Extra innings were needed to separate Park County rivals in the state championship in Powell last Wednesday. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the Powell Pioneers were victorious once again over the long-time rival Cody Cubs, claiming a second straight state championship, 5-4.

POWELL 5, CODY 4 (F/8)

Heading into the contest, the Pioneers (47-18) held the advantage over the Cubs (38-21-1). Because the Pioneers had not lost a game in the state tourney, they would get a chance for a rematch if Cody won the first one.

But Powell still put one of its top pitchers on the mound in Cade Queen, while Cody put up Trey Schroeder.

“I knew I was getting the ball in the championship if everything went well since districts,” Queen said. “That’s what happened, I was looking forward to it. What a great opportunity, so I just went out there and fought every pitch.”

Top pitching didn’t slow down either team early.

Brock Johnson led off with a triple, getting in scoring position quickly. Queen then helped himself, using a deep sacrifice fly to allow Johnson to tag up and score, making it 1-0.

In a nearly identical scenario, Cody had an answer in the bottom of the first.

Jace Jarrett led off with a triple of his own, and later scored on a wild pitch to tie the score 1-1.

Powell threatened in the top of the second, after Cole Fauskee and Dalton Worstell singled, and Jordan Loera walked to load the bases with two outs.

A pop up ended the scoring threat, and both teams were unable to find many opportunities until the fourth inning.

Another leadoff triple, this time by Wyatt Carlson, gave the Cubs a serious scoring threat with no outs. When Queen then stumbled off the mound, a balk was called, scoring the run and giving Cody a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Powell had an answer.

Johnson was hit by a pitch to lead off, and Ethan Welch hit a sacrifice bunt to advance him to second. Johnson then stole third, before Queen once again helped himself with an RBI single and scored Johnson to make it 2-2.

The Cubs once again responded, and the Pioneers would later have to answer.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jarrett walked with one out and Trey Thomasson singled to put runners on the corners.

Schroeder flew out to Worstell in left field, who raced to get under it and held Jarrett from tagging up to score, putting Powell one out away from escaping.

However, Thomasson stole second, and a single by Kanin Phillips scored two runs, giving Cody a 4-2 lead.

Powell had another answer in top of the sixth.

Worstell reached on an error, and was joined by Jacob Gibson, who walked, and Loera who singled to load the bases with no outs.

Johnson hit an infield fly, but Powell got two runs when Welch was hit by a pitch. Queen hit into a fielder’s choice and Loera was thrown out advancing to third but Gibson scored to tie the game 4-4.

Powell was unable to get any more on the board, but finished the top half of the inning by putting Schroeder over the 105 pitch count.

One baserunner got on in the bottom half for Cody, but in a similar fashion, Queen reached his pitch count with two outs and Loera stepped on the mound.

“I was pretty nervous but I was confident in the team behind me,” Loera said. “We have great fielders; all I had to do was let them make plays and throw strikes. It ended up working out for us.”

Loera struck out the final batter and the teams were tied heading into the seventh.

Powell threatened first, now facing Jarrett on the mound.

Jhett Schwahn singled but was forced out on Fauskee’s fielder’s choice.

Fauskee was caught stealing second, but Worstell walked and Gibson singled to give Powell two on with two outs. Loera popped out, giving Cody the chance to win the game with a walk-off.

Loera stepped back on the mound, and two Cubs popped out in foul territory to Gibson to put Powell one out away from extra innings.

Schroeder and Phillips then singled, but Loera struck out Carlson and the teams went into the eighth inning tied 4-4.

“I knew I had to make up for not doing what I needed to do and made up for it,” Loera said. “It was going through my head a lot that I had to fix what I didn’t do in the inning before and it worked out for us.”

Johnson flew out to lead off, but Welch and Queen singled to get two runners on.

Stenerson stepped up, took a full count and launched the ball into center field.

Welch rounded home and scored with ease from second.

“I knew I was scoring off the bat — Trey smoked that ball,” Welch said. “I knew as soon as I crossed home plate we had Brock going out on the mound and we had sealed it right there.”

The throw home to Thomasson was in time and Queen was tagged out at the plate, but Stenerson’s RBI double gave Powell its first lead since the first inning.

“I was just thinking the same thing I always do, just doing what I’ve been taught my whole life,” Stenerson said.

With the lead in hand, the Pioneers still had one more ace up their sleeve. That ace was Johnson, the defending ‘A’ Pitcher of the Year.

Just a year ago, Johnson was unable to pitch in the state championship in Sheridan against Cody, after throwing one pitch too many the day prior against Douglas.

He stepped on the mound, striking out two straight batters with only one ball thrown.

That near perfect start was overshadowed when Johnson threw four straight balls and walked Easton Hartley, putting the tying run on first for the Cubs. But Johnson settled down quickly, throwing three straight strikes against Jayvin McAlmond, and the celebration began for the Pioneers.

“That’s how I’ve always wanted to end it. Going to see my boy [Schwahn] right after throwing, probably the best way to end it,” Johnson said. “It was a lot better feeling than throwing 31 against Douglas and not getting a chance against Cody [last year]. It’s a lot better to end it this way than that, that’s for sure.”

Queen led at the plate with three RBIs, while Welch and Stenerson each had one.

Queen gave up seven hits and struck out nine over 5 and 2/3 innings. Loera struck out two and gave up two hits in 1-1/3. Johnson was awarded the win after his three strikeouts in the eighth.

“I think the whole season they were just waiting to get to that state tournament,” Pioneers manager Jason Borders said. “That was their goal … This year I felt like they were focused, came out and did their job like they planned on.”

POSTSEASON ACTION

After winning the state championship, the Pioneers were given the option to participate in the Northwest Class ‘A’ Regional Tournament in Roseburg, Oregon, but respectfully declined the invite as several Pioneers were unable to attend due to prior commitments.

Following that decision, Borders said he will be taking Loera, Worstell and Aiden Greenwald to the Class ‘A’ All-Star game in Douglas this weekend.