Making History

Panther tennis team wins first-ever state title

The PHS boys’ tennis team poses on the podium with their state champion plaque. The Panthers won two individual events and posted two seconds and a fourth in the remaining three to claim the overall title. From left: Aiden Chandler, Kolt Flores, Ethan Bartholomew, Grant Dillivan, Aidan Jacobsen, Jesse Brown, Dylan Preator, Jay Cox, Justin Vanderbeek and Logan Brown.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY CARLA WENSKY

Powell’s Logan Brown, left, and Jay Cox celebrate their state championship in No. 3 doubles Saturday at the Wyoming State Tennis Tournament in Gillette.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY CARLA WENSKY

PHS tennis player Dylan Preator serves to Campbell County’s Tanner Lemm in the No. 2 singles state championship match in Gillette Saturday. Preator defended his title with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 win, helping the Panthers take the overall team title.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY CARLA WENSKY

Posted Tuesday, October 1, 2019 8:25 am

By Don Cogger and CJ Baker

The Powell High School boys’ tennis team made history over the weekend, winning its first-ever Wyoming State Tennis Championship.

With every Panther athlete finishing fourth or better, the PHS team amassed a whopping 54 points and nearly lapped the field in Gillette. The closest competition, runner-up Campbell County High School, earned only 31.5 points.

“My face was hurting, I was grinning the whole time,” said PHS head coach Joe Asay about the drive back from Gillette Saturday night, which included an escort into town from Powell’s emergency vehicles. “How fantastic — I mean, what a great way for those senior boys to end it. They’ve always come in every season eager to be competitive, and they always have been. To come in this year and be able to put everything together, it was pretty cool.”

The Panthers’ Dylan Preator defended his state title at No. 2 singles, while the No. 3 doubles team of Jay Cox and Logan Brown also brought home gold.

The No. 1 doubles team of Aidan Jacobsen and Justin Vanderbeek and Grant Dillivan and Ethan Bartholomew at No. 2 doubles also advanced to the championship final in their respective brackets, bringing home silver medals.

Panther senior Jesse Brown finished fourth in No. 1 singles, his highest state finish in that spot; Brown won a state championship in No. 2 singles as a freshman.

The boys had reeled off 14 straight wins to seize control of the tournament on Thursday and Friday.

“When all five came through with two wins on Thursday to advance into the semifinals, we were pretty excited. At that point, everything seemed to be moving in our direction,” Asay said. Ultimately, “we had four of the five championship match brackets filled with Powell kids,” he noted, “so you can’t beat that.”

Panthers

Preator successfully defended his title from last year with a three-set battle over Tanner Lemm of Campbell County on Saturday. The senior cruised to an easy 6-0 win in the first set, but Lemm wouldn’t go down without a fight, winning the second set 6-3.

“The second set was a wake up call for me that I needed to get out of my head and play harder than he was,” Preator said. “I knew I had to execute every single point and put everything I had ever worked for into one last set. I was coming out with 100 percent effort.”

Preator took the third set, and the title, with a 6-4 win. It was the perfect end for a season that started slower than he would have liked.

“This year was different, because last year I felt I had nothing on the line and that I was lucky to get the championship,” he said. “This year, I felt like I had a target on my back, and the returning competition from last year was much more of a challenge because I felt the expectation to execute at a higher level.”

“Dylan had a great run through regionals, and put himself as the No. 1 seed at state,” Asay added. “He played great beginning with the early rounds and never looked back. It was fun to see that for his final match of his senior year.”

At No. 3 doubles, Cox and Brown beat Jackson’s Elliot Sanchez and Will Aepli in straight sets (6-1, 6-4) to claim the championship. It was the title matchup Cox and Logan were hoping for, as the Jackson duo upset Cox and Logan in the first round of the regional tournament in Casper the week before.

“They tore through that bracket, something about the two of them just clicked,” Asay said. “And they got their chance at redemption against those Jackson kids, and our boys just executed well. It was a great win, a great finish for that tandem.”

Meanwhile, both No. 1 doubles players Jacobsen and Vanderbeek and No. 2 doubles players Dillivan and Bartholomew earned second-place finishes. Jacobsen and Vanderbeek lost 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 to Jefferson Neary and Austin Robertson of Campbell County on Saturday.

“Aidan and Justin played great tennis, and had a chance to really finish well,” Asay said. “They had that tremendous win over the Kelly Walsh kids 6-4, 6-3 to get into the finals with a chance at the title. It was a battle in the finals, but couldn’t quite finish against a really good Campbell County team.”

Dillivan and Bartholomew fell in their finals 6-3, 7-6 to Parker Phillips and Colton Allaire of Kelly Walsh. The Powell pair defeated Cheyenne Central (7-5, 6-2) to advance to the final match.

