{gallery}05_27_10/soccer{/gallery}Powell senior Jason Rand, shown here attempting to keep the ball away from Cody during a regular-season contest, was one of three Panthers to earn all-state recognition in boys' soccer for the 2010 season. Tribune photo by Randal Horobik Coach comments on state tournament playThree members of the 2010 Powell High School boys' soccer team received all-state recognition and five others earned all-conference accolades. The awards were announced following the conclusion of the 2010 state soccer tournament. Senior Jason Rand and junior Dan Katz were both named all-state first-team selections in Class 3A for the season. Junior goalkeeper John Kissner earned all-state second-team honors for the Panthers, who went 1-2 during this year's 3A state championships.

Joining that trio on the Panthers' list of post-season honorees were Drayson Bratt and Monte Nickles, both of whom were named to the all-conference first team. Greg Randolph, Keithen Schwahn and Cooper Wise were all named to the 3A West second team.

Nickles and Bratt are both seniors, while the other three were all sophomores this past season. Bratt was injured mid-season for the Panthers.

“This team is the best one I have ever had in terms of truly treating each other as teammates,” said Panther coach Pat D'Alessandro. “That was really put to the test this past weekend because everyone wanted so badly to do well. I will forever be grateful for this group of seniors as they legitimately moved Powell soccer to a competitive level that other coaches respect. They were not shy in setting high goals of winning a state title.”

The Panthers opened state tournament play with a 2-0 loss to eventual state champion Buffalo.

“We needed to man mark their underclassman of the year and Cooper Wise did an outstanding job of this,” said D'Alessandro. “He got loose one time at the end of the first half and got a shot off that John (Kissner) stopped, but when we tried to clear out the rebound, it hit off another player and went into the goal —bad break.”

On Friday, the Panthers got two goals from Nickles and two more for Reed Hackworth to post a 4-0 victory over Newcastle and advance to the consolation final contest.

“It was actually a lackluster game,” said D'Alessandro. “We did enough to win 4-0, but didn't really play well.”

On Saturday, the Panthers fell 1-0 to Lander. The two schools had met during the regular season with Powell picking up a 3-0 victory.

“Lander made some positional changes and looked like a different team (from the one that played in Powell),” said D'Alessandro. “They took Worland to overtime before losing in the first round. We didn't play well in the first half, but our defense with Dan Katz, Levi Anderson, Dewey Schwahn, Andrew Miasso and Jake Christensen kept us in the game.”

The Panthers' coach said his team played the first half too “flat-footed” and was slow to the ball.

Lander's goal came early in the second half and provided the wake-up call the Panthers needed. Powell released numerous shots on the net, but were unable to beat the Tigers' keeper to tie the scoreboard.

“We came back and played well,” said D'Alessandro. “We outplayed Lander for most of the half, but just weren't able to finish putting the ball in the net.”

Jason Rand provided the Panthers' with their best chance for a score, bending a ball from 20 yards out just wide of the far post.

“The next step to take as a program is a tough one,” said D'Alessandro, whose team finished the year with a 7-8-2 mark this year. “Instead of losing 1-0 to Cody and Lander, or 2-0 to Buffalo, we need to start winning our share of these games. It will be an uphill battle, because the best teams in the state all have strong youth club programs. Jackson even has a paid director of coaching for their club teams.”