If second-year Powell girls soccer coach Jack Haire had any wonder about his team’s resolve, that was taken care of earlier last week.

“It was cold and snowing sideways, so I suggested we have practice in the gym,” Haire said. “The girls said, ‘if we’re going to be playing in this type of weather, we’d better practice in it.’”

And this is from a team coming off a senior dominated roster that went 8-8, topped Star Valley and Jackson for the first time in the program’s history, and yet will have lost a good portion of the senior leadership.

“It was a solid team that had played together for the previous three seasons, but we lost those nine seniors,” Haire said. “We have one returning senior, three others who are brand new, seven juniors, four who are brand new, and 13 sophomores and 13 freshmen, so we are talented, but we are young.”

Just 10 years into the program being at Powell, it could well be said that youth is inherent, but with things certainly pointing in a very positive direction, given the first-time victories over more experienced and successful programs just last season.

There is however, an individual as well as team goal for this season, along with continued progress — to beat Cody.

“I’ve been coaching in Wyoming five years and I’ve never beaten Cody,” Haire said. “Powell has never beaten Cody either, so it is a school goal, a team goal and a personal goal.”

And while a lot was lost to graduation, Haire has some returning players that he is expecting big things from.

“Gabby Hirsch in goal, she ranked No. 2 in saves last year,” he said. “On defense, Delaney Dent, Kiley Cannon will be

shoring us up, as well as Kayla Atkinson. In the mid position, my daughter Joey Haire, will have that position built around her and two really talented freshmen at the forward positions. We’re actually more inexperienced on defense so that will be a growing process to a very solid group, while I think our strength early on, talent wise, will be our mids and forwards.”

Haire has the confidence in the talent and fortitude of his charges, but realizes the challenges they will be facing against more experienced teams.

“Just about every team we face this year will be senior heavy,” he said. “Nine, 10, 11 or 12 seniors on pretty much all the teams we’ll be playing. It will be a learning experience for the younger girls, but it can only help us. Over the next two or three years, from this, if we’re not challenging for a state championship, I’ll be surprised.”

That mission, and learning experience, gets its start today (Thursday) with the Lady Panthers playing host to Jackson at 3 p.m.