“Grant Dillivan has just been a really fun kid to watch, just really competitive” and “just a tremendous presence,” Asay said of the senior. “To see him paired up with sophomore Ethan Bartholomew — who really came a long way with his game — was a lot of fun. They came up against a stronger Kelly Walsh team, but they battled well.”

Senior Jesse Brown rounded out the Panthers’ state contingent at No. 1 singles, earning a fourth-place finish after falling to longtime rival Ethan Kutz from Sheridan in the consolation final 6-3, 6-3.

“It was a good match, but Jesse came up short,” Asay said. “He finished his career with a regional title at No. 1 singles and a state championship as a team to go along with his fourth-place finish.”

Brown cruised to a pair of easy wins in No. 1 singles Thursday before falling to Laramie’s Kyle Moore in Friday’s semifinals, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

“Jesse came up short in that first set [against Moore], but shifted gears really well in the second, started playing his own tennis,” Asay said. “He was a little amped up, super-eager to go out there and compete. He won the second set, but things didn’t quite come together for him in the third.”

Brown rebounded in the consolation semifinal, beating Central’s Eli Norgauer to advance to the consolation final.

Powell will have some big tennis shoes to fill next fall, as six of the team’s eight varsity players will graduate in the spring.

In wrapping up the season, Asay praised the contributions of assistant coach Brandon Preator, who’s been with the program for 13 years.

“He has a tremendous love of the game and is a great coach and teacher,” Asay said of Preator. “It’s been awesome for me to be a part of that.”

State Tennis Photos

Sept. 26-28

Powell High School No. 1 doubles player Justin Vanderbeek celebrates with teammate Aidan Jacobsen during their Friday evening win over Kelly Walsh High School at the state tennis tournament. Vanderbeek and Jacobsen are among a slew of Panthers who are playing for state titles on Saturday.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY CARLA WENSKY

Panther tennis claims 2019 North Region title

Brown, Preator region champs in No. 1, No. 2 singles

The PHS tennis teams are all smiles at the conclusion of the 2019 North Regional Tournament in Casper last weekend. The Panthers won the north region title, while the Lady Panthers finished seventh.

PHOTO COURTESY TONYA BARTHOLOMEW

PHS seniors Aidan Jacobsen, Jesse Brown and Dylan Preator mug for the camera following the North Regional Tournament in Casper.

PHOTO COURTESY TONYA BARTHOLOMEW

Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2019 8:20 am

By Don Cogger

Just a week removed from finishing up a perfect regular season, the Powell High School boys’ tennis team added a regional championship to its resume over the weekend in Casper.

Jesse Brown and Dylan Preator both avenged regular-season losses to claim individual titles at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, while the Panthers’ No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams finished as runners-up. The No. 3 doubles team shook off an opening-round loss, battling back through the consolation bracket to finish third. And PHS head coach Joe Asay was named Wyoming North Conference Boys’ Coach of the Year.

The Panthers finished the tournament with 59 points, well ahead of runner-up Campbell County’s 37 points. Kelly Walsh was third with 34, Sheridan fourth with 30 and Thunder Basin rounded out the top five with 22.

The Lady Panthers finished seventh in the eight-team field with 12 points; Kelly Walsh was first with 53 points, narrowly beating Cody with 52. Sheridan rounded out the top three with 44 points.

“It was a good trip, it was fun to see them finish out regional play well after having a good conference season,” coach Asay said. “It was good to get down there and show everyone that, yeah, that’s where we should be.”

As for being named coach of the year, Asay was quick to deflect the praise to his players.

“Those accolades come pretty easy when you have such a good bunch of kids,” he said. “For me, those kids are just so darned talented, it’s just good and exciting to see them do so well.”

Panthers

Coach Asay called it a great weekend on the boys side of the tournament, featuring good energy  and “just a bunch of great kids here in the north.”

“It was very competitive for our boys, so it was great to see them battle well,” he said, noting that four of the Panthers’ five competitors went all the way through the championship bracket.

At No.1 singles, Panther senior Brown opened the tournament with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Jackson’s Campbell Gervais. He followed that with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Campbell County’s Miles Veyna in the semifinals, setting up a rematch with Sheridan’s Ethan Kutz. Kutz won the first meeting between the two in straight sets.

“I was just excited to play the Sheridan kid the whole time,” Brown said. “We’ve been playing against each other since middle school, and he’s beat me the last two years; he improved so much. I just came in with the mindset that I just need to stay focused the whole way through. In a long match like that, a lot can happen.”

Brown won a hard-fought first set 7-5; Kutz answered with a 6-4 win in the second to bring the match back to even.

In the third set, Brown jumped out to a 5-0 lead, holding on to win the set and the match 6-3.

