Panther soccer team advances to championship game

Posted 5/17/19

For the first time in school history, the Powell High School boys soccer team will play for a state title.

On Friday, the Panthers beat Riverton 1-0 to advance to the Class 3A championship game.

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Panther soccer team advances to championship game

Members of the Powell High School boys' soccer team celebrate their 1-0 win over Riverton on Friday evening at the Class 3A state tournament. The win puts PHS in Saturday's championship game.

Tribune photo by Carla Wensky

PHS freshman Hawkin Sweeney kicks the ball toward the Riverton goal during Friday's semi-final game of the state tournament, being played in Jackson.

Tribune photo by Carla Wensky

Posted Friday, May 17, 2019 10:24 pm

By Tribune Staff

For the first time in school history, the Powell High School boys soccer team will play for a state title.

On Friday, the Panthers beat Riverton 1-0 to advance to the Class 3A championship game on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Hawkin Sweeney scored PHS's lone goal on a penalty kick early in the second half. Thanks to the Panther defense, that was enough against the Wolverines (7-10-1).

Friday's semi-final game was strikingly similar to Thursday's opening contest, in which the Powell boys also used a Sweeney penalty kick to beat Rawlins 1-0.

For the Panthers (13-4-1) to claim their first-ever state title, they'll have to pull off an upset against a familiar foe: the No. 1-ranked Worland Warriors, who are a perfect 17-0 on the season. Worland opened the state tournament with a 5-0 drubbing of Douglas, then followed it up with a decisive 4-0 win over Buffalo.

When the Panthers and Warriors hit the field at 3 p.m. Saturday, it will be the fourth matchup of the season between the squad. Worland took the first three games — 2-1, 3-0 and 1-0 — but PHS Head Coach Dave Gilliatt said going into the tournament that he wouldn't mind another shot at the Warriors.

No matter what happens in the 3A championship game, the Powell boys have already had the strongest showing in program history. Prior to this week, the Panthers' best performance at state had been a consolation title in 2011.