Boys' No. 3 doubles team takes third at regionalsThe Panther tennis teams showed their continued improvement at the regional tournament last weekend.The Powell High School boys and girls pushed their opponents to split sets in 12 of their 24 matches, which head coach Ray Bieber said, “had to be a record.”“The (opposing) teams had drilled us earlier,” Bieber said. “It shows a lot of improvement, actually, on our part.”The Panthers played as host to the state's eight northern conference teams in the tournament, which was double-elimination. The Powell boys' and girls' teams each took seventh place.Individually, the boys' No. 3 doubles team of Tyler Morgan and Todd Lewis seized third place to claim a coveted seed at this weekend's state tournament.“That was exciting,” Bieber said.No. 1 singles player Pablo Garces pushed fourth-place finisher Nathan Trautenberg of Jackson to three sets, but fell 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.He later lost to Kelly Walsh's Mitchell Bradley 6-3, 6-0.In his opening match, No. 2 singles player Justin Lynn lost 6-1, 6-3 to Gillette's Taylor Holst — the eventual champion. That was a better showing than the runner-up, who won only three games.Lynn was later eliminated by Natrona's Michael Masterson, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.“He (Lynn) showed that he can compete with anybody on a given day,” said Bieber.At No. 1 doubles, Sam Wise and Levi Anderson fell 6-1, 6-1 to Kelly Walsh, rebounded to thump Natrona County (6-2, 6-0), and then narrowly lost to third-place finisher Jackson in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.Robert Speiser and Eric Curtis lost to top finisher Gillette 6-0, 6-2, beat Sheridan 6-0, 5-7, 6-4, and were finally edged out by third-place Jackson, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. “They showed flashes of brilliance,” BIeber said. “They showed they can play with anybody, too.”Tyler Morgan and Todd Lewis opened with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win over Natrona, then suffered a narrow 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 defeat to runner-up Jackson.In the consolation bracket, Morgan and Lewis turned around and beat Sheridan (6-7, 6-4, 6-4) and finished up with a win against Cody (6-1, 4-6, 7-5) to claim third place.On the girls' side, No. 1 singles player Lisa Schiermeister ran into a tough draw, losing to third-place finisher Jill Ross of (6-1, 6-2) and fourth-place finisher Beth Ferrier of Gillette (6-4, 6-4).No. 2 singles player Brittany Feller narrowly lost to Natrona's Emma Gallup, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and Kelly Walsh's Lauren Bradley 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.Emily Kath and Lacey Eckherdt began against the eventual No. 1 doubles regional champion of Jackson (6-0, 6-1) and later fell to Cody after a tight first set (6-6, 6-1).At No. 2 doubles, Shelby Walton and Haylee Humphries fell 6-3, 6-2 to Gillette, but rebounded to beat Riverton, 6-2, 6-2. They then fell 6-3, 6-4 to third-place finisher Cody.Rounding out the girls' squad, No. 3 doubles duo BreaAnn Hollenbeck and Marquette McArthur lost 6-0, 6-0 to Jackson, and then weren't quite able to beat Natrona, falling 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.With the new tennis courts at the high school, Bieber said that it was great to be able to host the regional tournament.“Powell did a good job hosting,” Bieber said, praising the work and contributions of PHS athletic director Tim Wormald, the tennis players' parents, the Chamber of Commerce and the Powell Athletic Roundtable in putting on the event.PHS tennis teams will next head to Cheyenne for the state tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday.Bieber said the Panthers generally appear to have favorable match-ups.“Every team has a good chance of winning a match the first day,” he said.

Boys' No. 3 doubles team takes third at regionals

The Panther tennis teams showed their continued improvement at the regional tournament last weekend.

The Powell High School boys and girls pushed their opponents to split sets in 12 of their 24 matches, which head coach Ray Bieber said, “had to be a record.”

“The (opposing) teams had drilled us earlier,” Bieber said. “It shows a lot of improvement, actually, on our part.”

The Panthers played as host to the state's eight northern conference teams in the tournament, which was double-elimination. The Powell boys' and girls' teams each took seventh place.

Individually, the boys' No. 3 doubles team of Tyler Morgan and Todd Lewis seized third place to claim a coveted seed at this weekend's state tournament.

“That was exciting,” Bieber said.

No. 1 singles player Pablo Garces pushed fourth-place finisher Nathan Trautenberg of Jackson to three sets, but fell 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.

He later lost to Kelly Walsh's Mitchell Bradley 6-3, 6-0.

In his opening match, No. 2 singles player Justin Lynn lost 6-1, 6-3 to Gillette's Taylor Holst — the eventual champion. That was a better showing than the runner-up, who won only three games.

Lynn was later eliminated by Natrona's Michael Masterson, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

“He (Lynn) showed that he can compete with anybody on a given day,” said Bieber.

At No. 1 doubles, Sam Wise and Levi Anderson fell 6-1, 6-1 to Kelly Walsh, rebounded to thump Natrona County (6-2, 6-0), and then narrowly lost to third-place finisher Jackson in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Robert Speiser and Eric Curtis lost to top finisher Gillette 6-0, 6-2, beat Sheridan 6-0, 5-7, 6-4, and were finally edged out by third-place Jackson, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

“They showed flashes of brilliance,” BIeber said. “They showed they can play with anybody, too.”

Tyler Morgan and Todd Lewis opened with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win over Natrona, then suffered a narrow 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 defeat to runner-up Jackson.

In the consolation bracket, Morgan and Lewis turned around and beat Sheridan (6-7, 6-4, 6-4) and finished up with a win against Cody (6-1, 4-6, 7-5) to claim third place.

On the girls' side, No. 1 singles player Lisa Schiermeister ran into a tough draw, losing to third-place finisher Jill Ross of (6-1, 6-2) and fourth-place finisher Beth Ferrier of Gillette (6-4, 6-4).

No. 2 singles player Brittany Feller narrowly lost to Natrona's Emma Gallup, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and Kelly Walsh's Lauren Bradley 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Emily Kath and Lacey Eckherdt began against the eventual No. 1 doubles regional champion of Jackson (6-0, 6-1) and later fell to Cody after a tight first set (6-6, 6-1).

At No. 2 doubles, Shelby Walton and Haylee Humphries fell 6-3, 6-2 to Gillette, but rebounded to beat Riverton, 6-2, 6-2. They then fell 6-3, 6-4 to third-place finisher Cody.

Rounding out the girls' squad, No. 3 doubles duo BreaAnn Hollenbeck and Marquette McArthur lost 6-0, 6-0 to Jackson, and then weren't quite able to beat Natrona, falling 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.

With the new tennis courts at the high school, Bieber said that it was great to be able to host the regional tournament.

“Powell did a good job hosting,” Bieber said, praising the work and contributions of PHS athletic director Tim Wormald, the tennis players' parents, the Chamber of Commerce and the Powell Athletic Roundtable in putting on the event.

PHS tennis teams will next head to Cheyenne for the state tournament, which runs Thursday through Saturday.

Bieber said the Panthers generally appear to have favorable match-ups.

“Every team has a good chance of winning a match the first day,” he said.