A year removed from a team that fielded 38 players, Powell Middle School eighth grade football coach Bryan Bonander knew it would be difficult for the Cubs to threepeat as conference champions when 17 kids came out to play this fall.

The team became even thinner throughout the season, with several players quitting, and the team ended the year with only 14 players available for the final game.

The Cubs’ season did not start out the best, as they lost their first game 16-14 to Riverton.

“We were still just trying to figure out who plays where and we were not really ready,” Bonander said.

The team followed that up with a matchup against the rival Cody Broncs, which turned out to be what Bonander felt was likely the best game in the state on the season.

The Cubs played Cody in an earlier scrimmage and Bonander said the Powell squad had gotten stomped. But they came back out for revenge two weeks later.

Powell’s Cubs trailed 34-14 heading into halftime, but came back and shut out Cody in the second half to take the lead with three seconds left to win the game, 40-34.

The Cubs continued that momentum, going on to allow only 20 points in their next four games, beating Worland 20-8, Lovell 20-12, Lander 20-0 and Sheridan via forfeit.

“Our kids were well-conditioned. They worked hard in practice,” Bonander said. “I told them if we can keep it close in the second half and give yourselves a chance we can hang with any team.”

Throughout the season, the Cubs were led by dual-threat quarterback Caden Nelson. The team had the freedom to run a lot of run-pass option (RPO) plays throughout the season.

Nelson was complimented by his receivers Nathan Preator and Taeson Schultz, and his line on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, including Mason Coombs, Rowan Diaz, Landon Hyde and Gabe Weimer.

This was the eighth grade program’s third straight conference title, and sixth in eight years.