“At 5-0, I was focusing more on winning the match, and not so much winning points,” Brown said. “He came back a couple of games, but I got it done.”

Preator, last year’s state champion at No. 2 singles, also gained a measure of revenge against a Sheridan opponent that had his number in the last week of the regular season. After easily dispatching Natrona County’s Bridger Myers 6-0, 6-0, Preator squared off against Sheridan’s Reed Rabon in the semis. Rabon won the first meeting in three sets (7-4, 4-6, 6-3), but Preator won the rematch in straight sets, 6-0, 7-6.

“Beating Reed [Rabon] was difficult, but it wouldn’t be fair if it was easy to make it to the championship,” Preator said. “I’ve learned that to beat someone better than you, you have to make them play your game. I had to come out playing as hard as I could on every point.” 

Preator faced Campbell County’s Tanner Lemm in the final, winning in three sets 6-4,1-6, 6-3.

“It felt good to win the title, but I don’t dwell on that much,” Preator said. “I am now trying to focus on playing my best at state.”

In No. 1 doubles, Powell’s Aidan Jacobsen and Justin Vanderbeek defeated Thunder Basin’s Joel Klassen and Mason Miller (6-2, 6-3) and Jackson’s George Gervais and Jackson Santomauro (6-4, 3-6, 6-4) to reach the finals. There, the senior duo lost in straight sets to Campbell County’s Jefferson Neary and Austin Robertson, 6-1, 6-2.

“It’s been a good opportunity for Aidan and Justin to play together, because Justin has really proven to be a tremendous player — he has as many shot selections as any kid out there,” Asay said. “He doesn’t quite have the power of Aidan or Dylan [Preator] or Jesse [Brown], but he hits that ball really well.”

The coach said he’s excited to see what Jacobsen and Vanderbeek do at state this next week.

The No. 2 doubles duo of Grant Dillivan and Ethan Bartholomew also advanced to the finals, losing to Kelly Walsh’s Parker Phillips and Colton Allaire 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

“Having Grant and Ethan at the No. 2 spot really demonstrates the depth of our team, a senior and sophomore playing together,” Asay said. “Those guys have really started to click — everything’s coming together for them. Unfortunately they couldn’t quite get it finished against the team from Kelly Walsh, but it was great to see them in that runners-up spot.”

Choosing to forgo a first-round bye to get some match experience, Jay Cox and Logan Brown — the No. 1 seeds at No. 3 doubles coming into the tournament — dropped their opening-round match to Jackson’s Elliot Sanchez and Will Aepli 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.

But the pair battled back through the consolation bracket with wins over Sheridan and Thunder Basin to reach the consolation final. Playing against Cody’s TJ Smith and Tristan Dollard, Cox and Brown dropped the first set 7-6 before winning the next two 7-6, 6-3 to claim third place.

“They [Cox and Brown] have been a lot of fun to watch, another senior and sophomore pair,” Asay said. “Two tall, athletic kids, and they’ve been very dominant together. They were bummed about that first-round loss; they had the opportunity for a bye, but I felt the best option for them was to get out and play some tennis. They battled back and got third, so that was a good victory there.”

Lady Panthers

Powell senior Sloane Asay faced a pair of heavy hitters at No. 1 singles, losing to Sheridan’s Julia Kutz (6-0, 6-1) and Thunder Basin’s Kinsley Larson (6-3, 7-5).

“Sloane dropped her two matches against some tough competition, but once again that’s two matches of experience under her belt,” coach Asay said. “Now she’ll have the opportunity to come out and see what things look like when she gets to state. She’s played great tennis.”

Ashley Dunkerley fared a little better at No. 2 singles, losing her first match to Cody’s Torrie Schutzman (6-3, 6-3) before bouncing back against Thunder Basin’s Taylin Smith, winning in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-2). Dunkerley’s tournament ended in the consolation semis against Jackson’s Valerie Stevenson in straight sets 6-3, 7-6.

“Ashley is a good, scrappy competitor, and did well in that second match for the win and a chance to play on Saturday for a shot at third or fourth,” Asay said. “I think Ashley has done well there, and we’ll see what next week looks like for her.”

In No. 1 doubles, Powell’s Hailee Paul and Sophe Morrow dropped their opening-round match to Kelly Walsh, but bounced back with a win over Natrona County’s Elana Galles and Taylor Bundy in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. The duo was knocked out by Thunder Basin’s Alyson Borchers and Kim Kern 6-0, 6-2.

“It’s been fun to see those two girls come together [Paul and Morrow],” Asay said, adding, “They’ve played competitively, and we’ll look forward to how they can finish out the season.”

After losing in the first round, Powell’s No. 2 doubles team of Sami Cole and Sydnee Thompson knocked off Campbell County’s Taylor Kannapel and Mari Bouzis in the consolation bracket 6-4, 6-1. Cole and Thompson then lost in the consolation semis to Kelly Walsh.

