Winning a state championship doesn’t come without a number of sacrifices and hard work on and off the field. And with nine seniors leaving following a second straight state title, the Powell Pioneers have a lot to celebrate with a strong outgoing senior class.

“It was a blast,” Cade Queen said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world because we’ve been through ups and downs, injuries, arguments and everything. At the end of the day, we’re here, we’re state champions and we’re just brothers.”

WORKING BACK

This senior class of Pioneers has seen a number of struggles throughout the years. One of those seniors, Devin Kokkeler, worked his way back from a torn ACL last year. 

He returned to the field this year to earn some playing time after watching the team win a state title from the stands in Sheridan last year.

“Getting injured last year and having to sit on the side in the bleachers and watching them win state felt cool and all, but it feels better to do it with them,” Kokkeler said. “We’ve all been around each other since we were little kids, we’ve kept the same bonds and had fun while doing it.”

Another senior who suffered an injury was Jacob Gibson, who hurt his throwing shoulder early in the season but battled throughout the year to share time at first base.

He brought the energy with his bat, while also pitching at the state tournament against Cody in the winners’ bracket semifinal.

“It was tough in the beginning with the shoulder injury and not pitching like I wanted to. I just knew I had to go help my team any way I could and I woke up the bat pretty good this year, especially later in the year it came around,” Gibson said. “We played a lot of good teams … I think we really sent a message with those Casper and Cody games that we are still on top and we showed it.”

Another injury the Pioneers dealt with came to one of the heroes from last year’s state championship. Although he wasn’t able to take the mound at this year’s tourney, Dalton Worstell battled through a knee injury to continue contributing for Powell at the plate and in the outfield.

“It’s definitely bittersweet knowing that this will be the last time we will all play together and possibly see each other like this again. We worked hard for it and it paid off in the end,” Worstell said. “Definitely had some rough spots, just tried to clear my head, think positive and go to try and have fun. This was really it, so why waste it.”

The final injury to this Pioneer team came late in the season, when catcher Jhett Schwahn suffered a rattlesnake bite while hiking Heart Mountain in mid-July.

It was uncertain whether he’d catch again this year, but Schwahn returned behind the dish and caught all five state tournament games — including the final strike from Johnson in the championship game.

“Walking was my first stepping stone and as things progressed I was blessed to be out there,” Schwahn said, who also threw the final out in last year’s state championship game. “It’s been amazing to catch him [Johnson] and get to know every single aspect of his game and working together. Last year when I threw the last pitch I went and found him, so it was cool to have that same moment right at the end.”

PITCHING PROWESS

Apart from 5-2/3 innings from junior Jordan Loera, Powell had seniors pitching all tournament. Those decisions were made by the players over breakfast each morning.

Aiden Greenwald played a key part for the Pioneers by pitching a five-inning shutout against Casper in the second-to-last game.

“I had a lot of confidence in my team behind me and a lot of confidence going in. We talked that morning and they decided they wanted me to pitch, so I had a lot of confidence,” Greenwald said. “We did it last year at state, too. We had breakfast each morning and talked about who we wanted to pitch and who we wanted to relieve and go from there. They’re my boys and I’ve played with them forever.”

In total the five seniors pitched for the Pioneers: Greenwald, Gibson, Johnson, Queen and Trey Stenerson. They threw 26 total innings, giving up only eight earned runs as a team, striking out 37 and walking seven total batters.

“Strength of schedule helped us a lot, playing better teams,” Johnson said. “[Beating Cody], it’s the best. We wouldn’t want it to be against anybody else.”

TIGHT-KNIT TEAM

For many of these players, claiming another state championship in front of their home crowd, against their cross county rivals, represented a culmination of a journey that started when they were little kids.

“I think this final win meant something huge. It’ll be something we remember forever throughout all of our lives,”  Stenerson said. “It was something special we got to spend with each other.”

Two seniors were part of that final run for the team, as Stenerson drove in Ethan Welch on an RBI double in the eighth inning of the title game, with the duo teaming up one last time.

“It feels really good to know I was a part of a good class and I’m honored to be a part of it,” Welch said.

Schwahn acknowledged the title was a fitting way for the nine seniors to wrap up their final season as Pioneers.

“Growing up with these guys has been so fun. It’s been amazing,” he said. “Couldn’t have gone out a better way.”