Although it’d likely prefer to be building on a Class 3A state runner-up finish from a year ago, the Powell High School boys swimming team has a different objective this winter.

“We just want to work on building back up,” PHS coach Stephanie Warren said.

Warren’s goal for this season comes after a plethora of senior talent from last season’s group graduated. The 2014-15 Panthers will feature just three returning seniors and at least five freshmen on the 16-man roster.

Leading the Panther revival will be senior Ben Wetzel, who brings back a 500 freestyle state championship from last winter, as well as a second-place trophy in the 200 freestyle. Wetzel is aware of the Panthers’ youth movement, and is on board with helping his coach get the younger kids ready.

“As far as our team goes, we’ve got a lot of young kids. We lost a lot of talent from last year, so we went out and recruited some kids who hadn’t swam in a couple of years,” Wetzel said. “We’re just looking to build, and hopefully we can put together a pretty good team.”

Warren made a point of filling roster spots by bringing in kids who had experience swimming, but may have given it up prior to this season. Wetzel said because of that, getting those kids reacclimated with the sport will be key early on.

“Repeating last year’s performance ... I think that’s definitely asking a lot. We’re going to have to push really hard if we want to do that,” Wetzel said. “I think our biggest thing this year is, instead of coaching skill and technique, we’re going to have to coach swimming ... just everything about it ... teaching top to bottom and getting everyone built up and better and ready to go, rather than being able to refine and fine tune.”

Warren is hopeful that the younger swimmers can catch on quickly, especially with the veteran leadership of Wetzel and senior state qualifiers Alex Bjornestad and Billy Baker.

“I think our overall outlook is that we just want to see improvement in all of them,” Warren added. “We’re hoping that we’ll be able to stay strong like we were last year, but at the same time, knowing the strength that we lost from last year, we’re hoping the returners can step in and show the way for the young guys.”

Bjornestad returns looking to improve on his sixth-place (backstroke) and eighth-place (individual medley) state finishes from a year ago. And as far as the team goes, he expressed confidence in the freshman class.

“My individual goal is to make finals for both events this year, and finish at least in the top four in both,” Bjornestad said. “For the team, I’d like to see us top three [in state]. Yeah, we lost some strong seniors last year, but I think we gained some of that talent back with our freshmen. Hopefully they can fill those shoes.”

Baker’s performance last season was highlighted with a third-place medal in the state backstroke event. He also took seventh in the 50 freestyle. But he has bigger aspirations this season.

“I want to be a state champ, that’s my goal,” Baker said. “I sort of slacked off last year, and this year I’m taking it more seriously, getting after it more and practicing harder in general.”

For Wetzel, he hopes to repeat as champion in the 500, and break through the ceiling in the 200, but also has a record in his sights. Last season, his time of 5:00.47 in the 500 broke the PHS record of 5:07.98. Wetzel is looking to do one better this year, and hopes to break the 3A record of 4:47.50 set by Lander Valley High School alum Eric Moxley in 1998.

“That’s my goal. I want to break the record ... hopefully I’ll shatter it,” Wetzel said.

Warren will get her first real idea of where her team stacks up Friday when the Panthers host perennial powerhouse Lander Valley at 5 p.m. at the Powell Aquatic Center. The Tigers claimed state last season with 274.5 points, while PHS finished second with 195.5. Warren said the meet, and the Panthers’ other early events, will give her an idea of what the kids need to work on, and added that the plan is to start getting qualified for state.

“You look at what we did last year, as state runner-ups, and you think ‘Is that possible again?’ but without really seeing the other teams yet, it’s hard to say,” Warren said. “As far as Friday goes, home meets are always nice to start the season. Being in your own pool helps. And being here at home, we’re hoping to get as many kids qualified for state as posible, and then build off that.”