At No. 3 doubles, Whitney Hull and Kaili Wizniewski won their opener against Natrona County’s Breanna Flesvig and Avery Olson 6-4, 6-5 to advance to the semifinals. The pair fell to Kelly Walsh in the semis, then beat Thunder Basin’s Katie Bruse and Ali Morgan 6-0, 0-6, 7-5.

The pair finished fourth, losing in the consolation final to Sheridan 7-6, 6-0.

“Hull and Wizniewski really battled back to get the win in that Thunder Basin match after getting out to a fast start,” Asay said. “They came up against a pretty strong Sheridan team in the consolation final, but battled well all the way through.”

The teams will have light practices this week, then head to Gillette for the state tournament beginning Thursday.

“I reminded the kids on the way home from Casper, that hey, we’re not done,” Asay said. “We have some more tennis to play. Hopefully we’ll be ready to show up and play some state tennis.”

Brown agreed.

“Having a group like this is super-special,” he said of the boys’ squad. “I love the atmosphere of this team — everyone is having a great time. We’re going for it at state. Regionals is one thing, but state is a whole different animal. We have to be able to execute.”

Panther tennis teams close out regular season

Wins over Kelly Walsh, Natrona County highlight Senior Day

Posted Tuesday, September 17, 2019 8:10 am

By Don Cogger

The Powell High School tennis teams ended their regular seasons Saturday on a high note, winning three out of four matches against Kelly Walsh and Natrona County.

It was a busy couple of days for the two teams, which traveled to Sheridan Friday. The Panthers knocked off the previously undefeated Generals 3-2, while the Lady Panthers fell 4-1 against a strong Sheridan squad.

The Panthers capped off an undefeated regular season with a 10-0 sweep against the Casper teams, while the Lady Panthers fell to Kelly Walsh but rebounded with 5-0 sweep of Natrona County.

“It was a good, fun finish to our regular season,” said PHS head coach Joe Asay. “I think we’re in a good spot heading into [regionals] next week in Casper.”

The PHS teams also took time Saturday to honor their seniors: Jesse Brown, Dylan Preator, Aidan Jacobsen, Grant Dillivan, Jay Cox, Justin Vanderbeek, Sloane Asay and Hailee Paul all played their final matches at the PHS courts. Coach Asay said this group has been a special one, as, outside of exchange student Vanderbeek, they were all freshmen when he took over as head coach.

“The real thing for me was, holy cow, this was the group that we all started together with,” he said, adding, “I was very fortunate to have such an athletic bunch. They’ll be missed as they finish up their high school career. They’re all great students as well as great athletes, and it’s been really fun to be a part of that.”

Panthers 3, Sheridan 2

It was a battle of the unbeatens in Sheridan Friday, with the Panthers coming away with a 3-2 win.

The match was not without its share of drama, however, as Powell’s top two singles players suffered losses to their Sheridan counterparts. Senior Jesse Brown lost his first match of the season at No. 1 singles to Sheridan’s Ethan Kutz in straight sets 6-4, 6-4. Coach Asay said the two players have battled each other for most of their high school careers, and it’s a matchup that never disappoints.

“Ethan and Jesse both played great tennis; it was a good match to watch,” Asay said. “Jesse felt he was a little off on his service game, so he was fighting from behind a lot.”

At No. 2 singles, Powell’s Dylan Preator also squared off against a familiar foe, losing in three sets to Reed Rabon 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

“Dylan is still working through some things, just trying to figure out how to stay consistent through a match,” Asay said. “Reed [Rabon] is a solid, athletic kid, and Dylan came up just a bit short.”

All three doubles teams for the Panthers came out on top to secure the overall victory, though it wasn’t easy. Each match went three sets, beginning with Powell’s Jacobsen and Vanderbeek outlasting Cameron Springsteen and Kevin Woodrow at No. 1 doubles, 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.

The No. 2 doubles team of Dillivan and Nate Bartholomew beat Sheridan’s Jarrett Hoy and Tomy Phillips (6-2, 4-6, 6-1), while Jay Cox and Logan Brown won in the No. 3 spot over Luke Lawson and Jake Woodrow (2-6, 6-2, 6-2).

“All the doubles teams won after having split sets, so there was some good tennis there,” Asay said.

Sheridan 4, Lady Panthers 1

The Lady Panthers’ No. 3 doubles team of Whitney Hull and Kaili Wisniewski was the lone bright spot for Powell against a loaded Sheridan team, beating Samantha Dillon and Lauren Jensen in straight sets 7-5, 6-1.

“That was a great win for Whitney and Kaili, it was fun to see that,” Asay said.

