Seth Romsa

The first portion of the school sports year has come to an end, with a lot of excitement surrounding athletics around Powell at the high school and college level.

Now starting at the top, I am not sure if I talked about the Powell Pioneers claiming a state title to end the summer, but that was one wild ride that mirrored a similar achievement just months later.

That title, alongside the Powell High School girls’ cross country team, ended droughts of 13 years to add to the Powell titles in 2023.

Both teams beat strong Cody opposition, ending streaks held by both programs that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Baseball had an incredible comeback, winning two games in a row in dramatic fashion, while the Panther cross country team used a deep roster to skirt past the Fillies in Cheyenne.

Both of those championship performances were stressful for me, having to survive through those two championship games and then making it to Cheyenne on four hours of sleep and running around a cross country route on a golf course for five hours.

However, both programs were more than deserving of the titles and both will bring nearly their entire rosters back in 2024 to keep a bright future.

Alongside the girls’ cross country team was the boys, who showed growth as a relatively young team that made strides in the 2023 season.

The Powell Panther volleyball team turned in another strong season, winning a regional title and finishing with a second place trophy at the state tournament just last weekend.

That team has continued its climb in recent seasons, from not making the state tournament two years ago to making the championship game in its second year at state in some time.

They do lose some significant talent off the team, but the future continues to look bright for that program with young talent still on the rise.

Swimming and diving once again was one of the top programs in the state, winning another conference championship and placing in the top three at the state meet for the fourth time in a row.

Boys’ tennis was the other regional champion this year for PHS, having a strong season while still being able to have growth heading into next year with about half the roster returning for the boys.

The girls will also bring back about half their roster, as the young Panthers showed growth late in the year in preparation for next season.

Northwest also claimed another successful year with the men’s soccer team regaining its footing and pushing through to the Region IX semifinals.

While they came up short of a national tournament berth, the program made a significant jump this season and will hopefully keep the trend upwards going in to next year.

Powell football and women’s soccer at the college both had successful years, but came up short in the playoffs in difficult losses.

Panther golf continued to show its growth, but stumbled near the end of what was shaping up to be a stronger season than years’ past.

A year of growth full of players who were willing to work was the motto of the Trapper volleyball team, which may have led to a subpar record compared to years’ past, but the team showed growth and could take a jump next year depending on who returns.

The rodeo team at the college showed some sparks in its early rodeos, and now has the winter to prepare for the home stretch in the spring to get cowboys and cowgirls into the finals in Casper next June.

WINTER BRINGS SAME EXCITEMENT

At the high school level, essentially every team will bring some excitement over the freezing months.

Boys’ basketball will likely be one of the top contenders after returning nearly every player from a year ago and a strong senior led squad with some strong contributing juniors will look to win the team’s first state title since 1998. 

Panther wrestling brings back a lot of its roster on the boys side and will hopefully see some growth while making a push towards the top trying to topple a strong Green River roster.

Girls’ basketball at the high school should be one of the top teams in the west, and will look to take another step at regionals and the state tournament while competing against two of the top teams in the east from Buffalo and Douglas.

The indoor track teams will look to take a step in the second year of action in program history, while the boys’ swim and dive team will have some strong individuals on the diving board and in the pool this season.

The cheer squad will look to improve on a third place performance last year, while I believe the dance team will make a return to the state competition after a one year hiatus.

At the collegiate level, the wrestling team returns plenty of talent this year and should hopefully have a strong year.

The basketball teams should have some excitement this season, with the men’s team hoping to improve on a semifinal appearance last year and the women’s team attempting to get past the quarterfinal round in the third year under Lauren Davis.

Get out and support all of the athletics, as each team will see plenty of action in Powell before the winter break and heading into the new year.

The fall brought some excitement, but don’t expect the fire to stop just because the weather is getting colder.