Panther golfers struggle on home course in one-day event

Unfortunately, there was no place like home for the Powell High School boys golf team.

Hosting the Class 3A State Tournament on Friday, “we suffered our worst day of the year by far,” said PHS coach Troy Hildebrand.

Normally, the Powell boys would have gotten a chance to rebound on day two of the tournament, but rain forced the cancellation of Saturday’s play, making state a one-day event.

PHS finished 11th among 13 teams.

“It was extremely disappointing to not get the opportunity to come back Saturday and finish the season on a better note,” Hildebrand said.

He chalked up the young team’s struggles to a mix of windy, wet and cold weather, nerves and an inability to overcome a bad shot or hole.

“I believe that this group will be able to use this experience as a tool to grow from and come back next fall stronger from it,” Hildebrand predicted, adding, “I am very excited about these young guys and I really think that, with a good summer, this could be a really good team over the next couple of years.”

Sophomore Reece Hackenberg was the lone Panther to break 100 on Friday, shooting 98.

“Reece did a great job of sticking with his round and battling to the end to keep his round in the 90’s,” Hildebrand said. The coach said Hackenberg grew tremendously from last year and “I am confident his best golf is ahead of (him).”

Junior Treven Keeler shot 107.

“Treven has shown some real bright spots this season

including a sub-90 round in Worland so I know that he will be ready for a strong senior season,” Hildebrand said.

Sophomore Bennett Walker also shot 107.

“Bennett has done a lot of very good things this fall and his game is getting better all of the time,” Hildebrand said. “He is only going to get bigger, stronger and more experienced over the next two years and I expect him to be an integral piece of our team.”

Sophomore Rob Sessions had a tough round of 108.

“I appreciate the work that Rob did on his game this summer and how far he has come from last fall but I know he will be chomping at the bit to get back out there and put this round behind him,” Hildebrand said. “I wish he would have had that chance Saturday.”

Freshman Crandell Sanders also posted a 108.

“He’ll take everything that he learned this fall and Friday and come back a much stronger player next year,” Hildebrand said, adding, “He had some real bright spots this fall but I know this is just the beginning of a long career.”

Wheatland’s boys won state, with their top four scores totaling 353. That edged Star Valley (357) and Thermopolis (358). Powell’s scores totaled 420.

Thermopolis’ Hudson Roling — a former Powell resident — took top individual honors with a round of 76, followed by a 78 from Wheatland’s Chase Cochran.

Led by medalist Macy Jacobson’s 81, Lander’s Lady Tigers best three scores totaled 289 to beat Buffalo by two shots. Cody (307) finished third.

Hildebrand said canceling the second round was a difficult decision, but with rain on Friday night and Saturday morning, “the golf course had reached a point where it was just unplayable for the field of 106 players.”

He praised the work and efforts of the Powell Golf Club staff — including pro Chris Jones and superintendent Frank Blacker — to try coming up with a solution for the second round.

“In the end, even though the weather shortened our tournament, I believe that the 14 teams that we hosted left feeling that the community of Powell had done everything in our power to make this a memorable tournament,” Hildebrand said. “It is a true blessing to live in a community that shows that commitment.”

More than two dozen community members served as markers on Friday, offering five hours of their day to help count players’ scores, Hildebrand said. He also thanked Powell school administrators and staff — including district superintendent Kevin Mitchell, PHS principal Jim Kuhn, athletic director Tim Wormald, activities secretary Vicki Walsh and teacher Mike Heny — for their support and help in running the event.

Hildebrand also thanked the Powell Athletic Roundtable for their “second to none” hospitality and sponsors Pepsi, First Bank of Wyoming, The Lamplighter, Sletten Construction, Big Horn Federal, The Powell Tribune, Titan Truss, Bank of Powell, Pinnacle Bank and Vision West.

“It never ceases to amaze me how much the people and businesses of Powell are willing to do and give to all types of organizations in Powell,” Hildebrand said.