The Powell High School girls junior varsity basketball team closed out its season in thrilling fashion, winning its final two games at the buzzer. They finished the year 8-9.

“These girls really stepped up this year for us and did everything in their power to improve individually and help our entire team get better each day. Many of them embraced new roles and took on every challenge that was thrown their way,” said PHS JV coach Troy Hildebrand. “It will be exciting to see them grow as individual players and as a group in the seasons to come.”

Lander 46, Powell 29

On Feb. 21, Lander jumped out to a double digit lead in the first quarter and the Panthers were never able to get any closer than eight the rest of the way, Hildebrand said. “Lander is just a team that is very streaky and they were definitely making shots in this one.”

Kaili Wisniewski and Rylynn Valdez led PHS with seven and six points each.

Pinedale 38, Powell 30

Against a strong Pinedale JV on Feb. 22, the Panthers led 25-24 heading into the final period, but Pinedale closed out the game on a 13-5 run.

Eight PHS players contributed points as part of “very balanced scoring,” Hildebrand said. Valdez and Paije Johnson each had six points, Abi Urbach, Kaili Wisniewski and Sarah Dunkerley each had four and Jayden Asher and Addie Braten chipped in two apiece.

Powell 33, Big Piney 32

Powell trailed Big Piney most of the Feb. 22 game. With about two minutes left, Maddie Campbell hit a 3-pointer to put PHS up 31-30, then Big Piney hit a couple free throws to retake a 32-31 lead with eight seconds left.

“Our full court play had a chance but the pass went off our fingertips out of bounds with 1.9 seconds left and it looked pretty bleak at that point,” Hildebrand said. However, “The girls did a great job of denying the inbounds pass and Paije Johnson came up with a big steal and laid it in at the buzzer for the 33-32 win,” he said. “It was a great example of this group battling to the end of every game and making their own luck when they really needed it.”

Powell 36, Lovell 34

In the Panthers’ final game of the season, “we had another one that seemed to define our season,” Hildebrand said of the Feb. 28 contest in Lovell.

PHS trailed 28-23 after three quarters, but Valdez hit a big 3-pointer to tie the game at 34 late. Lovell had its chance to take the last shot of regulation, but the Powell girls knocked the ball loose.

“Kami [Jensen] was able to corral it with about seven seconds on the clock and she maneuvered through some full court traffic and laid it in right as the buzzer went off,” Hildebrand said, “which was a tremendous finish for our year.”