Star-Tribune staff writer

LARAMIE - Jared Craft had his approach all backwards.

But maybe that's why it worked so well for the Worland goalkeeper.

Craft was unflappable during a pressure-packed shootout against Lander, stopping back-to-back shots to clinch the 2-1 quarterfinal win at the Class 3A Wyoming State High School Championships.

After that, he let his emotions get in the way.

"My heart's beating out of my chest," Craft said. "During the shootout, I was pretty calm. After it, just joy.

"I would rather not have that situation, but to go into it and come out with a victory feels pretty good."

Worland was the poster child on a wild opening day in Laramie, dealing with nearly every situation that popped up Thursday during their 100-plus minutes with the Tigers.

The Warriors had to deal with the typically unpredictable spring weather, starting their game in a hailstorm and wrapping it up in sunshine.

And in a shootout.

Worland claimed one of the four penalty-kick tiebreakers on a day that was just as wild on the field, surviving that and the weather to advance to the semifinals today against top-seeded Cody.

"Jared is a wonderful goalie," Worland coach Joe Kelley said. "They don't get much better than that in high school I don't think.

"All year he's saved us, many, many times."

A couple beautiful stops did the trick this time, with Craft making one to his right and another to his left to close out the Tigers.

He easily had the most success of the four shootout-surviving goalies, using his system of educated guesswork and mind games to cap the upset.

"You pretty much have to guess," Craft said. "You don't know, you just have to go with the way they line up their body, they way they move just to try to figure out where they're going to go.

"I try to show them that I know by moving early, and sometimes that's all it takes to get them to choke because they change direction in midstep. It worked on the first (miss) they put over the top. It's a lot of just psyching them out."

It worked against Lander, though he'd rather not test it again today.

And he wouldn't mind some better weather in the first half after sliding around on a slick field and having to ditch his hail-soaked pants on Thursday.

But with the way it all turned out for the Warriors, Kelley won't be picky.

"I'm tired, relieved, nervous, glad we won," he said. "That was just a battle.

"I don't like to win in a shootout, but I'll take it any way I can get it."

At least for Craft, that's just when the hard part starts.

N CODY 10, NEWCASTLE 0: The top-seeded Broncs got a quick hat trick from Jon Chavez in the first 22 minutes and eased into the semifinals.

Glen Clinton, Gavin LaFollette and Chris Field all added a pair of goals.

N BUFFALO 4, POWELL 1: The Bison pulled away with two goals in the last four minutes to bury the Panthers.

Buffalo broke a halftime tie with a gorgeous set piece finished with a header by Kasey Esponda in the 57th minute.

N JACKSON 6, TORRINGTON 0: The Broncs put up three goals in each half to close out the afternoon with an easy win.

Contact sports reporter Austin Ward at (307) 266-0634 or austin.ward@trib.com.

Worland 2, Lander 1 (SO)

Wor 0 1 0 0 - 1

Lan 1 0 0 0 - 1

Worland won 3-1 on penalty kicks.

Scoring: Lan, Nick Knell 7; Wor, Scott Soderstrom 78. WGK: Jared Craft.

Cody 10, Newcastle 0

New 0 0 - 0

Cod 7 3 - 10

Scoring: Cod, Eric Dickerman 12; Cod, Jon Chavez 13; Cod, Chavez 18; Cod, Chavez 22; Cod, Glen Clinton 27; Cod, Clinton 34; Cod, Gavin LaFollette 37; Cod, LaFollette 45; Cod, Chris Field 67; Cod, Field 79.

WGK: Josh Ryan. LGK: Zane Hodge.

Buffalo 4, Powell 1

Pow 1 0 - 1

Buf 1 3 - 4

Scoring: Buf, Casey Reid 35; Pow, No. 23 (FK) 37. Buf, Kasey Esponda 57; Buf, Justin Elmer 76; Buf, Randy Nuckolls 80.

WGK: Kyle Armstrong. LGK: Jordan Brown.

Jackson 6, Torrington 0

Tor 0 0 - 0

Jac 3 3 - 6

The Broncs had six different players score in their easy quarterfinal win.