Senior Sloane Asay and junior Ashley Dunkerley had a rough go at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, losing in straight sets to Julia Kutz (6-2, 6-0) and Ella Laird (6-0, 6-4) respectively.

Paul and Sophe Morrow fell to Sheridan’s Stephanie Gonda and Tori Pearce (6-1, 7-6) at No. 1 doubles, while Sami Cole and Sydnee Thompson lost to Aspen Malkuch and Sydni Bilyeu at No. 2 doubles (6-4, 6-2).

“That’s a pretty strong Sheridan team,” Asay said. ”We were just a little overmatched, but the girls were out there and competing well.”

Panthers 5, Kelly Walsh 0

In Saturday’s opening match against the Casper contingent, Powell won 5-0 over Kelly Walsh, though four of the matches went to three sets.

“We knew we could be tested a little by Kelly Walsh,” Asay said. “They were a young team, but they played well.”

Accounting for the wins were Brown in the No. 1 singles position over Buck Harris (6-1, 6-1), Preator at No. 2 singles over Austin Putnam (6-3, 6-7, 6-4), Vanderbeek and Jacobsen over Drew Rasmussen and Jackson Catchpole at No. 1 doubles (6-3, 3-6, 6-3), Dillivan and Bartholomew over Parker Phillips and Colton Allaire at No. 2 doubles (6-2, 1-6, 7-5) and the No. 3 doubles team of Cox and Brown over Brentan Brown and Ethan Spicer (3-6, 6-1, 6-2).

Kelly Walsh 4, Lady Panthers 1

On the girls side, Kelly Walsh won 4-1. The No. 2 doubles team of Cole and Thompson won Powell’s lone match over Isabel Rieker and Kylie Dray in straight sets (7-5, 6-1).

At No. 1 singles, Sloane Asay was beaten in straight sets 6-0, 6-1. Dunkerley lost at No. 2 singles to Lily Putnam 6-0, 6-0.

For the doubles teams, No. 1 Paul and Morrow lost 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, while the No. 3 duo of Hull and Wisniewski lost 7-6, 6-3.

Panthers 5, Natrona 0

Against Natrona County, Brown won by forfeit in the No. 1 spot. Preator at No. 2 singles won in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 over Davis Knight.

The No. 1 doubles team of Vanderbeek and Jacobsen, the No. 2 team of Dillivan and Bartholomew and the No. 3 team of Cox and Brown all won in straight sets, with Natrona winning just one game at No. 2 doubles.

Lady Panthers 5, Natrona 0

The Lady Panthers ended the regular season on a high note with a 5-0 sweep of Natrona County.

At No. 1 singles, Asay won in straight sets 6-2, 6-3. Dunkerley split sets at No. 2 singles but held on for the win (6-7, 6-4, 7-5).

The No. 1 doubles team of Paul and Morrow (6-4, 6-1), the No. 2 team of Cole and Thompson (7-5, 6-1) and the No. 3 team of Hull and Wisniewski (6-3, 6-3) all won in straight sets.

PHS tennis teams split with Cody, sweep Rawlins over weekend

Regular season ends this week on road, at home

PHS tennis player Justin Vanderbeek returns a serve Thursday during his No. 1 doubles match against Cody at the PHS courts. Vanderbeek and partner Aidan Jacobsen beat Cody’s Dillon Romero and Hayden DeMaranville 7-6(7-3), 6-2.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY DON COGGER

Posted Tuesday, September 10, 2019 8:20 am

By Don Cogger

The Powell High School tennis teams had a busy week, welcoming in Cody for a conference match Thursday, then hitting the road to Rawlins on Saturday.

The rematch against their cross-county rivals was a split for Powell, with the Panthers cruising to a 4-1 win over the Broncs and the Lady Panthers swept by the Fillies 5-0.

Saturday’s non-conference match against Rawlins was all Powell, with 5-0 sweeps by both teams.

“The opportunity to play those Cody kids a few times is always great,” said PHS head coach Joe Asay.

Panthers 4, Cody 1

Senior Jesse Brown remained undefeated at No. 1 singles, making short work of the Broncs’ Cody Champlin in the second meeting between the two in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.

“Jesse kind of got off to a slow start, but once he put things together, he put the pedal to the metal and finished out well ...,” Asay said.

Panther No. 2 singles player Dylan Preator was also pushed a bit in the first set against Cody’s Jackson Golden before winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.

“Jackson Golden plays a real conservative game, not a lot of power, but he’s pretty consistent,” Asay said. “That challenged Dylan a bit in the first set, but he handled it well and played really good tennis.”

In their second outing together, the No. 1 singles team of Aidan Jacobsen and Justin Vanderbeek beat Cody’s Dillion Romero and Hayden DeMaranville. The first set went to a tie-breaker before Jacobsen and Vanderbeek came out on top 7-6(7-3), 6-2.

