The season came to a close for the Powell High School girls’ basketball team in Lovell on Saturday, as the Panthers came up short in double overtime to Pinedale 49-45 after the Panthers had defeated Lovell on Thursday 46-35 and lost to Cody 49-29 on Friday.

POWELL 46, LOVELL 35

In the second matchup in just a week the Panthers (16-9 overall, 6-4 3A west) went on the road to take on the host Bulldogs (16-10 overall, 4-6 3A West).

The Panthers trailed early down 5-1 with the only point coming on an Emery Hernandez free throw midway through.

Powell found its offense, and took the lead with 2:20 remaining on a Coy Erickson 3-pointer, before pushing the lead to 11-7 heading into the second quarter.

Midway through the second the Panthers maintained that advantage, as Erickson’s three 3-pointers paced Powell to an 18-14 lead.

Lovell stormed back to take the lead, but a Hernandez 3-pointer late tied the contest at 21 heading into the locker room.

The Panthers fell behind in the third quarter and trailed 29-27 with 3:23 remaining.

Powell finished the quarter strong, as an Erickson block and layup made it 33-31 heading into the fourth.

The Panthers extended the lead to 39-33 midway through the fourth quarter.

Powell’s defense locked down the Bulldogs over the next three minutes, allowing only two points as Powell extended the lead to 42-35 before ultimately ending with a 46-35 win.

“With Lovell it’s always going to be a close game, and we didn’t expect any different. It was nice to kind of pull away,” coach Chelsea Kistler said. “I thought that we did a good job as a whole taking care of everyone from the inside out. It took everybody to get that job done and get the win.”

Erickson led with 21 followed closely by Hernandez with 18.

Hernandez led with nine rebounds just ahead of Erickson who had eight.

Kindyle Floy had three assists, Shelby Zickefoose led with two steals and Erickson had Powell’s lone block.

CODY 48, POWELL 28

The win on Thursday meant the Panthers had another rematch in the span of a week Friday night, as Powell took on the Fillies (24-0, 10-0 3A west).

Powell’s offense started out slow, trailing 8-0 before a Floy floater with 4:30 remaining.

The Panthers continued to trail 15-6 heading into the second quarter.

Powell chipped away at the Fillies’ lead, slowing down the high powered offense and trailing 17-11 midway through the second quarter.

After five point quarters from each team, the Panthers trailed 20-11 at halftime.

“We tried to switch things up every trip down the court, which we really haven’t done a whole lot this year. We’ve done it in the past, but it takes a ton of communication to be on the same page … We did not have one miscommunication,” Kistler said. “They were clicking on all cylinders, switching in and out of defenses.”

Cody immediately expanded the lead to double-digits in the third quarter, as Powell continued to play strong defense but was unable to cut into the deficit on the offensive end.

Heading into the fourth the Panthers trailed 32-19.

Powell never found a full offensive groove, and fell to the Fillies 48-28 — Cody didn’t hit a 20 point lead until the final minute of the contest, tied for the smallest margin of victory for the Fillies this season and the only time they’ve been held below 50 points.

“A week before we got running clocked at our home gym, and then flipping that switch in the regional semifinals, I was so proud of each and every one of them,” Kistler said.

Floy was the lone Panther in double-figures with 11 points, and added five rebounds to lead Powell.

Hernandez, Zickefoose and Leah Graham had two assists each, Erickson led with three steals and Hali Hancock had the lone block.

PINEDALE 49, POWELL 45 (2OT)

Heading into Saturday and facing elimination the Panthers took on the Wranglers (20-5 overall, 7-3 3A West) who were upset in the first round by Worland.

Both teams went back-and-forth in the first quarter, with neither gaining a significant advantage as a late layup by Pinedale made it an 8-8 game heading into the second.

Powell took a slight lead midway through the second, as a Hernandez jumper made it 14-11.

The Panthers held that advantage heading into the locker room, as Powell led 18-15.

Powell started strong in the third, quickly building a nine point lead 24-15, before Pinedale answered with a 3-pointer.

The Panthers kept that lead at six after a Hernandez floater with 2:15 remaining in the quarter, but a bucket by Pinedale cut the advantage to 29-25 heading into the fourth.

Offense was hard to come by early in the fourth, as the Panthers maintained a 32-27 lead midway through the final frame.

Powell continued leading 33-27 with 2:19 left, but a 3-pointer by Pinedale cut the lead to 34-30 with 1:21 remaining.

Offensive rebounds haunted the Panthers, as the Wranglers cut the lead to 34-32.

“The offensive rebounds that we were giving up, that’s kind of been our Achilles’ heel in the last five-to-six game stretch, and something that we’ve put a ton of focus on,” Kistler said. “It’s not all on the kids. We’re a team, we win together, we lose together.”

After a 1-2 trip to the line by Powell, a Pinedale and-one tied the game with 32 seconds left.

Both teams had a shot at the final basket, but neither team found a winner and went to overtime tied at 35.

The first points came with 2:21 left in the first OT on a pair of Ava Teten free throws, and Powell held its lead once again until late.

Powell increased its lead to 40-37, before a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left tied the game.

