2024.
• Earnie Edison Blankenship: filed June 10, 2024.

The following Marriage Licenses have been filed in Wyoming County between June 9 and June 15:

• Kaitlyn Rose Elkins and Dylan Andrew Foltz: filed June 10, 2024.
• Lilly Brooke Kinser and Alexander Charles Sellards: filed June 12, 2024.
• Mashayla Brooke Hall and Braxton Chase Hash: filed June 13, 2024.
• Hannah Brooke Duba and Frank Dakota Sammons: filed June 14, 2024.
• Whitney Marie Kennedy and Christopher Earl Stapleton: filed June 14, 2024.

The following Land Transfers were filed in Wyoming County between June 9 and June 15:

• Joanna M. Blankenship to Gary A. Shrewsbury: 4.00 acres & 1 acre, Barker’s Creek of Gooney Otter Creek of the Guyandotte River, Barkers Ridge District. Filed June 11, 2024.
• Steven Eaton and Edna Eaton to Michael Lanning and Angela Lanning: lots 1, 2, 8, and 9 in Indian Village, north side of Indian Creek, Baileysville District. Filed June 11, 2024.
• Betty F. England to Michael Johnson: lots 2&4 in Pineville Land Company Addition to Town of Pineville, and 0.18 acres on north bank of Rock Castle Creek, Center District. Filed June 11, 2024.
• Michael J. Stover to Rusted Musket Lodging LLC: lot 2 in Harmco Addition to City of Mullens, Mullens Sub District. Filed June 12, 2024.
• Robert Walls and Donna M. Walls to Allen Blankenship and Heather Blankenship: deed of correction, lots 45, 47, 51, and 52, Brenton Addition, Baileysville District. Filed June 14, 2024.
• Amelia A. Goff to Matthew G. Staton and Alyssa N. Adams: 0.73 acres in the Town of Oceana, Oceana District. Filed June 14, 2024.
• Johnnie D. Criss and Patricia M. Criss to Shelby Darienzo: lots 14&15 lot B, Town of Mullens, Mullens Sub District. Filed June 14, 2024.
• Wells Fargo Bank to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: ½ acre, Laurel Fork near Oceana, Oceana District. Filed June 14, 2024.