Kelly Walsh’s Keith Thomas (foreground) struggles to break free from Powell High School’s Trevor Donarski during early action in the 152-pound weight class of the Powell Roundtable Invitational. Donarski won the bout via pin and went on to claim a first-place finish in the tournament. He also was named the event’s outstanding wrestler. Tribune photo by David Dickey
PHS wrestlers claim four individual titles
Top-ranked, Class 3A Powell High School opened the 2008-09 wrestling season last week with the two-day Powell Roundtable Invitational, and they did so in solid fashion.
Overall, the Panthers finished second to 4A power Natrona County in the two-day event, which took place last Friday and Saturday. The Mustangs finished atop the team standings with 323.5 points, while the runner-up Panthers tallied 234.5. The remainder of the top 10 of the 20-team tournament was rounded out by Wheatland (194.5 points), Colstrip, Mont. (160.5), Lander (159.5), Gillette (144.5), Kelly Walsh (139.5), Worland (118.5), Thermopolis (98.5) and Rocky Mountain (98.5).
During Sunday’s Tour of Homes, Janet Porn of Powell, known as the “Queen” of the Red Hat Society, will show her collection and the home she shares with her husband, John. Seven other homes will be featured in the tour, a Country Christmas tradition. Tribune photo by Toby Bonner
For the 22nd year, the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Christmas Tour of Homes in and around Powell.
Eight families have opened their residences to visitors this year for the tour, which is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. Visitors may begin at any of the homes after 1 p.m. and tour at their own pace, finishing before 5.
Arson, apparently prompted by burglary, is the cause of the fire that destroyed a large garage owned by Steve and Meg Nickles early on the morning of Nov. 12, investigators have determined.
An investigator ruled out gas, electrical or vehicle malfunctions or a possible lightning strike due to the wind storm that night, Police Investigator Dave Brown said Wednesday.
“They’re saying it was arson,” Brown said. “What they’re really telling me is, it was a man-made fire.”
Because the new Frannie-Deaver fire district is having difficulties meeting some requirements to reach its end-of-the-year deadline to initiate fire protection, the Powell fire board on Tuesday granted the new district an extension to retain equipment the Powell Volunteer Fire Department provided.
The newly-formed Big Horn County Fire District No. 5, carved from Park County Fire Protection No. 1 district of Powell, has experienced difficulties meeting certain requirements. One major holdup is getting assessed valuation funding the new district is due from both Big Horn and Park counties — the two counties where No. 5 would provide fire protection.
Powell High School junior Auston Carter (top) goes through practice drills with teammate Cody Kalberer earlier this week. Carter will attempt to become a three-time state champion this season. Kalberer, a senior, will be gunning for his second state title during the 2008-09 slate. Tribune photo by David Dickey
Encore performance
It happens without fail when a team wins a state championship. Inevitably, whether it’s within minutes of a team’s title-clinching performance or during the days after it, someone always poses the question, “So are you guys going to repeat?”
That question has been presented to Powell High School head wrestling coach Nate Urbach and his team members plenty since their title effort during the 2007-08 school year, and considering the number of returning individual title winners and state placers, it’s understandable why wrestling fans from Powell eagerly lob that question at Urbach and his Panthers.
