Panthers stay third in 3A

They’ve been the hunted. This Friday, they’ll be the hunters. What more could you ask during big game season?

The Powell Panthers, ranked third in Class 3A for the third consecutive week according to the Wyopreps coaches and media poll, take their crack at No. 1 Green River this Friday night. At stake could be nothing less than the No. 1 seed on the West half of the Class 3A playoff bracket.

The Wolves received 14 out of 24 possible first-place votes in this week’s poll and remained in the No. 1 position. Defending state champion Douglas received the other 10 ballots, but saw the gap between itself and the No. 1 position increase from six to 15 points this week.

The shift was the result of both a higher number of overall ballots received for the week’s poll and a consensus among voters regarding the Wolves’ position near the top of the 3A pecking order. Of the 10 ballots not to place Green River at No. 1, nine listed the Wolves as the No. 2 team in the state.

For Powell, opinions were more varied. The Panthers received two second-place votes, 14 third-place votes, seven fouth-place votes and one fifth-place vote. Every ballot had the team ranked among the state’s top five teams.

Lander, like Powell, received votes ranging everywhere from second to fifth. The Tigers were left off of three ballots, however, leaving the Panthers nearly 80 points higher in the poll.

Star Valley, which gave Green River all it could handle last week before losing on a last-second field goal, is fifth in this week’s poll. The Braves, 4-3 this season and the only team to defeat Powell this year, remain No. 5 in the poll.

Buffalo and Riverton were the only other teams to receive mention on the ballots submitted this week.

Given the high-profile nature of the Powell-Green River contest this Friday, those ballots will almost certainly undergo a change before the final set of rankings is released. After Friday, however, all eyes will shift focus from the rankings to the playoff brackets as schools prepare to settle matters on the field of play.

For Powell fans, the situation can get complex. A loss by the Panthers leaves the team third and slated for a road game when the playoffs begin. A win at Green River will make Powell the 3A West champion and No. 1 seed if Jackson also defeats Star Valley.

Should the Panthers and Braves both win, the result would be a three-way tie between Powell, Green River and Star Valley. The order of names on the playoff bracket would then be decided by a coin flip, meaning Powell could still be on the road for the first round.

In other updated polls this week:

NJCAA men’s soccer

1. Schoolcraft 18-0, 2. Darton 13-1, 3. Tyler 13-1-2, 4. Yavapai 16-0-3, 5. Iowa Western 13-1-1, 6. Monroe (Reg. 15) 8-1, 7. North Iowa Area 13-2-1, 8. DuPage 16-2, 9. Arizona Western 14-2-2, 10. Oakton 15-2, 11. Cloud County 14-1-3, 12. Cincinnati State Technical 14-3, 13. Otero 13-2-2, 14. Western Texas 15-2, 15. Laramie County 14-2-1, 16. Harford 12-2-1, 17. Lincoln 13-4, 18. Southern Maryland 11-2, 19. Cowley County 12-2-2, 20. Monroe (Reg. 3) 10-3-1.

Receiving votes: CCBC-Essex, Coffeyville, Georgia Perimeter, Marshalltown, Massasolt, San Jacinto-South, South Georgia, Spartanburg Methodist.

NJCAA women’s soccer

1. Tyler 14-0, 2. Scottsdale 13-0, 3. Paradise Valley 12-1, 4. Georgia Perimeter 8-0-1, 5. Anne Arundel 11-0-1, 6. Iowa Western 10-3, 7. North Idaho 11-0-1, 8. (tie) Parkland 12-0 and Hutchinson 11-2, 10. Brevard 7-2, 11. Butler 12-2-1, 12. Spartanburg Methodist 11-2, 13. Laramie County 12-2-2, 14. Darton 9-2-1, 15. Lewis & Clark 10-2-1.

Receiving votes: Harford, Pearl River.

NJCAA volleyball

1. Blinn 27-0, 2. Western Nebraska 31-1, 3. Western Wyoming 28-2, 4. San Jacinto-Central 24-3, 5. North Idaho 16-6, 6. Tyler 21-2, 7. Salt Lake 19-7, 8. Southern Idaho 17-8, 9. Iowa Western 33-6, 10. Eastern Arizona 23-3, 11. Central Florida 30-5, 12. Miami Dade 15-4, 13. Seminole State 30-4, 14. Northeastern 22-6, 15. Paris 24-7, 16. Missouri State-West Plains 22-8, 17. Jefferson 18-8, 18. Panola 15-7, 19. Wallace State-Hanceville 31-2, 20. New Mexico Military 31-2.

Receiving votes: Arizona Western, Barton, Central Wyoming, Laredo.