Star Valley–Cody Rivalry Renewed: A Fourth Straight 3A Title Clash Hits Laramie [VIDEO]

The first of two championship games pitting the same two teams against each other for the fourth straight year is in Class 3A. The 2025 edition features three-time defending champion and No. 1 Star Valley playing second-ranked 2 Cody on Friday in Laramie. The Braves have beaten the Broncs in the last three games. It was 20-7 last year, 27-0 in 2023, and 14-7 in 2022. One of these schools will win the 3A football championship for the 12th consecutive season.

WYOPREPS 2025 CLASS 3A FOOTBALL TITLE GAME PREVIEW

It is the fifth meeting between the two programs for a title in Laramie. Star Valley is 3-1 in those head-to-head matchups. The two 3A West Conference rivals squared off in Cody in Week 6 of the 2025 regular season. The Braves held off the Broncs, 14-7.

WyoPreps had conversations before the game with both head coaches, Cody’s Matt McFadden and McKay Young of Star Valley.

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Team Info & Series History:

Star Valley (11-0) – McKay Young: 10th year as head coach; 15 state championships in school history; the most recent was in 2024 (20-7 vs. Cody). Their first title came in 1961. Six championships have been won with Young at the helm (2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024). This is Star Valley’s 26th appearance in a state championship game. The Braves are 14-11 in title games all-time. It is SV’s tenth trip to Laramie, and the Braves are 7-2 in the previous nine championship games.

Cody (9-1) – Matt McFadden: 13th year as head coach; 7 state championships in school history; the most recent was in 2021 (41-24 vs. Jackson). Their first title came in 1958. Four championships have been won with McFadden as head coach (2014, 2017, 2020, 2021). Three of those were in Laramie (2014, 2017, 2021). This is Cody’s 16th appearance in a football state championship game. The Broncs are 7-8 in title games all-time. Cody is making its eighth trip to Laramie, and the Broncs are 3-4 in their previous appearances.

Star Valley has the series lead of 31-13. They first played each other in a varsity game in 1957. In the postseason, this marks the tenth meeting between the two schools. The first one was a semifinal game in 1990. The Braves hold a 6-3 advantage in the playoffs. They also met for a state championship in 1991, and Cody was victorious, 25-7.

Team Stats per game:

                             Star Valley                                                      Cody                            

Rush Offense = No. 5 (183)                                                        No. 1 (317)

Pass Offense = No. 2 (252)                                                         No. 6 (172)

Total Offense = No. 2 (435)                                                       No. 1 (489)

Scoring Offense = No. 1 (43.5)                                                  No. 2 (41.6)

Rush Defense = No. 1 (74)                                                         No. 2 (85)

Pass Defense = No. 2 (115)                                                        No. 11 (202)

Total Defense = No. 1 (189)                                                       No. 3 (287)

Scoring Defense = No. 1 (9.7)                                                   No. 4 (16.5)

Key Players:

Star Valley = Phoenixx Hovey – 233.7 passing yards per game, 30 TDs, and 10 INTs & 238.5 all-purpose yards per game; Nathen Haderlie – 59.5 rushing yards per game, 7 TDs; Kyan Watson – 55.6 rushing yards per game, 6 TDs; Cooper Lancaster – 34 rec. for 633 yards, 6 TDs, 28.2 yards per punt return & 45.8 yards per kick return, 3 total return TDs; Travis Thomson – 30.4 punt return yds per game, 3 TDs;  Roman Erickson – 16 defensive points per game – ranks No. 3.

Cody = Kannon Grant – 119 rushing yards per game, 14 TDs; Cache McFadden – 99.1 rushing yards per game, 13 TDs & 152.7 passing yards per game, 12 TDs, 11 INTs, & 251.8 all-purpose yards per game; Logan Richard – 35.5 receiving yards per game, 1 TD; Damian Sander – 24.8 yards per kick return; Cinch Dalton – 13 defensive points per game – ranks No. 10.

The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. on Friday in Laramie.

Series history information is Courtesy of Wyoming-football.com.