While it wasn’t pretty, Powell football did enough in the final 12 minutes of its quarterfinal game against Lander Valley on Friday to advance in the Class 3A playoffs.

A Karson Lamb fumble recovery fueled the comeback, as the Panther offense ignited following the crucial takeaway. Toran Graham and Kadden Abraham both hit paydirt in the fourth quarter to send the opposing Tigers packing with a 15-7 victory.

The Panthers are now set to face Cody in the 3A semifinals on Friday with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Earlier in the year, PHS dropped its homecoming game to the Broncs, losing 14-0 at Panther Stadium. It was a low-scoring battle ultimately won by Cody, thanks to two touchdown passes.

Since that game, both teams have gone 4-1. The Panthers lone defeat came against Jackson Hole, while Cody picked up a loss against Star Valley.

The Broncs entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed from 3A West, while Powell entered as the No. 3 team from the conference. Cody advanced to the semifinals by drubbing Worland 51-7 last week.

Only 1,000 spectators are being allowed into the Cody High School stadium, with the Panthers allocated 400 tickets. Boosters of the football team are encouraging local residents to line the street of Powell from the high school to the west edge of town as the team’s buses head to Cody at 3 p.m. for the cross county battle.

By the numbers:

231: Though Powell was unable to keep up with Cody the first time around, the defense did its part in keeping the Broncs in check, for the most part. The Panthers allowed just 231 all-purpose yards, a respectable figure. For PHS to be competitive, it has to generate more offense this time. In the first meeting, the Panthers totaled just 74 yards as a team.

1: In Cody’s first-round contest against Worland, the Broncs allowed just 1 rushing yard. Powell’s offensive identity is based on the run, with the Panthers averaging 221 rushing yards per game in the regular season. So much of the outcome of Friday’s game will depend on whether PHS is able to penetrate Cody’s stout front seven.

23: The play that pushed Powell over the edge against Lander Valley was a 23-yard touchdown scoop from Toran Graham, which ultimately gave the Panthers an 8-7 lead. He also led the team with 41 rushing yards in the game. Graham has been a force in the backfield — and on defense — all season, and as a fullback, the junior will likely be one of the team’s best options for offensive productivity in this matchup.

3: Almost all of Powell’s wins have something in common: controlling the turnover margin. The Panthers recovered three fumbles in the win over Lander last week, and that was a big part of them getting back into the game. PHS will see its chances of reaching the state title game for the second year in a row skyrocket if it can defeat Cody.