DAVID BUCK Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, April 20, 2008 12:00 am
The Wyoming Cavalry took an unorthodox approach to preparing for the New Mexico Wildcats this week.
The Cavs (3-0) host the Wildcats at 4 p.m. today inside the Casper Events Center, but the team practiced outside on Thursday at Cheney Alumni Field.
"I'd rather be at the Events Center, but the Events Center, unfortunately, is doing a good job of booking a lot of concerts and has a lot of things going on," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "So we don't get to use the facility as much as I wish we could."
Wyoming has practiced in local gyms, such as Casper College's Swede Erickson Thunderbird Gym, when the Events Center isn't available.
"In the gym is tough," Maciejczak said. "Anytime we get this weather halfway decent we are going to have to get out here and work."
Playing on a high school football field Thursday didn't seem to impact players or the intensity of practice.
"It's a little unusual because we aren't inside," defensive end Tyrone Saterfield said. "… It's just cold. That's the only difference. Inside you can control your environment."
Maciejczak said one advantage of playing outside is the team can work on it's spacing because there is more room than at the Events Center or in a gym.
The team used the football hash marks as sidelines and a combination of the soccer 18-yard box and the start of the end zone as a makeshift end zone.
"Sometimes you run into problems of guys catching balls where they would be out of bounds or would run smack into the wall, so you get the arguments going with that," Maciejczak said.
There should be no arguments today on what's out of bounds or not when the team is back inside.
WILDCATS SCOUTING REPORT: Today's game is the first meeting between New Mexico and Wyoming. The Wildcats are 1-2 with their win coming against the Utah Saints, a team the Cavs have beat twice.
New Mexico is playing its fourth straight road game.
"Playing on the road for them is second nature," Maciejczak said.
Saterfield said one thing that stands out about the Wildcats is their team speed.
"Speed kills, so hopefully we come out, contain their speed and match them," Saterfield said.
CONFERENCE KINGS: The Cavs score the most points per game and allow the fewest points per game in the American Indoor Football Association through Friday's games.
Wyoming has allowed an average of 22 points per game through three games. The Huntington (W.V.) Heroes are second in the league with 31.4 ppg allowed through five games.
The Cavs also have the Association's top scoring offense with 70.67 points per game. The Mississippi Mudcats are second with 70 ppg through four games.
"I'm not a big statistics guy," Maciejczak said. "The only statistic I care about is winning."
Contact sports reporter David Buck at (307) 266-0596 or david.buck@trib.com.
CAVALRY TRACKER
WHAT: New Mexico Wildcats at Wyoming Cavalry, 4 p.m., today, Casper Events Center.
RECORDS: Cavs 3-0, Wildcats 1-2
INDOOR FOOTBALL, OUTDOOR PRACTICE: The Cavs practiced outside at Cheney Alumni Field on Thursday because the Events Center wasn't available.