Special teams collapse puts PHs in must-win situation FridayForget what the schedule says. Ignore that the Wyoming High School Activities Association won't acknowledge the start of the 3A football postseason until next week. For Powell, the football playoffs begin this Friday in Lander. A complete collapse in special teams play last Friday night overshadowed an almost 300-yard passing night by sophomore quarterback Keithen Schwahn and led to a 38-31 Cody win in the Park County rivalry contest. As a result, the Panthers will travel to Lander to battle the Tigers under the most simple of all postseason formulas. The winner earns the final 3A West playoff berth and continues playing. The loser calls it a year and starts thinking about basketball, swimming and wrestling. The do-or-die scenario was created after Cody sophomore Brady Gulde buried a dagger into the hearts of Panther faithful last Friday in the form of a 90-yard kickoff return for the game-winning touchdown with 1:30 to play. Gulde's return came after the Panthers' eight-play, 81-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 31-31. Earlier in the night, the sophomore burned Powell's coverage unit for an 86-yard touchdown return. He also played a key role in a pair of successful fake punts executed by the visiting Broncs, both of which eventually led to Cody scores. “I have never, ever, seen special teams play like ours tonight,” said a hoarse Powell head coach Jim Stringer after the contest. “That was pathetic. I really don't know what more to say about it.”Cody's complete disregard for the Panthers' kick coverage unit began just minutes into the contest. After the Broncs' initial drive appeared to stall with a fourth-and-8 at the Powell 36, Gulde took a snap in punt formation and scrambled around the right side of the line for a 15-yard gain and a first down. The play bore an eerie similarity to a momentum-turning fake punt executed the previous week by Worland.One play later, the Broncs beat Powell's secondary on a slant route that turned into a 21-yard touchdown play. The Panthers got on the board late in the first period, thanks to a Drayson Bratt 38-yard field goal. Powell added a 55-yard scoring drive to begin the second quarter, punctuated by Trent Gillett's five-yard run, to take its first lead of the night. After Cody drove for a 34-yard field goal to tie the score, the Panthers' passing game began to hit stride. Powell needed just eight plays to cover 71 yards and retake the lead. Passes from Schwahn to Cooper Wise and Devin Jordan accounted for more than half the distance while Schwahn carried the ball for the final 17 yards on a designed quarterback draw for a 17-10 Powell lead. Cody answered with a 10-yard touchdown run just 63 seconds before the half, leveling the score for intermission. The back and forth flow of the game continued throughout the second half. Powell took the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards, scoring when Schwahn hooked up with Sullivan on a simple crossing route that the junior receiver turned into a 45-yard touchdown by splitting the Cody secondary after the catch. Fifteen seconds later, Cody was celebrating the first of Gulde's two kickoff return touchdowns. The Broncs got their first lead of the second half early in the fourth quarter. Like Cody's first score of the game, the touchdown required a bit of trickery on a fourth-and-8 fake punt — this time in the form of a 39-yard pass completion that got the ball down to the Panther 5. Two plays later, the Broncs were celebrating in the end zone with a 31-24 lead. The margin would hold up until the Panthers got the ball at their own 19 with less than five minutes to play to piece together the late-game drive that culminated with Gillett's second touchdown run of the night and set the stage for Gulde's return heroics. The Panthers' last-ditch effort to travel 71 yards in the final 1:23 for a possible tying touchdown came to an end near midfield when the Broncs snared their only interception of the night. As has been the case during the team's two previous losses, the Panthers out-yarded their opponents in the contest. Powell outgained Cody by a 387-236 final count and enjoyed a 67-42 edge in plays. Schwahn finished with more than 300 yards of total offense, including 286 passing yards as he completed 18 of his 25 attempts in the contest. Both Jordan and Sullivan finished with more than 100 yards receiving in the contest. Jordan proved to be Schwahn's favorite target of the night, pulling down seven balls for 114 yards. Sullivan gained 106 yards on his five receptions. While the passing game clicked, Powell's rushing attack had to struggle for every inch. Powell gained just 101 yards as the result of 42 rushing attempts in the game. Fabio Soto proved to be the most productive of the Panthers' ball carriers, gaining 39 yards on five carries. Defensively, Powell was led by Auston Carter's 13 points, which came as the result of two solo and nine assisted tackles. Gillett added 12 points off two solo and eight assisted tackles. The loss drops Powell to 4-3 overall this season and 1-3 against 3A West opponents. Powell travels to Lander (3-4, 1-3) for a 7 p.m. contest this Friday. The winner earns a spot on the eight-team 3A playoff bracket and a first-round trip to Douglas the following week.

