The Powell golf team continued its spring practice season with an 11-team tournament in Lander on Friday and were able to play through a weather window to take seventh with a 423 total.

“We had cool weather and some drizzle for about an hour,” head coach Troy Hildebrand said. “But we were lucky to avoid the high winds we had in Powell and the flooding that Lander got Saturday.”

Treven Keeler was the only Panther with any experience playing the Lander course, but for the first time through among the rest of the players, Hildebrand saw some positives.

“I thought we did a decent job of getting around,” Hildebrand said. “Our score was about 12 shots better than we had last week, so that was a step forward.”

The host Tigers, who were obviously quite familiar with their home course, won the event with a 305, staying four shots ahead of Evanston’s 309.

“We obviously still have a lot of work to do before we are competing at that level,” Hildebrand said.

The Panthers were certainly consistent, with the scores of the four high-schoolers being separated by just seven strokes.

Keeler paced Powell with a 103, with Hunter Barnette just a shot behind at 104, Austin Asher at 106 and Bennett Walker carding a 110 for the day.

“The biggest thing for Treven to get into the 90s consistently is getting off to a solid start and then limiting his big numbers on holes where he runs into trouble,” Hildebrand said. “Hunter played  better and I think the more he gets settled in the more his scores will continue to fall.”

Hildebrand also saw positives from his next two finishers.

“Austin had another solid day and is doing everything he can to use this season to be ready as possible for a great summer of play,” he said. “Bennett handled himself fairly well on a challenging course and has been hitting the ball well of late. I expect him to be right in the mix next fall if he commits himself to playing this summer.”

Crandell Sanders, currently in eighth grade but looking to join the Powell varsity in the fall, wasn’t far off his high school teammates, bringing in a 114  in his first go-around on the Lander course.

“Crandell spent a few extra hours of his own time working on his game last week, and it paid off for him Friday,” Hildebrand said. “He seems to be a young man that could become a ‘golf rat’ and I look forward to having him in the fold full time next fall.”

The Panthers will have one more day on the course for their spring season as they travel to Worland for a meet starting at noon on Saturday.

See the Thursday, May 19, edition of the Tribune for results.