“After that first set tie-break, Aidan and Justin really dominated from that point,” Asay said. “I was tickled to see them finish well. They’re a really solid doubles team.”

The lone blemish on the boys’ side for Powell came at No. 2 doubles, as Grant Dillivan and Ethan Bartholomew fell to Soloman Stewart and Mitchell Schwab 6-1, 6-4.

“We’re still working through some things at that No. 2 spot with a couple of pretty athletic kids in Grant and Ethan,” Asay said. “They played a pretty solid team from Cody and played well in that second set but came up short.”

It was a thriller at No. 3 doubles, with Powell’s Jay Cox and Logan Brown outlasting Cody’s Tristan Dollard and TJ Smith in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

Cody 5, Lady Panthers 0

The Lady Panthers once again struggled to find an answer to a loaded Cody team, losing in a 5-0 sweep.

Cody’s Teagan Thompson, last year’s state runner-up at No. 2 singles, beat Powell’s Sloane Asay 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles.

At No. 2 singles, Lady Panther Ashley Dunkerley lost in straight sets to Torrie Schutzman 6-3, 6-1.

“Sloane and Ashley are alone on an island playing singles, and both played good tennis against some pretty solid girls from Cody,” Asay said. “We won a couple of games and got some good experience.”

Powell’s Hailee Paul and Sophe Morrow fell in straight sets to Maddy Icenogle and Simona Wambekeat No. 1 doubles, 6-3, 6-1.

In No. 2 doubles, Lady Panthers Sami Cole and Sydnee Thompson lost to Anna Brenner and Ashlynn Staggs in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

“Sami and Sydnee are playing really good tennis together,” Asay said. “They’re moving well, seeing the court better, and they really battled against those Cody kids. They really got after them.”

In the No. 3 doubles spot, Whitney Hull and Kaili Wisniewski lost to Cody’s Soffy Anderson and Nathalia Morales 6-1, 6-2.

Panthers 5, Rawlins 0

The Panthers coasted against Rawlins Saturday, losing only eight games in a 5-0 sweep.

“It was a good outing,” Asay said. “It’s non-conference, but it’s matches, it’s experience. It’s an opportunity to get out there and battle.”

Brown and Preator made short work of Rawlins’ Sebastian Maes and Chad Hansen at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, winning 6-0, 6-0 and 6-2, 6-0 respectively.

Jacobsen and Vanderbeek won for the second time this season at No. 1 doubles for Powell, defeating Toran Flores and Chase Holcomb 6-2, 6-0. Dillivan and Bartholomew got back on track at No. 2 doubles with a win over Tanner Wooley and JC Ice 6-0, 6-1.

At No. 3 doubles, Cox and Brown won in straight sets over Rawlins’ Andrew Dillworth and Spencer Searle 6-3, 6-0.

Lady Panthers 5, Rawlins 0

Matches were a little more competitive on the girls’ side against Rawlins, but the results were the same, as the Lady Panthers won in a sweep 5-0.

Sloane Asay had her hands full with Rawlins’ Darby Thayer at No. 1 singles, but came away with a straight-set win 6-4, 7-5.

At No. 2 singles, Dunkerley downed Bailee Thompson 6-2, 6-4.

“Sloane and Ashley had really good, competitive matches; they had to work for their wins,” Asay said. “They came out on top, so it was fun to see them get some wins.”

Paul and Morrow got the win in straight sets at No. 1 doubles over Savannah Townsend and Alexis Townsend 6-4, 6-1, while Cole and Thompson beat Sharahyah Thimas-Lusch and Sierra Skinner 6-3, 6-1.

At No. 3 doubles, Hull and Wisniewski came out on top over Carla Lucero and Buena Clark 6-4, 6-0.

The PHS tennis teams travel to Sheridan Friday, then return home Saturday for the regular season finales against Casper’s Kelly Walsh and Natrona County. Asay said he’s excited for the Sheridan match, which will feature a tough test for Brown at No. 1 singles.

“Sheridan is always a very solid team on both sides, and Jesse [Brown] will be coming up against a kid [Ethan Kutz] who’s kind of had his number in the past,” Asay said. “It’s one of those matches that Jesse will have to work hard at, but he has all the right tools. It will be a good opportunity for him.”

PHS tennis teams split in Jackson

Panthers eke out 3-2 win, Lady Panthers swept 5-0

Posted Thursday, September 5, 2019 8:05 am

By Don Cogger

Friday’s road trip to Jackson was a mixed bag for the Powell High School tennis teams, with the Panthers escaping with a 3-2 win and the Lady Panthers the victims of a 5-0 sweep.

“On the girls’ side, there’s some good talent there, and for the most part they’re all working awfully darn hard to get on the win side of things. We just couldn’t quite get through in Jackson,” said PHS tennis coach Joe Asay. “On the boys’ side things went a little better for us.”

