Weather impacted the 4A North Regional Tournament for the Powell High School tennis team, but the Panthers still placed two competitors on the girls’ side heading into the state tournament this week in Gillette.

Naomi Whipple led the way for the Powell girls, as she defeated Larissa Hoffman of Sheridan 6-2, 6-1 before losing to the eventual champion in Jackson’s Caroline Brokaw in the semifinals 6-1, 6-1.

“She played well. That’s what’s so interesting about tennis. You can have those lopsided results … But she got out there and competed well against her (Brokaw) and had some great points and good games,” coach Joe Asay said.

She rebounded with a win over Olivia Katschke of Thunder Basin 6-3, 6-4, before defeating Harper Jay of Natrona County 6-3, 6-4, to take third overall heading into state.

Aubrey Kelley was the other placer, as she lost her opening match to Margaret Tauren of Jackson 6-2, 6-3. She rebounded with a 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 win over Cody’s Kenley Stevens, and a 6-3, 5-7, 12-10 win over Campbell County’s Kylie Groves to reach the third place match.

Kelley fell again to Tauren 6-0, 6-0, finishing fourth.

“Just fun to see this new tennis player get out there and compete,” Asay said. “Not too bad to compete there in the regional tournament here in the north.”

The next best team for the Panthers was the No. 3 boys’ doubles, as Josh Waite and Lincoln Hull won their opening match over Ben Lass and Eli Howell of Thunder Basin 6-2, 6-4.

They fell to Andre Wei and Michael Hodnett of Sheridan in the semifinals 6-3, 6-3, before losing in the consolation semifinals to Jackson Lundberg and Hudson Palmer of Kelly Walsh 6-4, 6-3.

“Good to see them get a win there, and they’ll be ready to come back out and compete next week,” Asay said.

Calvin Opps also added a win at No. 2 singles, rebounding from an opening match loss to Cody’s Colby Beardall 6-2, 6-0.

He defeated Kaden Salas of Natrona County 6-1, 6-2, before losing to Blake Ligocki of Sheridan 6-3, 6-3.

Memphis Solberg at No. 1 singles, Emma Bear and Aubrey Bear at No. 1 doubles, Kazdyn Lee and David Stensing at No. 1 doubles, Ashlee Jacobsen and Addy Kelley at No. 2 doubles, Tucker Phillips and Anton Brostrom at No. 2 doubles as well as Brynn Kelley and Karen Richmond at No. 3 doubles all went 0-2 at regionals.

To end the season the Panthers return to Gillette this week, taking part in the Wyoming State Tennis Tournament starting on Thursday and concluding on Saturday.

Three of the Panthers will be seeded heading into the state tournament, with each matchup  coming against a south opponent, as every doubles team bar the No. 3 boys’ doubles face an opponent from Cheyenne Central in the opening round.

“We should be enjoying ourselves. I think we play better, we want to bring a certain level of intensity, but we also want to be loose,” Asay said. “We should be enjoying the process … I’m always excited to see how we can finish out the season and just reset. Everybody’s coming into the tournament with the same score, love-all. Excited to see them get out there and give it another go.”

4A NORTH REGIONAL RESULTS

3. Naomi Whipple (No. 1 singles) — Whipple def. Larissa Hoffman (Sheridan) 6-2, 6-1; Caroline Brokaw (Jackson) def. Whipple 6-1, 6-1; Whipple def. Olivia Katschke (Thunder Basin) 6-3, 6-4; Whipple def. Harper Jay (Natrona County) 6-3, 6-4

Memphis Solberg (No. 1 singles) — Leland Jenkins (Campbell County) def. Solberg 7-6 (7-0), 6-3; Landon Ramsey (Kelly Walsh) def. Solberg 6-1, 6-0

4. Aubrey Kelley (No. 2 singles) — Margaret Tauren (Jackson) def. Kelley 6-2, 6-3; Kelly def. Kenley Stevens (Cody) 6-4, 5-7, 10-8; Kelly def. Kylie Groves (Campbell County) 6-3, 5-7, 12-10; Tauren def. Kelly 6-0, 6-0

Calvin Opps (No. 2 singles) — Colby Beardall (Cody) def. Opps 6-2, 6-0; Opps def. Kaden Salas (Natrona County) 6-1, 6-2; Blake Ligocki (Sheridan) def. Opps 6-3, 6-3

Emma Bear/Aubrey Bear (No. 1 doubles) — Avery Ligocki/Gabby Greer (Sheridan) def. Bear/Bear 6-1, 6-0; Elleanor Keller/Anja Kauffman (Natrona County) def. Bear/Bear 6-3, 6-1

Kazdyn Lee/David Stensing (No. 1 doubles) — Andrew Howell/Carter Rodgers (Thunder Basin) def. Lee/Stensing 6-2, 6-4; Kyle Miller/Bridger Haigler (Natrona County) def. Lee/Stensing 6-3, 6-2

Ashlee Jacobsen/Addy Kelley (No. 2 doubles) — Abby Hagar/Kaidence Boyles (Kelly Walsh) def. Jacobsen/Kelley 6-2, 6-0; Abbey Edwards/Josey Corso (Cody) def. Jacobsen/Kelley 6-3, 6-1

Tucker Phillips/Anton Brostrom (No. 2 doubles) — Nathan Danford/Jeremiah Martin (Natrona County) def. Phillips/Brostrom 6-3, 6-3; John Bell/Dane Despain (Cody) def. Phillips/Brostrom 7-6 (7-4), 6-1

Brynn Kelley/Karen Richmond (No. 3 doubles) — Hailey Larson/Mackenzie Nokes (Kelly Walsh) def. Kelly/Richmond 6-0, 6-0; Brynlee Griffis/Willow Crump (Thunder Basin) def. Kelly/Richmond 6-2, 6-1

Lincoln Hull/Josh Waite (No. 3 doubles) — Hull/Waite def. Ben Lass/Eli Howell (Thunder Basin) 6-2, 6-4; Andre Wei/Michael Hodnett (Sheridan) def. Hull/Waite 6-3, 6-3; Jackson Lundberg/Hudson Palmer (Kelly Walsh) def. Hull/Waite 6-4, 6-3

STATE MATCHUPS

No. 1 singles — No. 3N Naomi Whipple vs. Addie Aanerud (Rock Springs); Memphis Solberg vs. No. 2S Cody Litynski (Laramie)

No. 2 singles — No. 4N Aubrey Kelley vs. Addyson Miller (Cheyenne East); Calvin Opps vs. No. 4S Henry Shuman (Laramie)

No. 1 doubles — Emma Bear/Aubrey Bear vs. No. 1S Lia Schaffer/Zuri Saunders (Cheyenne Central); Kazdyn Lee/David Stensing vs. No. 1S Landon Jones/Michael Smedley (Cheyenne Central)

No. 2 doubles — Ashlee Jacobsen/Addy Kelley vs. No. 1S Kamaile Reed/Taylor Trautwein (Cheyenne Central); Tucker Phillips/Anton Brostrom vs. No. 2S Kaden Kean/Keegan Schmidt (Cheyenne Central)

No. 3 doubles — Brynn Kelley/Karen Richmond vs. No. 1S Sakura Joelson/Harley McRady (Cheyenne Central); Lincoln Hull/Jost Waite vs. Ashton Winters/Blake Love (Cheyenne East)