When the Powell Panther swimmers take to the pool in their opening meet Friday, more than half the faces in the water will be new to the team.With the loss of seven seniors from last year's squad, the Powell Panther swim team figured to be shorthanded this year, but, with 18 swimmers working out, the team is actually a bit larger than last year.Six swimmers return from last year's squad, including five state qualifiers. Leading the returnees is senior Devin Lynn, who was all conference in the breaststroke and received honorable mention in the individual medley. He finished in the top 12 in both events at state. Other state qualifiers include seniors Erik Rodriguez and Trent Eckerdt, junior Cole Good, and sophomore Telton Pederson. Junior Billy Cummings and sophomore Kyle Anderson return this year as well, along with senior Ric Nisely, who competed for the Panthers as a freshman.New faces on the team include seniors Jay Costigan, Cody Fagely and Tim Izell, juniors Brennan Althoff, Tyler McCauley and Danny McKearney and sophomore Andre Lopes Miasso, an exchange student from Brazil. Freshmen Forest Renaud-Fontaine, Samual Kuntz and Jarred LaPierre round out the squad. In another change for the team, coaches Stephanie Warren and Jerry Rodriguez have switched places. Jerry Rodriguez will be acting as head coach while Warren will concentrate on the divers. In addition, former Panther swimmer Forest Smith will be helping out as a volunteer assistant.Rodriguez said 2009 will definitely be a rebuilding year for the Panthers, and with so many new swimmers, it will take time to establish the best events for each team member. Lynn's strong events have been in the individual medley and the breaststroke, Eckerdt has been strong in the butterfly, placing seventh in the event at state last year, and Peterson does well in the sprints, but filling other events will depend on the new swimmers' talents and development. Good competed in diving finals at state last year, as did Erik Rodriguez, who also swam the 100 freestyle in Gillette. Newcomer Izell, a transfer from Texas, looks strong in the butterfly, Jerry Rodriguez said, and Lopes “swims pretty well.”One issue facing the team is that nine of swimmers want to dive.“That's not going to work,” said Warren. “That's too many. We'll have to talk about that.”Jerry Rodriguez said he doesn't have much information about other teams as yet, and he has heard that most of the state's teams lost top swimmers to graduation, but he expects perennial champion Lander will continue to be the team to beat. The Panthers open their season this week against that Lander team Friday, Dec. 11 in the Powell High School pool, and travel to Riverton Dec. 19 for the Riverton Invitational.

When the Powell Panther swimmers take to the pool in their opening meet Friday, more than half the faces in the water will be new to the team.

With the loss of seven seniors from last year's squad, the Powell Panther swim team figured to be shorthanded this year, but, with 18 swimmers working out, the team is actually a bit larger than last year.

Six swimmers return from last year's squad, including five state qualifiers. Leading the returnees is senior Devin Lynn, who was all conference in the breaststroke and received honorable mention in the individual medley. He finished in the top 12 in both events at state.

Other state qualifiers include seniors Erik Rodriguez and Trent Eckerdt, junior Cole Good, and sophomore Telton Pederson.

Junior Billy Cummings and sophomore Kyle Anderson return this year as well, along with senior Ric Nisely, who competed for the Panthers as a freshman.

New faces on the team include seniors Jay Costigan, Cody Fagely and Tim Izell, juniors Brennan Althoff, Tyler McCauley and Danny McKearney and sophomore Andre Lopes Miasso, an exchange student from Brazil. Freshmen Forest Renaud-Fontaine, Samual Kuntz and Jarred LaPierre round out the squad.

In another change for the team, coaches Stephanie Warren and Jerry Rodriguez have switched places. Jerry Rodriguez will be acting as head coach while Warren will concentrate on the divers. In addition, former Panther swimmer Forest Smith will be helping out as a volunteer assistant.

Rodriguez said 2009 will definitely be a rebuilding year for the Panthers, and with so many new swimmers, it will take time to establish the best events for each team member. Lynn's strong events have been in the individual medley and the breaststroke, Eckerdt has been strong in the butterfly, placing seventh in the event at state last year, and Peterson does well in the sprints, but filling other events will depend on the new swimmers' talents and development.

Good competed in diving finals at state last year, as did Erik Rodriguez, who also swam the 100 freestyle in Gillette.

Newcomer Izell, a transfer from Texas, looks strong in the butterfly, Jerry Rodriguez said, and Lopes “swims pretty well.”

One issue facing the team is that nine of swimmers want to dive.

“That's not going to work,” said Warren. “That's too many. We'll have to talk about that.”

Jerry Rodriguez said he doesn't have much information about other teams as yet, and he has heard that most of the state's teams lost top swimmers to graduation, but he expects perennial champion Lander will continue to be the team to beat.

The Panthers open their season this week against that Lander team Friday, Dec. 11 in the Powell High School pool, and travel to Riverton Dec. 19 for the Riverton Invitational.