The Panthers had a play drawn up out of a timeout that was stolen as Powell couldn’t find a winning attempt and the game went to double overtime.

“It either works out or it doesn’t. It’s definitely a team effort and never just comes down to just one possession, but I do feel like we had an opportunity and we just didn’t get it sealed,” Kistler said. “We had the kids we wanted there at the line, the last thing I want them to feel like is its all on their shoulders, because its not.”

Pinedale continued hitting the offensive boards, and built up a lead in double overtime the Panthers couldn’t overcome as Powell fell 49-45 ending its season.

Hernandez led with 20 as Erickson chipped in 12.

Graham led with nine rebounds, including seven offensive.

“She flipped a switch at regionals. She played so physical and so aggressive,” Kistler said. “She is a workhorse. She does so many things in a game that do not show up in a stat line. She is one of our hardest workers behind the scenes. I’m very proud of that kid.”

Hernandez and Erickson led with three assists each, Erickson led with four steals while Hernandez and Hancock had two blocks each.

OFFSEASON STARTS

For the first time since the 2022-23 season the Panthers did not advance to the state tournament, as they will say goodbye to three seniors from the rotation in Erickson, Hancock and Zickefoose.

“It’s always tough saying goodbye to your seniors, especially those that have given everything they have for four years, and it’s tough to not give them the opportunity to finish that out at state,” Kistler said. “Shelby and Hali, they’ve come so far. Two kids who took on an important role … They did a great job for us this year, everything that we needed them to do … Coy brings a level of headiness that not all kids have, and her experience with the opportunity she had playing as a freshman on varsity, continuing to grow each and every year … Her last handful of games were her best games of the season, she really got going offensively and gave us a lot. Three seniors that will definitely be missed.”

Powell returns three starters from this year’s team, with a number of young players in the rotation hoping to make it back to the state tournament next year.

“A shout out and thank you to our community … it’s appreciated more than people probably realize,” Kistler said. “It’s a bummer that it ended the way it did, but that can’t take away from the great season. We had a lot of adversity thrown at these girls, and they never once complained or never got torn apart. As a coach, that’s something that makes you so proud of them. Because at the end of the day this is going to be something that molds them as they go through life to be able to handle adversity outside of basketball as they grow older.”

POWELL 46, LOVELL 35

Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()

Points — Coy Erickson 21, Emery Hernandez 18, Shelby Zickefoose 5, Hali Hancock 2

Rebounds — Emery Hernandez 9 (2), Coy Erickson 8 (2), Leah Graham 4 (1), Hali Hancock 2 (2), Shelby Zickefoose 2 (1), Kindyle Floy 1 (1)

Assists — Kindyle Floy 3, Leah Graham 2, Emery Hernandez 1, Hali Hancock 1, Coy Erickson 1, Shelby Zickefoose 1

Steals — Shelby Zickefoose 2, Emery Hernandez 1, Leah Graham 1

Blocks — Coy Erickson 1

CODY 48, POWELL 28

Points — Kindyle Floy 11, Leah Graham 6, Coy Erickson 4, Emery Hernandez 3, Hali Hancock 2, Sam Edgell 2

Rebounds — Kindyle Floy 5 (1), Hali Hancock 4 (1), Coy Erickson 4 (2), Emery Hernandez 3 (2), Leah Graham 2 (1), Sam Edgell 1 (1)

Assists — Emery Hernandez 2, Shelby Zickefoose 2, Leah Graham 2, Coy Erickson 1

Steals — Coy Erickson 3, Kindyle Floy 3, Emery Hernandez 1, Leah Graham 1

Blocks — Hali Hancock 1

PINEDALE 49, POWELL 45 (2OT)

Points — Emery Hernandez 20, Coy Erickson 12, Leah Graham 7, Shelby Zickefoose 2, Kindyle Floy 2, Ava Teten 2

Rebounds — Leah Graham 9 (7), Emery Hernandez 6 (1), Coy Erickson 6 (1), Shelby Zickefoose 5 (1), Hali Hancock 2, Kindyle Floy 2 (1), Ava Teten 2

Assists — Emery Hernandez 3, Coy Erickson 3, Shelby Zickefoose 2, Leah Graham 2, Kindyle Floy 2, Ava Teten 1

Steals — Coy Erickson 4, Hali Hancock 2, Emery Hernandez 1

Blocks — Emery Hernandez 2, Coy Erickson 2

3A WEST RESULTS

THURSDAY

No. 6 Worland 42, No. 3 Pinedale 36

No. 2 Lander 40, No. 7 Lyman 26

No. 1 Cody 53, No. 8 Mountain View 16

No. 4 Powell 46, No. 5 Lovell 35

FRIDAY

No. 3 Pinedale 42, No. 7 Lyman 25

No. 5 Lovell 55, No. 8 Mountain View 23

No. 2 Lander 43, No. 6 Worland 16

No. 1 Cody 48, No. 4 Powell 28

SATURDAY

No. 3 Pinedale 49, No. 4 Powell 45 (2OT)

No. 5 Lovell 44, No. 6 Worland 36

No. 1 Cody 67, No. 2 Lander 35 (Championship game)

No. 3 Pinedale 48, No. 5 Lovell 25 (Third place game)