After a month without athletics due to the fall seasons ending, Powell High School is set to begin winter sports, starting Thursday. Here’s a preview of each team’s opening weekend.

Boys’ basketball

Varsity, JV and freshman boys’ basketball hit the road today (Thursday) for games against Riverton.

Powell and Riverton didn’t play each other in the 2019-20 season, but the Panthers finished the year 11-13 overall, while the Wolverines went 4-19. PHS entered the state tournament riding momentum, winning two of its three previous contests, but the growing number of COVID-19 cases axed the event.

For varsity, 2020-21 marks Mike Heny’s first year coaching basketball since 2013. He previously coached the program from 2009-2013.

“This has always been my passion,” Heny said. “Just having the opportunity to get back in the gym has been better than I expected.”

Varsity tips off at 6:30 p.m.

Girls’ basketball

PHS girls’ basketball teams also head to Riverton today (Thursday) for contests against the Wolverines. The Panthers didn’t face the Wolverines — who finished 14-11 — head to head last year. The varsity game tips off at 5 p.m.

Chelsea Buher begins her second year coaching the varsity squad, and the Panthers return five players from last year’s team.

While they failed to reach the state tournament in 2019-20, Buher has been impressed with the team’s dedication heading into the 2020-21 campaign.

“I think we’re going to surprise some people,” Buher said. “We want them to be able to do the small things and do them correctly and to work hard and get better at the things we’ve been working on all summer.”

Boys’ swimming

Following a second-place finish at state a year ago, the PHS boys’ swimming team enters the 2020-21 season with high expectations. The squad opens the schedule Friday, swimming in a meet at the Cody Rec Center at 5 p.m.

PHS will compete against its cross-county rivals, Cody, in the event. The Broncs finished 11th as a team at last year’s 3A state meet, 152 points behind Powell.

Key returners include Nate Johnston and Tarren Blackmore, who were members of the state-champion 200 free relay team, in addition to several other PHS swimmers who competed at state.

According to head coach Stephanie Warren, the team’s goal is “just to complete the season to the best of their ability” amid COVID-19.

Wrestling

The Nick Fulton era of PHS wrestling begins this weekend with a series of home duals.

Other teams attending the Friday-Saturday meet include Buffalo, Campbell County and Lander Valley, among others. Competition gets underway at 1 p.m. Friday and resumes on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

PHS hosted a meet last year to kick off the season, with the Panthers placing second at the event.

The Panthers have several athletes returning to the mat this year with state medals under their belt from past years, including Seth Horton, Riley Bennett, Emma Karhu and Nate Balderas.