PHS looks to clinch conference titleRacking up the points in the fourth quarter, the Powell High School girls' basketball team turned a close contest into a 55-43 conference win over Lander on Friday.The victory put the Lady Panthers' record at 16-3 overall, and 10-2 in Class 3A's Western Conference with two games remaining in the regular season. A Powell win against either Worland or Cody this weekend will clinch the conference's No. 1 seed in the regional tournament.“Our mission is to show up and play hard every night, and hopefully the scoreboard will reflect that at the end of the weekend,” said PHS head coach Luke Danforth.The team's second half play paid off last week with a 12-point win in a game that was tight for three quarters.Lander's Lady Tigers played without their second-leading scorer, Kristy Ragan, who is out for the season with a knee injury, but top scorer Ruthie O'Neal stepped up early. In the first half, O'Neal netted 18 of LHS' 24 points.With Lander shooting well and Powell having a tough time handling the ball, Danforth said the Lady Tigers were able to take a 24-21 lead at halftime.“Second half, I think we settled down a little bit,” said Danforth. The Lady Panther D held O'Neal to just six points in the final two quarters while PHS senior Hannah Pollart tallied 18.In the third quarter, Powell turned a three-point deficit into a two-point, 36-34, advantage, Danforth said. But as the last few seconds ran off the clock, Lander hit a 3-pointer, and just like that, PHS was again trailing, 37-36, entering the final period.Lander's lead would be short-lived, however, as the Lady Panthers opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run. “At that point, I thought the girls just did a good job taking care of the ball,” said Danforth. PHS made seven of nine fourth-quarter free throw attempts to put the game on ice.Danforth said the game was another example of the Lady Panthers' team-oriented play, with seven girls making contributions on offense and defense.As a team, Powell made a healthy 50 percent of their field goals (22 of 44 attempts from the floor), while holding Lander to just 35 percent shooting (18 of 51).Pollart led the PHS attack with 24 points, including making seven of eight free throws.Savannah Donarski joined her in double digits, scoring 14 points, and making it a double-double with 12 rebounds.Kami Cooley added 8 points, Katie Kipp 7, and Leslie Thronburg 2.Today (Thursday), PHS will host Worland in what will mark the last home game for seniors Pollart, Donarski, Cooley and Kipp. Danforth said the four girls will be missed when they depart the Panther program and appreciated the post-season, which he said is “a testament to their work not only as basketball players, but also as teammates.”The coach said he expects a strong effort from Worland's Lady Warriors (7-12 overall, 5-7 in conference play) in the 5:45 p.m. match-up.“They're going to show up here and try to make something happen,” he said.The regional rivalry continues in earnest on Friday with a 7:30 p.m. game with the Fillies (15-5, 8-4) in Cody.The two contests will close the regular season for PHS.“I anticipate both games being fiercely competitive,” said Danforth.The 3A West regional tournament is scheduled to begin March 4 in Lyman.Editor's note: This version of the story corrects the days that the Lady Panthers will play this week.

PHS looks to clinch conference title

Racking up the points in the fourth quarter, the Powell High School girls' basketball team turned a close contest into a 55-43 conference win over Lander on Friday.

The victory put the Lady Panthers' record at 16-3 overall, and 10-2 in Class 3A's Western Conference with two games remaining in the regular season. A Powell win against either Worland or Cody this weekend will clinch the conference's No. 1 seed in the regional tournament.

“Our mission is to show up and play hard every night, and hopefully the scoreboard will reflect that at the end of the weekend,” said PHS head coach Luke Danforth.

The team's second half play paid off last week with a 12-point win in a game that was tight for three quarters.

Lander's Lady Tigers played without their second-leading scorer, Kristy Ragan, who is out for the season with a knee injury, but top scorer Ruthie O'Neal stepped up early. In the first half, O'Neal netted 18 of LHS' 24 points.

With Lander shooting well and Powell having a tough time handling the ball, Danforth said the Lady Tigers were able to take a 24-21 lead at halftime.

“Second half, I think we settled down a little bit,” said Danforth. The Lady Panther D held O'Neal to just six points in the final two quarters while PHS senior Hannah Pollart tallied 18.

In the third quarter, Powell turned a three-point deficit into a two-point, 36-34, advantage, Danforth said. But as the last few seconds ran off the clock, Lander hit a 3-pointer, and just like that, PHS was again trailing, 37-36, entering the final period.

Lander's lead would be short-lived, however, as the Lady Panthers opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run.

“At that point, I thought the girls just did a good job taking care of the ball,” said Danforth. PHS made seven of nine fourth-quarter free throw attempts to put the game on ice.

Danforth said the game was another example of the Lady Panthers' team-oriented play, with seven girls making contributions on offense and defense.

As a team, Powell made a healthy 50 percent of their field goals (22 of 44 attempts from the floor), while holding Lander to just 35 percent shooting (18 of 51).

Pollart led the PHS attack with 24 points, including making seven of eight free throws.

Savannah Donarski joined her in double digits, scoring 14 points, and making it a double-double with 12 rebounds.

Kami Cooley added 8 points, Katie Kipp 7, and Leslie Thronburg 2.

Today (Thursday), PHS will host Worland in what will mark the last home game for seniors Pollart, Donarski, Cooley and Kipp. Danforth said the four girls will be missed when they depart the Panther program and appreciated the post-season, which he said is “a testament to their work not only as basketball players, but also as teammates.”

The coach said he expects a strong effort from Worland's Lady Warriors (7-12 overall, 5-7 in conference play) in the 5:45 p.m. match-up.

“They're going to show up here and try to make something happen,” he said.

The regional rivalry continues in earnest on Friday with a 7:30 p.m. game with the Fillies (15-5, 8-4) in Cody.

The two contests will close the regular season for PHS.

“I anticipate both games being fiercely competitive,” said Danforth.

The 3A West regional tournament is scheduled to begin March 4 in Lyman.

Editor's note: This version of the story corrects the days that the Lady Panthers will play this week.