PHS girls topple No. 2 Star Valley for first win

Powell sophomore Leya Goette slipped a late second-half shot to the left of a diving Star Valley keeper to deliver the only score in a 1-0 Panther victory over the second-ranked Braves on Saturday. The victory was the Panthers’ first of the season and, possibly, the biggest win in program history.

“It’s pretty big with them just coming down from 4A,” said Panther girls soccer coach Brett Hanlin, who was all smiles Saturday afternoon. “I’m happy for the girls. This should give us a boost.”

The Panthers endured several dicey moments in the first half as the Braves played with a breeze at their backs at Trapper West field. Panther goalkeeper Sierra Baker was repeatedly called upon to steer the ball wide of the net or corral Star Valley shot attempts in the first 40 minutes.

Baker was knocked to the ground twice during that first half onslaught, leaving the game momentarily after one of the collisions. The senior returned minutes later and appeared none the worse for wear as she helped send Powell into intermission with a scoreless draw.

“We did a lot of standing around the first half,” Hanlin said. “We weren’t sure if we wanted to play or not. The second half, we picked it up and really controlled the pace of the game.”

Powell got stronger as the second half went along, finding opportunities attacking down the right side of the field. As the Braves adjusted to the pressure on the wing, the Panthers changed the theatre of attack to the center of the field.

Goette’s game-winning goal came on such an opportunity. After the Panthers had carried the ball through the middle of the field, Goette timed a run from the left forward’s position into the box to receive a pass and slip the ball to the left of a diving keeper for her first score of the season.

Minutes later, the sophomore just missed cashing in on a mirror image opportunity.

“We’d just put her up there a few minutes before and she was able to get the goal,” Hanlin said. “Then she almost got a second one minutes later and they got a little scared of her.”

And that opened up chances for the Panthers elsewhere up front as Powell’s pressure prevented the Braves from mounting a serious threat in the game’s waning minutes.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve never won against a team ranked this high,” Hanlin said of the victory.

Saturday’s win over Star Valley came on the heels of a 1-0 Friday loss to traditional state power Jackson. The Lady Broncs, who came to Powell as the No. 5 team in the state, scored in the 11th minute and made that margin hold up.

Friday’s game was delayed for more than 20 minutes early in the first half due to lightning.

Rain began falling shortly after the national anthem and the first minutes of the contest were played in a gentle drizzle that soon added sleet to its mix. The first clap of thunder was heard just moments after Jackson sent a shot from the left wing curling over Baker’s head and inside the back post for a score.

After a couple more ominous rumbles of thunder, game officials whistled a halt to play and sent both teams inside Powell High School to wait for the slow-moving system to pass.

Once play resumed, much of the action occurred in the midfield as the back lines of both clubs limited offensive opportunities.

“With the exception of the goal, we played our best defensive effort of the year,” said Hanlin. “We got right on them and challenged them for the ball and didn’t let them get turned.”

Hanlin noted the breakdown on Jackson’s lone goal stemmed from the Panthers neglecting to make that challenge.

“She had all day to line up that shot and take it,” said Hanlin. “You can’t really fault Sierra for letting that one get in. We gave them entirely too much time to think about the shot.”

In spite of the loss, Hanlin called the game a step forward for Powell.

“Jackson’s a very good program,” said Hanlin. “To lose by a goal, that’s a big step forward for us. I like where we’re going.”

The Panthers host Worland at 3 p.m. today (Tuesday). The game will be the final home game of the season for Powell soccer as the team closes out the spring with five consecutive road dates.

Powell carries a 1-5 mark into today’s Northwest quadrant contest.