Kelly Walsh football selects its four 2022 captains

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The Kelly Walsh football team will open the 2022 season at home versus Rock Springs, who knocked them out of the 2021 playoffs, on Friday, Aug. 26. At the beginning of Wednesday’s practice, the team revealed its four guys to help steer the ship this season.

In honor of Election Day on Tuesday, the team cast its votes for who should be a captain to lead this year’s group. In the past, captains have rotated from week to week on the Kelly Walsh football team, but this year’s captains will help guide the team all season long.

Senior linemen Chris Pickering and Andrew Bessey were the first two captains to be announced by head coach Aaron Makelky. Senior Erich Hulshizer, a defensive back, wide receiver and kicker, and senior quarterback Gibson Sasser will help them shoulder the captain responsibilities.

The four players signed a seven-part contract agreeing to their captain duties, and they’ll be easy to spot on the field from the stands. The four captains received a green check mark that will “verify” their status as captains.

Here’s what the captains had to say after accepting their role:

“It’s kind of a surreal feeling [from] being a freshman four years ago [to] just even playing varsity ball felt unachievable, but to be here, it feels great,” said Chris Pickering, an offensive and defensive lineman for the Trojans.

“When I heard it, I kinda felt like a top dog,” said Andrew Bessey, an offensive lineman and middle linebacker. “But then [it] also [means] people look up to me and wanna be like me, so I get to help them.”

“I think we’ve all been waiting for this for four years, and we’re just excited to try to lead the team,” said quarterback Gibson Sasser.

“I take a lot of pride [in] it,” said Hulshizer. “I think it’s a big responsibility because as a captain you help lead your team to do what it needs to do. Go win, go play. If you lose, you have to keep your head up and be that person your team can lean on.”

Copyright 2022 Wyoming News Now. All rights reserved.