Panthers 3, Jackson 2

Panther senior Jesse Brown continued to roll through the opposition in No. 1 singles, dispatching Jackson’s Campbell Gervais in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3 to remain undefeated on the season at 6-0.

“Jesse played great tennis — when he’s not pushed, we look at how well did he execute,” Asay said. “I could see him really processing things and trying to make a good effort there.”

After a week at the No. 1 doubles spot, Dylan Preator returned to the No. 2 singles position. The defending state champion at the position, Preator dropped the first set to Jackson’s Steven Ashurst 6-1; Ashurst had beaten Preator a year ago, going undefeated in the regular season, but Preator regrouped on Friday: The PHS senior won the next two sets 6-1 and 6-3 to take the match.

“Dylan got off to a slow start,” Asay said, but “Dylan dialed things up in the last two sets this time around, finished really well.”

The No. 1 doubles match featured a brand-new pairing in Aaron Jacobsen and Belgian exchange student Justin Vanderbeek. The duo’s first outing didn’t go as they would have hoped, losing in straight sets to Jackson’s Jackson Santamauro and George Gervais 6-3, 6-3.

“Our one doubles both played great tennis against a pretty solid team from Jackson,” Asay said. “It was a chance for Aidan to get out there and make something happen playing with Justin Vanderbeek ...”

The No. 2 doubles team of Grant Dillivan and Ethan Bartholomew took Jackson’s Oliver Jost and Christopher Rosen to three sets before losing 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

“This was the second time of Grant and Ethan playing together, and I saw them really work through some things,” Asay said. “They ended up splitting sets with those guys [Jackson] and just came up short. It was a good, competitive match there.”

With the teams knotted up at 2-2, it came down to the No. 3 doubles team of Jay Cox and Logan Brown to break the tie. The duo did just that, though it took three sets to do it. They dropped the first set to Trey Dykeman and Elliot Sanchez 7-5, then won the next two 7-5, 6-3 to secure the win for the Panthers.

“Jay and Logan were able to dial it up and get it done in the second and third set to win the match,” Asay said.

Jackson 5, Lady Panthers 0

It was a rougher go on the girls’ side for Powell, who were swept 5-0 for the second straight match. Senior Sloane Asay and junior Ashley Dunkerley faced formidable opponents at No. 1 and No. 2 singles in the form of Hyla Chatham (6-1, 6-1) and Valerie Stevenson (6-1, 6-3).

“Sloane and Ashley are just continually out there battling, playing good tennis,” coach Asay said. “They just can’t string enough of the right points together to get the games won.”

At No. 1 doubles, Hailee Paul and Sophe Morrow fell in straight sets to Jackson’s Anna Revill and Megan Tucker 6-1, 6-2.

Powell’s Sami Cole and Sydnee Thompson gave Jackson’s Sam Fairbanks and Tashi Ferris all they could handle before falling in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

“That was a fun match with Sami and Sydnee, two scrappy little players,” Asay said. “They were anticipating things well together, I’d just like to see them play a little bit more aggressively.”

Kaili Wisniewski was without normal No. 3 doubles partner Whitney Hull against Jackson, playing instead with freshman Lila Asay. The pair fell to Jackson 7-5, 6-0.

The PHS tennis teams are back in action today (Thursday), hosting cross-county rival Cody in a rematch from last week. This time, the match will count in the conference standings.

“It will be a big day for us, so it’s nice we had a chance to see what Cody has to offer last week,” Asay said. “Hopefully we’ll be ready to get out and get after it.”

PHS tennis splits with Cody

Panthers top Broncs, Lady Panthers fall to Fillies

Panther No. 1 doubles player Aidan Jacobsen blasts a serve against Cody’s Dillon Romero and Hayden DeMaranville on Tuesday during a match at Cody Middle School. Jacobsen and doubles partner Dylan Preator won the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY DON COGGER

Posted Thursday, August 29, 2019 8:20 am

By Don Cogger

The Powell High School tennis teams took on their cross-county rivals in Cody Tuesday, the first meeting of the season between the two teams. The teams split the difference, with the Panthers overpowering the Broncs 4-1 and the Lady Panthers losing in a sweep, 5-0.

“It was a non-conference win on the boys’ side, but we’ll take it,” said PHS head coach Joe Asay. “We’ll do it again for keeps next Thursday [Sept. 5] over here for conference results. Unfortunately, the other side of that was our girls battling against what continues to be just a real strong Cody Fillies team.”

Panthers 4, Cody 1

Senior Jesse Brown remained undefeated at No. 1 singles, making short work of the Broncs’ Cody Champlin in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.

