Managing an undefeated sports season comes with a special set of pressures and challenges on the players and coaches on the successful team, stemming from a fear of tainting with a first loss in what to many is viewed as the perfect season.
But when that undefeated record has stretched across six seasons, the type of pressure faced is particularly unique in the case of the Sheridan Broncs high school football team.
The Broncs have found a way to manage this pressure so far, now holders of the nation’s second longest win streak at 59 games, according to USA Today.
The Broncs, 4-0 so far this season, haven't lost since 2021, and still won the 4A state championship that year. They smashed the previous Wyoming record win streak in 2024, and this season are looking for their sixth straight title, which would also be a state record.
But on Friday night, they might see the biggest threat to their streak yet.
The Broncs, who've had one-score victories against Campbell County and Kelly Walsh so far this season, square off against fellow unbeaten Natrona County (4-0) in Casper. The Mustangs haven’t been tested yet and are averaging nearly 300 rushing yards per game.
The teams are co-No. 1 in this week's WyoPreps Class 4A rankings. Three of Natrona County's triumphs have come against ranked squads.
“I don’t think there’s any question it’s going to be our most challenging game thus far,” Sheridan coach Jeff Mowry said. “They’re going to be a run-heavy, run-first team, and we have to do a great job at the line of scrimmage so we can bottle them up.”
Pressure Mounting
Over the last few years, the Broncs have won the majority of their games by at least a few touchdowns, which is further proof of their dominance.
They’ve been challenged this season, however, defeating Campbell County and Kelly Walsh over the past two weeks by less than one score. Against Kelly Walsh, the Broncs had to rally from a late deficit to get their fourth win and 59th in a row.
Mowry said he believes these games served a valuable growing experience for his team and a lesson on how to win tough games.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to learn to play for four quarters and deal with adversity,” Mowry told Cowboy State Daily. “Playing from behind is never what you’re wanting, but at the same time it’s a good thing to experience and see how our young men respond, and they did just that last week.”
He said some members of his community have noticed a difference this season and some have let them know about it, asking him “what happened?” after their close win on Friday. He said this year has been a “reality check” for the Broncs and their fans to the tenuous nature of the run they’ve been on.
“When I moved to Sheridan in 2007 we were begging for wins,” Mowry said. “And now, wins aren’t enough.”
He said the expectation for perfection has a real effect on the players as well. They face a level of pressure no other players in Wyoming have experienced.
Some have siblings that were on the team when the streak started, back when some of the current players weren’t even in middle school. For a significant chunk of their lives, all they’ve known is Broncs winning football games.
“It’s built into these young men’s minds that it’s (winning) a must-do and if we don’t do it then it’s a failure,” Mowry said. “I don’t think that’s accurate.”
Not About Records Or Wins
Mowry said although some people in his program feel the weight of the streak, he only sees from a positive lens. One of the biggest challenges, he said, is showing his players that although they should be proud of the streak, they are not defined by a win or a loss.
He stresses that his football program is built on developing young men, not about setting records or even getting wins.
“Every good thing comes to an end and it’s not about the wins and losses,” he said. “Football is about a lot more than winning games.”
But for Sheridan to be playing as well as it has might be an achievement in itself considering tits youth. The Broncs lost 25 seniors from last season and only have 12 seniors on their roster this year. In addition, they only returned one defensive and four offensive starters. But to Mowry, less experience is no excuse to let off the pedal.
“We’re in the middle of the season now, we can’t claim inexperience anymore,” he said. “We’ve got to be ready to play when the whistle blows.”
They did return four offensive linemen, a critical position group Mowry said has particularly shined this season.
He and Natrona head coach Steve Harshman also believe the overall talent may be up in 4A football, the state’s highest division, rather than Sheridan taking any kind of step back. Mowry said this year’s Natrona team would have challenged any of his teams over the last five years. Seeing more parity, he said, is not inherently a sign of his team’s demise.
“Playing in tight football games is exciting and it’s normal,” Mowry said. “We’ve been very very fortunate.”
Friday’s game likely will be one of the last times Natrona coach Steve Harshman and Sheridan face off. Harshman, a Hall of Fame coach, won the Republican nomination for state superintendent of public instruction in August and is likely to win the general election in November.
If Harshman wins the race, he has indicated to Cowboy State Daily he will retire from coaching.
But for Harshman, Friday’s game is no different than any other, though having a talented opponent in Sheridan, he said, does give some extra motivation to keep improving every day in practice.
“The mentality is the same as every week,” he said. “Just really working on ourselves and learning Sheridan. Trying to get better every day.”
Who’s No. 1?
The Garden City Trojans of Long Island, New York, are the current holders of the nation’s longest win streak at 68 games. This record comes with an asterisk, though, because Long Island high schools don’t play teams from the rest of New York in the playoffs or for a state championship.
Instead, they culminate their season with a championship limited to Long Island teams.
The Trojans will face one of their biggest challenges in years and what some in the local New York media are dubbing one of the biggest games in Long Island high school football history on Saturday. They’ll take on Massapequa, the No. 9 ranked school in Class AA New York football, a full class above the level Garden City plays at.
If Garden City falls and Sheridan wins this weekend, the Broncs will take ownership of the nation’s longest win streak.
“It would be cool, I think that’s the biggest thing about it, it would be really cool,” Mowry said.
But whether or not that happens, Mowry said he and his coaches won’t be making any alterations in their plans in getting ready for their following game.
“In the end, it’s a high school football game and the sun is going to come up tomorrow, whatever happens, win or lose,” he said.
