With the exception of a lone unknown voter who doesn’t think they’re worthy of a place in the top five, the Powell Panther football team was a near-unanimous choice as the No. 1 team in Class 3A this week. Powell received 22 of 23 first-place votes in the latest Wyopreps coaches and media poll.

Panther defense blanks Jackson

Entering Friday night, the challenge for Powell’s defense was simple — slow down the leading rushing attack in Class 3A football. Jackson entered the contest averaging nearly 6 yards per carry and 265 yards on the ground per game.

Mission accomplished.

Powell Panthers ascend to No. 1 in 3A Standings

There’s a new sheriff in town as the Powell Panther football team moved into the top spot in the Wyopreps.com coaches and media football poll this week. The Panthers become the third school in five weeks to sit atop the poll.

The Panthers remained unbeaten with a 49-0 thrashing of Torrington last Friday. The team opens 3A West conference play this week with a 6 p.m. game against Jackson. The Broncs bring a 2-1 mark into that fray.

The Panthers received 24 out of 30 first-place votes in this week’s poll. Three more pollsters listed Powell second. The team also received one third-place vote and one fourth-place vote. One ballot submitted did not place Powell in the top five.

Sitting in second place behind the Panthers is Buffalo (2-1). The Bison received three first-place votes and moved up three spots in the rankings after a 17-14 overtime victory over previous No. 1 Green River last Friday.

Speaking of Green River, the Wolves slid to No. 3 following their defeat. The loss didn’t dissuade one voter in the state from continuing to keep Green River atop their ballot.

No. 4 Lander (3-0) and No. 5 Douglas (2-1) received the only other No. 1votes cast this week. Douglas, the preseason No. 1 team in the state,  slid two spots in the poll despite winning its game last Friday.

Riverton, Cody and Worland also received votes in this week’s poll.

Other updated polls this week:

Class 3A volleyball
1. Douglas (15-6), 2. Lander (17-2-1), 3. Cody (9-5), 4. Wheatland (14-9), 5. Torrington (8-5-1).

NJCAA volleyball
1. Western Nebraska (14-0), 2. Western Wyoming (17-0), 3. Blinn (20-0), 4. Tyler (15-0), 5. College of Southern Idaho (11-5), 6. San Jacinto-Central (16-3), 7. Salt Lake (13-4), 8. Iowa Western (17-2), 9. Eastern Arizona (13-3), 10. Miami Dade (4-3), 11. Paris (16-3), 12. Northeastern (12-4), 13. North Idaho (11-6), 14. Seminole State (16-2), 15. Barton (9-4), 16. Wallace State-Hanceville (14-0), 17. Seward County (11-2), 18. Navarro (14-2), 19. New Mexico Military (17-7), 20. College of Central Florida (16-3).

Receiving votes: Arizona Western, Central Wyoming, Clarendon, Hillborough, John A. Logan, Kaskaskia, Mineral Area, Missouri State-West Plains, Panola, Sheridan.

NJCAA men’s soccer
1. Barton (7-1), 2. Darton (6-1), 3. Schoolcraft (8-0), 4. Iowa Western (8-0), 5. Tyler (3-1-1), 6. Monroe (4-0), 7. Yavapai (7-0-2), 8. Georgia Perimeter (7-1), 9. College of DuPage (9-0), 10. Jefferson (8-0), 11. Western Texas (9-0), 12. Otero (5-1-1), 13. North Iowa Area (7-1), 14. Mercer County (3-1), 15. Cloud County (4-0-2), 16. Arizona Western (5-2), 17. Lincoln Land (7-1), 18. College of Southern Maryland (4-0), 19. Pima (5-2-1), 20. Chandler-Gilbert (5-2-1)

Receiving votes: CCBC-Essex, Cincinnati State Technical, Indian Hills-Ottumwa, Oakton, San Jacinto-South.

NJCAA women’s soccer
1. Paradise Valley (7-0), 2. Tyler (6-0), 3. Georgia Perimeter (4-0), 4. Monroe (5-1-1), 5. Butler (6-1-1), 6. Laramie County (9-1), 7. Anne Arundel (6-0), 8. Southwestern Illinois (6-1-1), 9. Iowa Western (6-3), 10. Johnson County (6-2-2), 11. Brevard (4-1), 12. North Idaho (4-0), 13. Louisburg (7-0), 14. Parkland (7-0), 15. Pearl River (7-1).

Receiving votes: Community College of Rhode Island, Scottsdale, Western Texas.

Weekend fundraisers to help Alexa Lazar-Minnix

The Hitting 4 Hometown Heroes charity softball tournament will take place this weekend at Powell’s Homesteader Park. The event will raise funds to help defray hospital expenses for Alexa (Lexi) Lazar-Minnix to receive treatment at Craig Hospital in Denver.

The Powell High School football team scored a big road win on Friday night, blanking Torrington 49-0 on a game that doubled as homecoming night for the Trailblazers. The win improved the No. 2 Panthers to 3-0 this season.

The Powell High School football team scored a big road win on Friday night, blanking Torrington 49-0 on a game that doubled as homecoming night for the Trailblazers. The win improved the No. 2 Panthers to 3-0 this season.

Five earn All Conference honors

Talk about picking a good time to play your best golf.

NWC tops LCCC, falls to Eastern

After waiting for nearly a month, the Northwest College volleyball team finally had an opportunity to play before a home crowd last weekend. The Trappers swept Laramie County Community College 3-0 on Friday, but saw a rally fall just short in a 3-2 loss to Eastern Wyoming.

Season opens strong for NWC rodeo team

Northwest College came within 60 points — the equivalent of a third-place finish — from knocking off defending women’s national champion Montana State University on Saturday as college rodeo season opened in Cody last weekend. After two full rodeos, three Trappers currently sit atop the Big Sky Region standings.

The college football landscape is changing. Again. Still.

There was a brief window of time where it appeared everything had settled down this off-season. Nebraska to the Big Ten. Colorado to the PAC-12. TCU to the Big East. BYU out the door to independence and Nevada and Fresno State into the Mountain West. That was supposed to be the end of the drama.