With a new quarterback and almost a completely new offensive line, the Thunderbird football team looks to reestablish their claim to the state title. The disappointing finish last year has driven the T-birds to refocus and recommit themselves to return to Laramie and the state title game.

East Thunderbird Uriah Gracia started the 2015 season with the first touchdown of the year. With the upper hand early in the game, the Thunderbirds used that score to win 13-7 over Rock Springs.

“Oh, it was great. Very hype, I mean! I fell whenever we did a belly bump!” said Uriah, reveling the team’s first score of the year.

Against the Tigers, Gracia ran for a total of 140 yards. East quarterback Baylor Hayes ran 101 yards and passed for another 99 passing yards. Rock Springs’ Matt Fowler rushed for a total of 148 yards to start his season.

East’s next game was against the #1-ranked Natrona County Mustangs. East suffered there first loss of the year (17-6) without their star, Uriah Gracia, who suffered a high ankle sprain after the first game agaisnt the Tigers.

Non-stop penalties in the red zone, multiple fumbles, and a couple missed field goal attempts added up to the Thunderbirds taking a loss in the Natrona game.

“We struggled a little bit because I don’t think we knew exactly who we were yet,” said Uriah, from the sidelines of the East-Natrona game. “We are finding out who are playmakers are, who is stepping up, so we will be fine.”

East had 192 total offensive yards, while Natrona had 284.

On Friday, Sept. 11, the Thunderbirds faced the south Bison in their homecoming rivalry game. The T-birds came out with a big win against South, 41-27.

With Uriah still out of the game, sophomore Ethan Ashworth stepped up to contribute 178 yards for the win over South.

“I tried to approach (the game) with a varsity mindset,” Ashworth said in an interview with WyoSports.net. “I might be one of the younger guys on this team, but it doesn’t matter how old you are or what grade you’re in. You have to go out there and do what the coaches are expecting you to do.”

Quarterback Baylor Hayes ran in a two touchdowns, and Ashworth contributed three on the ground. Junior kick Quinn hunt ended the game 2 for 2, with no missed extra points.

East came out a little slow in the first half. The Bison put up two touchdowns early in the second quarter on two scoring passes by quarterback Austin Barker.

“The game was very exciting. I was in the student section screaming my lungs off cheering for our T-birds to come out with the big W,” said Noah Moody, East junior.

The East Thunderbirds then traveled to Sheridan to take on the top-ranked Broncs. Sheridan’s ability to create big plays was too much for the Thunderbirds, last Friday night who took a hard loss, 48-7.

In the first quarter, Sheridan’s Coy Steel scored twice with a long 54-yard reception and also ran a 36 yard punt return later that quarter.

East only response was a 1 yard touchdown by Erik Garnica-Cole who ran for 23 yards with 4 carries in the fourth quarter.

This Friday, the Thunderbirds (2-2) look to take on Kelly Walsh (1-3), who won 36-8 against the South High Bison Last Friday night.