Panthers tame Tigers in 58-6 win

Posted 11/1/16

“It’s a playoff game — you’ve got to come out guns blazing,” Chanler Buck, PHS head coach, said of the win. “I thought we took care of business early and executed in all aspects of the game.”

Lander received the ball first and was …

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Panthers tame Tigers in 58-6 win

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Powell to host Green River Wolves at 7 p.m. Friday

The Powell High School football team delivered a 58-6 pummeling to Lander in the first round of the playoffs on Friday night, allowing the team to advance to this week’s semi-final round.

“It’s a playoff game — you’ve got to come out guns blazing,” Chanler Buck, PHS head coach, said of the win. “I thought we took care of business early and executed in all aspects of the game.”

Lander received the ball first and was forced to go three-and-out.

On the first play of Powell’s opening drive, Panther running back T.J. Abraham carried the ball for 10 yards for a first down. On the next play, Mason Olsen kept it and ran 58 yards for the Panthers first touchdown of the night.

Brekyn Herd made the PAT, making the score 7-0 with 9:54 left in the first quarter.

Lander was forced to go three-and-out on its next possession, too, and the Panthers proceeded to go 95 yards for their second touchdown.

This 95-yard drive included 18 yards rushed by Abraham, a 19-yard pass from Mason Olsen to Carson Heinen and a 6-yard pass to Jon Morrow before Olsen ran 44 yards for the score.

The Tigers were able to get their first, first down of the evening on their third possession, but it would be their only one of the first quarter.

The Panthers took the ball over at their own 34-yard line after blocking a Tigers field goal attempt.

PHS once again marched the ball down the field to score a touchdown, highlighted by a 22-yard pass from Olsen to Brekyn Herd and capped by an Abraham TD run.

At the end of the Powell-dominated first quarter, the score was 20-0.

The Panthers amassed a total of six first downs and 169 rushing yards in 12 carries; Lander managed only 24 rushing yards on eight carries.

Powell would finish the game with 18 first downs, 561 yards — 406 of those on the ground — and only two punts; Lander had seven first downs and 279 yards — 69 rushing and 70 passing — and punted six times.

By “putting points on the board and executing well early in the game,” Buck said his team “gave those kids an opportunity — some of those younger juniors, sophomores and even freshmen — the time that was deserved. So very pleased to see that.”

Josh Wolfe scored Panther touchdown No. 4 with 6:20 left in the second quarter. About three minutes later, Abraham scored touchdown No. 5, making the score 34-0 going into the half.

The Tigers received a Garrett Stutzman kickoff to start the second half. They were forced to punt again after Zach Easum and Eli Briggs sacked the Lander quarterback on third and 8.

On their first possession of the half, the Panthers once again marched the ball down the field to score.

Touchdown No. 6 came on a 29-yard run by Abraham with 7:13 left in the third, making the score 41-0.

Lander scored its only touchdown of the night with 11:57 left in the game and missed the PAT to make it 41-6.

Abraham then returned the ensuing kickoff for 82 yards, and was brought down at the 4 yard line. A.J. Lewis scored touchdown No. 7 a few seconds later to up Powell's advantage to  48-6.

Wolfe scored the eighth and final touchdown on a 63-yard carry with 8:13 left in the game. With 55 seconds left in the game, Brekyn Herd made a 24-yard field goal, making the final score 58-6. Brekyn Herd went seven out of eight on PATs for the night.

On offense, Powell had three players rush for over a hundred yards.

Abraham racked up 114 yards on 14 carries, Wolfe had 12 carries for 147 yards and Olsen had 143 yards rushing and 47 yards passing. Nate MaGill had two punts that totaled 66 yards, while Stutzman booted the ball 394 yards on his kickoffs.

Brooks Asher led the defense with 22 defensive points: six assisted tackles, two unassisted tackles, two tackles for a loss and two sacks.

Close behind was Lewis with 20 points on nine assisted tackles, one unassisted tackle and three tackles for a loss.

Abraham and Briggs tied at 11 defensive points. Abraham had four assisted tackles, two unassisted and one tackle for a loss. Briggs had three assisted tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.

Tying at 10 defensive points were Easum and MaGill; Easum had two sacks, one assisted tackle and one tackle for a loss. MaGill two assisted tackles, one unassisted tackle and two tackles for a loss.

Collecting nine defensive points each were Max Gallagher and Reese Karst. Gallagher had three assisted tackles, two for a loss. Karst had three assisted tackles and three unassisted tackles.

Overall, Powell had 19 players with defensive points, including: Jon Morrow, Brekyn Herd, Shattuck Swenson, Kanyon Gann, Josh Wolfe, Mason Olsen, Carson Olsen, Zach Meredith, Carson Heinen, Dalton Woodward, Terrance McLaughlin, Ethan Asher, and Brody Karhu.

Powell will host Green River at 7 p.m. Friday for the semi-final game.

“They are a very good football team,” Buck said of the Wolves.

Green River dealt Powell its only conference loss this year.

“They deserve to be in the semis, but we deserve to play them again” said Buck. “So we’re excited. I know the boys are excited for that.”

It’s the playoffs, it’s a new season and the Panthers are a different team, PHS coaching staff said.

Friday night’s game is a WHSAA-sanctioned event. Gate admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

The winner in Powell will play the winner of a Douglas/Star Valley game for the 3A state championship in Laramie on Nov. 11.

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