The Powell Panther girls’ junior varsity basketball team opened the season 2-1 at the Strannigan Classic, losing to Lander 55-35 before defeating Rawlins 55-20 and Pinedale 55-23.

Coach Troy Hildebrand said that the team came out strong against Lander and executed well in the first quarter to hold a 14-12 lead.

However, in the second and third quarters Lander caught fire and the Panthers were outscored 25-6 over those two frames before the Tigers pulled away in the 55-35 contest.

Emery Hernandez led the team with 14 points as the only Panther in double figures.

A stronger fourth quarter on Thursday carried momentum into the second game of the season against Rawlins, with the Panthers building a 16-8 lead after the first.

Hildebrand said Powell held Rawlins scoreless in the second, and stretched the advantage out to 31-8 at the break.

Another strong third quarter had Powell scoring 18, allowing everybody to play down the stretch and see success.

“Hali Hancock and Shelby Zickefoose did an excellent job on the inside defensively and with their rebounding,” Hildebrand said. “It is a luxury to have that kind of size on our team.”

Hernandez led again with 15 points, Hancock and Kaedenze Carter had eight each, while Ivy Agee and Neveah Garcia each had seven.

In the final game the Panther offense exploded early, scoring 48 points over the first three quarters, and a strong defensive second half helped Powell hold the Wranglers to five points over the final 16 minutes.

“Overall this was our best shooting game of the weekend as we hit three 3-pointers and went 12-16 at the free throw line as a team,” Hildebrand said.

Hernandez led with 15 points, Carter had 12, Garcia had eight while Agee and Coy Erickson had seven each.

Powell will open at home on Friday, taking on Cody alongside the junior varsity boys at 4 p.m.