GMS teams rack up the wins

By: 
Nathan Oster

Instead of rolling out the traditional sixth, seventh and eighth grade teams, Greybull Middle School head boys basketball coach Cadence Wipplinger opted to try a new approach, assigning players to A, B and C squads based upon their skill levels.
The early returns are encouraging — at least for the two older teams.
As of Wednesday morning, the A team, made up of seventh and eighth graders, had won five of eight.  The Buffs defeated Lovell 26-25, Ten Sleep 44-17, Wind River 37-19, Meeteetse 26-10 and Rocky Mountain 38-28 but lost to Burlington 61-16, Shoshoni 35-25 and Rocky Mountain 41-14..
The B team lost to Lovell 7A 31-29 and Burlington 38-34, but those are the only blemishes. The squad defeated Lovell B 44-18, Ten Sleep 47-10, Shoshoni 41-10, Wind River 47-16, Meeteetse 44-6 and Rocky Mountain 49-20.
The C team sported a 1-4 record as of Wednesdays morning.
Numbers are strong, with a roster of nine eighth graders, 14 seventh graders and 13 sixth graders.
Wipplinger credited activities director Nolan Tracy for adding games for C squad, which is coached by Jonathan Cauffman.  Tate Carney, meanwhile, is directing the B squad.
Wipplinger said the goal is to increase all players’ fundamental skills and knowledge of the game.
“We’ve worked really hard with the high school program and communicated with them because we want our kids to have a seamless transition as they move into the high school program,” said Wipplinger. “In addition to fundamental skills, we also talk a lot about body language, how they represent themselves and how they represent their school.”
“This is a good group of kids.  They’re such good boys -- every single one of them.”

 

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