Powell Girls 6-8 on the year

In two of its better defensive games of the season, the Powell High School girls soccer team had mixed results on Friday and Saturday.

At least on the scoreboard.

The Lady Panthers battled Lander Valley to the wire Friday in Lander, falling to the Lady Tigers 1-0. On Saturday, PHS traveled to Pinedale where they picked up their second win over the Lady Wranglers this season with a 2-0 shutout win.

Head coach Jack Haire has been forced to use a handful of junior varsity players recently due to injuries, and said he’s pleasantly surprised by how well the youngsters have held their own.

“Massive improvement with this team throughout the season, especially the young group that has had to step up,” he said. “They’re helping to fill spots we needed to fill and they’re doing a great job.”

PHS will finish its regular-season schedule with home games against Jackson Hole at 4 p.m. Friday and Class 3A’s No. 1-ranked Star Valley at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Lady Panthers upset Star Valley 2-1 on April 25. Following this weekend’s action, PHS will play a play-in game to qualify for the Class 3A state tournament. As of Wednesday, Newcastle is projected as the Lady Panthers’ opponent. The teams have not met this season.

“Talking to my assistant coach Stan Hedges, I feel like we’re in a good spot right now, we’re playing good soccer,” Haire said. “We’re kind of under the radar right now.

“Once you get to state, records don’t matter, and I feel like we’re going to turn some heads once we get there.”

Lander Valley 1, Powell 0

One goal was all Lander Valley needed to shut PHS down in the teams’ lone meeting of the season. Haire said his team’s offense provided pressure on the Lady Tigers, but added the Lady Panthers were unable to convert that pressure into tallies on the scoreboard.

“We were a little off target with our shots that game,” Haire said.

Lander scored the only goal of the game on a shot that Haire said “trickled in through” sophomore goalkeeper Gabby Hirsch’s hands. Hirsch went on to collect 15 saves during her 80 minutes of play.

Powell 2, Pinedale 0

PHS ended its four-game losing streak with a senior-led effort against Pinedale.

Seniors Aimee Kawano and Jourdyn Haire provided the offense while Hirsch made 14 saves in goal.

Kawano scored what was virtually the game-winning goal in the first half when Haire found her streaking past the Lady Wrangler defense. Haire fired a cross-shot to Kawano who promptly launched it into the Pinedale net for a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Haire gave the Lady Panthers some breathing room with a score off a penalty kick.

Aside from a good offensive effort, coach Haire was pleased with his team’s second straight promising defensive outing.

“Defense was strong,” he said. “We had a couple of replacement girls on defense, and they stepped up and held their positions well and played good soccer.

“We just played fantastic soccer.”