Winter sports ready to go

Posted 11/28/14

Boys basketball will see its regular season begin Friday, Dec. 12, with a road trip to the East/West Classic in Buffalo. The Panthers’ opponent and game time is yet to be decided.

The Panther boys will host Buffalo for their first home game of …

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Winter sports ready to go

Posted

Practices begin Monday for PHS; first contests set for Dec. 12

Powell High School’s winter prep sports season officially begins Monday as the Panthers’ boys and girls basketball teams, as well as the wrestling squad, are allowed to begin practices.

Boys basketball will see its regular season begin Friday, Dec. 12, with a road trip to the East/West Classic in Buffalo. The Panthers’ opponent and game time is yet to be decided.

The Panther boys will host Buffalo for their first home game of the season at 7:30 p.m. at the Panther Gym. PHS begins 3A West Conference play when it welcomes Lander Valley (21-6, 13-1 3A West last season) to Powell at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 24.

The Panthers will also get a healthy dose of conference rival Cody this year after the Mustangs won the 3A state championship last March.

PHS’ success over the next four months could start with its top-two returning scorers from last winter: Division I prospect and senior Kalei Smith, and senior Carter Baxter.

Smith and Baxter also starred for the Panthers on the gridiron this fall but due to the early playoff exit, the team is well-rested going into the start of the hoops season, which was not the case in the last three seasons. Chase Kistler will start his second season as head coach seeking to find someone to plug the hole in the middle, as Hayden Cragoe and Garrett Michael are gone from the front court.

Guard Cory Heny also left a spot to fill. Guards Zach Heny and Matt Sweet return, however.

The Lady Panthers will open their campaign with a road trip of their own, making a much shorter 26-mile trip to Cody High School for the East/West Classic, also on Dec. 12. The Lady Panthers’ opponent and game time are also TBD. The PHS girls will not see their own court until Jan. 16, when Worland makes the trip to Powell for a 5:45 p.m. contest.

The Lady Panthers will also begin their conference slate against Lander Valley on Jan. 24, inviting the Tigers for a 12:45 p.m. matchup. Coach Scott McKenzie welcomes six returners to his varsity this season, including five standouts from PHS’ Class 3A third-place volleyball team: seniors Jenni Ebersberger and Megan Wagner, juniors Breanna Donarski and Anissa Warner and sophomore Kalina Smith. McKenzie said that younger players could also make an impact this season.

“We have some super young talent that will challenge for varsity time as the season shakes out,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie said his Lady Panthers will have their hands full before Christmas, as PHS travels to Buffalo for a 7:30 p.m. game on Dec. 19, and a 1 p.m. bout with what McKenzie called a “perennial powerhouse” in Sheridan a day later. And the coached added his team’s conference slate will present a challenge.

“We have a tough non-conference schedule this year,” McKenzie said. “And of course, all of our conference games are big ones.”

The defending three-time 3A state champion Panther wrestling team kicks off its season at noon on Dec. 12, as the PHS grapplers host the Powell Invite at the Panther Gym. Not only will coach Nate Urbach be looking for his fourth straight state title, but four Panthers will also be looking to repeat as champions in 2015. Senior Riley Stringer and juniors Chance Karst and Nic Urbach will be looking for back-to-back singles titles, while Kye Caitlin while set his sights on a third consecutive first-place finish.

Complete schedules for all PHS sports, including freshman and junior varsity schedules, can be found online at www.3aconference.org.

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