The Powell High School girls’ basketball team dropped games to its local rivals last weekend, losing to Lovell and Cody on Friday and Saturday. 

The Panthers kicked off the weekend against the Bulldogs in what was a close game for its majority. PHS trailed by just four points at halftime and competed for the rest of the game. Lovell ultimately held on to its lead and won 54-42.

Rose Graft led the team in scoring once again, this time notching 17 points, a season-high. Addy Thorington also reached double figures with 14 points, while Hailee Hyde and Megan Jacobsen also contributed with seven and four points, respectively.

The difference in the game came on the glass, according to PHS head coach Chelsea Buher. 

“We didn’t do very well rebounding at all,” Buher said. “They got a lot of offensive rebounds, and that cost us.”

The next game, PHS got another shot at Cody, who got the better of the Panthers in mid-December. The Panthers once again lost by double digits, with the Fillies cruising to a 51-28 win. 

Though PHS fell by a decent margin, it was a better effort than the Dec. 17 outing, when Cody held Powell scoreless for the first 13 minutes of the game. Still, Buher wants to see more aggression the next time the Panthers take the hardwood. 

“It was leaps and bounds better than the first time we played them, but they still shut us down,” Buher said. “We struggled with rebounding again and need to fight more.”

Stats from the Cody game were not available at press time. 

Next up, PHS hosts Pinedale and Kemmerer on Friday and Saturday. 

Lovell 54, Powell 42

Points — Rose Graft 17, Addy Thorington 14, Hailee Hyde 7, Megan Jacobsen 4; Rebounds — Jacobsen 5, Thorington 4, Graft 4, Hyde 2, Maddie Campbell 1, Rylynn Valdez 1; Blocks — Thorington 3