Special teams collapse puts PHs in must-win situation Friday

Forget what the schedule says. Ignore that the Wyoming High School Activities Association won't acknowledge the start of the 3A football postseason until next week.

For Powell, the football playoffs begin this Friday in Lander.

A complete collapse in special teams play last Friday night overshadowed an almost 300-yard passing night by sophomore quarterback Keithen Schwahn and led to a 38-31 Cody win in the Park County rivalry contest. As a result, the Panthers will travel to Lander to battle the Tigers under the most simple of all postseason formulas.

The winner earns the final 3A West playoff berth and continues playing. The loser calls it a year and starts thinking about basketball, swimming and wrestling.

The do-or-die scenario was created after Cody sophomore Brady Gulde buried a dagger into the hearts of Panther faithful last Friday in the form of a 90-yard kickoff return for the game-winning touchdown with 1:30 to play. Gulde's return came after the Panthers' eight-play, 81-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 31-31.

Earlier in the night, the sophomore burned Powell's coverage unit for an 86-yard touchdown return. He also played a key role in a pair of successful fake punts executed by the visiting Broncs, both of which eventually led to Cody scores.

“I have never, ever, seen special teams play like ours tonight,” said a hoarse Powell head coach Jim Stringer after the contest. “That was pathetic. I really don't know what more to say about it.”

Cody's complete disregard for the Panthers' kick coverage unit began just minutes into the contest. After the Broncs' initial drive appeared to stall with a fourth-and-8 at the Powell 36, Gulde took a snap in punt formation and scrambled around the right side of the line for a 15-yard gain and a first down. The play bore an eerie similarity to a momentum-turning fake punt executed the previous week by Worland.

One play later, the Broncs beat Powell's secondary on a slant route that turned into a 21-yard touchdown play.

The Panthers got on the board late in the first period, thanks to a Drayson Bratt 38-yard field goal. Powell added a 55-yard scoring drive to begin the second quarter, punctuated by Trent Gillett's five-yard run, to take its first lead of the night.

After Cody drove for a 34-yard field goal to tie the score, the Panthers' passing game began to hit stride. Powell needed just eight plays to cover 71 yards and retake the lead. Passes from Schwahn to Cooper Wise and Devin Jordan accounted for more than half the distance while Schwahn carried the ball for the final 17 yards on a designed quarterback draw for a 17-10 Powell lead.

Cody answered with a 10-yard touchdown run just 63 seconds before the half, leveling the score for intermission.

The back and forth flow of the game continued throughout the second half. Powell took the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards, scoring when Schwahn hooked up with Sullivan on a simple crossing route that the junior receiver turned into a 45-yard touchdown by splitting the Cody secondary after the catch.

Fifteen seconds later, Cody was celebrating the first of Gulde's two kickoff return touchdowns.

The Broncs got their first lead of the second half early in the fourth quarter. Like Cody's first score of the game, the touchdown required a bit of trickery on a fourth-and-8 fake punt — this time in the form of a 39-yard pass completion that got the ball down to the Panther 5.

Two plays later, the Broncs were celebrating in the end zone with a 31-24 lead. The margin would hold up until the Panthers got the ball at their own 19 with less than five minutes to play to piece together the late-game drive that culminated with Gillett's second touchdown run of the night and set the stage for Gulde's return heroics.

The Panthers' last-ditch effort to travel 71 yards in the final 1:23 for a possible tying touchdown came to an end near midfield when the Broncs snared their only interception of the night.

As has been the case during the team's two previous losses, the Panthers out-yarded their opponents in the contest. Powell outgained Cody by a 387-236 final count and enjoyed a 67-42 edge in plays. Schwahn finished with more than 300 yards of total offense, including 286 passing yards as he completed 18 of his 25 attempts in the contest.

Both Jordan and Sullivan finished with more than 100 yards receiving in the contest. Jordan proved to be Schwahn's favorite target of the night, pulling down seven balls for 114 yards. Sullivan gained 106 yards on his five receptions.

While the passing game clicked, Powell's rushing attack had to struggle for every inch. Powell gained just 101 yards as the result of 42 rushing attempts in the game. Fabio Soto proved to be the most productive of the Panthers' ball carriers, gaining 39 yards on five carries.

Defensively, Powell was led by Auston Carter's 13 points, which came as the result of two solo and nine assisted tackles. Gillett added 12 points off two solo and eight assisted tackles.

The loss drops Powell to 4-3 overall this season and 1-3 against 3A West opponents. Powell travels to Lander (3-4, 1-3) for a 7 p.m. contest this Friday. The winner earns a spot on the eight-team 3A playoff bracket and a first-round trip to Douglas the following week.