PHS boys’ soccer silenced

Posted 4/5/11

“What a disappointing week of soccer,” Rapp said. “We feel like we are a top five team. We play like we are a top five team, now it is time for us to start beating these top five teams we are playing.”

The Panthers gave winning their best …

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PHS boys’ soccer silenced

Posted

Lander, Cody shut out Panthers

First-year Powell boys’ soccer coach Travis Rapp senses a breakout game is coming. He just wishes it would get here soon.

Instead, the Panthers’ skipper was left shaking his head after his team dropped a 1-0 decision at Class 3A No. 2 Lander on Thursday and followed it with a 5-0 loss to No. 4 Cody on Saturday afternoon.

“What a disappointing week of soccer,” Rapp said. “We feel like we are a top five team. We play like we are a top five team, now it is time for us to start beating these top five teams we are playing.”

The Panthers gave winning their best shot at second-ranked Lander. The Panthers watched a pair of shots ricochet off the frame of the goal. A third shot beat the Lander keeper, only to be headed off the goal line by a Tiger defender to preserve the shut out.

That frustration continued on Saturday against Park County rival Cody.

Aided by a blustery south wind, the Panthers maintained possession in their offensive zone for a majority of the first half. Powell outshot the Broncs by a 6-3 count in those early minutes as Rapp again endured watching one Panther shot strike the side post of the goal while another caromed off the cross bar.

As a result, the Panthers trailed 1-0 at the intermission.

In the second half, with the wind in their face, the Panthers failed to match Cody’s attack. Powell surrendered four second-half goals to suffer their worst loss of the season.

“We started strong, but made some key mistakes defensively,” said Rapp. “If we give up 15 to 25 shots a game, it will always be tough to win. This game was closer than the 5-0 score. We just aren’t finishing on our end and we’re giving up mistakes on the defensive end.”

Saturday’s loss to Cody also represents the Panthers’ first game in Northwest quadrant play. Powell is now 1-5 overall and 0-1 in quadrant play that will be used for regional and state tournament seeding.

While the early schedule has been brutal for the Panthers, with games against the No. 1, 2 and 4 teams in the state rankings, it gets no easier. The Panthers host No. 5 Worland today (Tuesday) in another Northwest quadrant game.

“The boys are playing good, buying into the system and playing the game correctly,” Rapp said. “We have a lot of games between now and state, but we need to start putting away some of these opponents.”

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