Set to face off with Worland Thursday The Powell Panther wrestlers pitched a shutout against Park County rival Cody Tuesday night.

Nine Panthers ended their bouts with pins, five of them in the first period to sail to a 76-0 win over the Broncs.

After Charles Wittick won by forfeit at 103, Luke Wozney and Cody's Tommy Emery locked up in one of the evening's closest matches. The two 112-pounders wrestled through two periods with no score, but early in the third period, Wozney scored with a reversal and held on for a 2-0 win. Jessee Craig followed with a 9-0 major and the Panthers led 16-0.

Zach Thiel scored the first fall of the match, ending his match at 125 with six seconds left in the second period and Olie Olson followed by pinning Bobby West in 3:35.

Colt Nix built a 4-0 lead through two periods, and held on for a 4-2 decision over Zach O'Dell at 135. Starting the third period in the neutral position, Nix went for a takedown, but O'Dell countered to score a takedown and nearly collect nearfall points. Nix was able to work his way out of the predicament to preserve the win.

From there on, it was all pins for the Panthers. Trent Gillett started the streak with a 45-second pin at 140 and Auston Carter finished his match 30 seconds into the second period at 145. Jimmy Seckman took advantage of a mistake by his 152-pound opponent to score a pin in 20 seconds, Cole Kary followed with another first-period pin at 160 and Beau Williams finished his 171-pound match in 3:26.

Cody forfeited to Danny Harris at 189 before Joe Lujan and Trevor Griffeth produced a pair of first period pins in nearly the same time. Lujan pinnned his opponent in 1:18 and Griffeth took only two seconds longer, ending his match in 1:20.

The Panthers face a much tougher task Thursday (today) when they take on the Worland Warriors in Worland. The Warriors are particularly tough in the lower weights, with defending state champion Jordan Osbon, his brother Matt Osbon, and Jared Leithead, both of whom won championships last week at Riverton's Ron Thon meet.

The Panthers defeated the Warriors in at a dual tournament in December, dominating the upper weights to take a 52-30 win, but lineups have changed since then and the dual promises to be a competitive affair.

The varsity match-up begins at 7 p.m. following JV wrestling in the Worland High School gym.