Seniors to provide leadership to young squad

The Powell High School volleyball team started its season with two-a-day practices last week in preparation for the start of the season in Riverton on Friday and Saturday.

“All the girls worked hard this last week,” said PHS head coach Randi Bonander. “[The girls] focused on how to be grateful athletes, and now we are ready to get the season started.”

On the varsity team this year, the Lady Panthers have four seniors, three of whom are returning players: Alli Sommerville, Jordan Walsh and Brooke Sweet.

The fourth senior is Natalie Birdsley and coach Bonander said that she worked “hard in the offseason to add to our depth of our team this year.”

The Lady Panthers have five juniors on the roster, including two returning from last year’s varsity squad in Aubrie Stenerson and Rachel Bonander. Coach Bonander said both juniors “have experience from all of last season to add to our team this year.”

The other three juniors are Hartly Thorington, Jazlyn Haney and Natalie Ostermiller. Both Thorington and Haney have “tournament experience from last year,” said coach Bonander.

“There is some great talent coming up all the way down to the freshman team, which will help our JV and varsity teams develop all season,” Bonander said. “This last week was just as challenging as a coach for me — especially when you have 50 girls try out for the team, but the expertise of my assistants, JV coach Tasha Miller and freshman coach George Laughlin, helped tremendously.”

The Lady Panther volleyball team will open the season with an invitational in Riverton on Friday and Saturday. Powell will travel to Lovell on Tuesday, Aug. 29, to play at 5 p.m.

The volleyball team’s first home game will be against Billings Senior on Sept. 12 at 5 p.m.

The 3A West Regional Tournament will be Oct. 27-28 in Riverton and the 3A State Tournament will be in Casper Nov. 2-4.

Friday - Saturday, Aug. 25-26

Riverton Invitational, TBD

Tuesday, Aug. 29

At Lovell, 6 p.m.

Friday - Saturday, Sept. 1-2

MT/WY Border War at Cody, noon on Sept. 1, 8 a.m. on Sept. 2

Friday, Sept. 8

Rawlins Invitational, noon

Saturday, Sept. 9

Rawlins Invitational, 8 a.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 12

Home vs. Billings Senior, 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 15

At Buffalo, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 19

Home vs. Worland, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 21

At Cody, 6 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 29

Home vs. Lander, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 30

Home vs. Riverton, 1 p.m.

Friday - Saturday, Oct. 6-7

Conference Duals at Mountain View, TBD

Thursday, Oct. 12

Home vs Cody, 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 20

At Riverton, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 21

At Lander, 1 p.m.

Friday - Saturday, Oct. 27-28

3A West Regional Tournament at Riverton, TBD

Thursday - Saturday, Nov. 2-4

3A State Tournament in Casper, TBD