Forty teams began the Wyoming high school football playoffs with dreams of winning a state championship. One weekend later, half of them are headed home.

The opening round of the 2026 Wyoming High School Activities Association football playoffs produced blowouts, an upset and several impressive performances from the state's leading championship contenders.

Undefeated Natrona County rolled past Kelly Walsh 41-0 in Class 4A, while Sheridan cruised to a 55-21 victory over Campbell County. Cheyenne Central delivered one of the weekend's biggest surprises, knocking off higher-seeded Laramie 27-20 to advance to the semifinals.

In Class 3A, defending powerhouse Star Valley opened with a 56-0 shutout of Rawlins, while Cody matched that offensive production in a 56-7 victory over Buffalo.

Big Horn, Cokeville, Mountain View and Thermopolis all advanced in Class 2A, setting up two intriguing semifinal matchups.

The smaller-school brackets also featured some explosive performances.…