“I felt pretty good out there,” Brown said following the match. “I’ve played him [Champlin] before, so I kind of knew what to expect. It’s been a good start to the season, I’m feeling really confident.”

“Jesse just played great tennis,” Asay said. “The kid playing that spot for Cody is a sophomore, and a good, solid player. It gives Jesse something to work with — he wasn’t pushed, necessarily, but it certainly gave him a chance to really work aspects of his game.”

Below Brown, the Panthers featured a bit of a new look.

Justin Vanderbeek, an exchange student from Belgium, claimed the No. 2 singles spot from Dylan Preator earlier this week. The shift caused a ripple effect throughout the boys’ lineup, as Preator dropped to the No. 1 doubles spot, Ethan Bartholomew dropped to No. 2 doubles and Jay Cox dropped to No. 3 doubles.

In his first outing at No. 2 singles, Vanderbeek squared off against Cody’s Jackson Golden, winning the first set 6-4. The second set was a battle, with Jackson outlasting Vanderbeek 6-4 to square the match at 1-1. Vanderbeek ran out of steam in the third and final set, dropping the set and the match 6-1.

“... He battled, played really good tennis,” Asay said of Vanderbeek, adding, “He kind of faded a little bit in the third set, but it was good to see him out there battling. He [Vanderbeek] has a really good game, and him playing at the spot did open up a pretty neat opportunity at No. 1 doubles for us.”

At No. 1 doubles, Preator reunited with old partner Aidan Jacobsen for the first time since the 2017 season. That year, the then-sophomores made an improbable run through the state meet in Gillette. They advanced all the way to the No. 2 doubles title match before losing to a duo from Cheyenne East. Both players earned All-State honors for their efforts.

Against Cody’s Dillon Romero and Hayden DeMaranville Tuesday, Preator and Jacobsen got off to a slow start, as they struggled to regain the tempo from a couple of years ago. It finally clicked midway through the first set, and the team went on to a straight-set win 6-4, 6-2.

“That was a lot of fun; it was fun to get back with him [Preator],” Jacobsen said. “We started off a little slow, but we picked the pace right back up. One of the Cody kids had a pretty good serve, it took a little bit to get used to. But we ended up geting it done.”

Asay said he’s a fan of the pairing, and he’s eager to see what the two can accomplish should they keep playing together.

“They’re both [Preator and Jacobsen] just so super-athletic, and they’ve been playing the game for a while now,” Asay said. “I felt like they really dominated this match, a great win over a pretty solid Cody team. They were a little slow out of the gate, but obviously finished really well, so that was fun.”

The first-ever pairing of senior Grant Dillivan and sophomore Ethan Bartholomew was a success as well, with the pair topping the Broncs’ Tristan Dollard and TJ Smith in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

“Ethan has just stepped in to play some really good doubles tennis this season,” Asay said. “He’s playing so well, so it’s been fun to see him in that spot, battling.”

The No. 3 doubles pairing of Jay Cox and Logan Brown closed out the match for the Panthers with a straight-set win over CJ Dominick and Mitchel Schwab 6-4, 6-1. The match was a first for Cox and Brown as a team, and Asay said he liked the way the players complemented each other.

“Logan Brown comes out and competes really well. He’s pretty raw, but just a good, athletic kid,” Asay said. “ Playing with our other tall, long, athletic kid in Jay Cox, they got after it and had a good win as well.”

Cody 5, Lady Panthers 0

It was a struggle throughout for the Lady Panthers, as Cody once again proved to be a strong contender for the 3A state crown.

Cody’s Teagan Thompson, last year’s state runner-up at No. 2 singles, competed in the No. 1 singles spot, beating Powell’s Sloane Asay 6-1, 6-2.

“Teagan Thompson has always been super-competitive in the two spot, and if it weren’t for Tessa Blough a year ahead of her, she would have been a very competitive No. 1 singles player,” coach Asay said. “Sloane Asay is still new to the position, so it was kind of a David and Goliath situation. But Sloane is playing good tennis, got some great points off of Teagan. Really battled her all the way through.”

At No. 2 singles, Lady Panther Ashley Dunkerley lost in straight sets to Torrie Schutzman, though she made her Cody opponent earn it, especially in the second set.

“Ashley Dunkerley is a scrappy player and played another real scrappy player from Cody’s side,” coach Asay said. “She was the last one off the court. She came up short, but was there the whole way through, really battling. She’s really stepped up well in that two spot.”

Powell’s Hailee Paul and Sophe Morrow fell in straight sets to Maddy Icenogle and Simona Wambeke in straight sets in No. 1 doubles action 6-1, 6-0.

In No. 2 doubles, Lady Panthers Sami Cole and Sydnee Thompson lost to Anna Brenner and Ashlynn Staggs 6-1, 6-3, while in the No. 3 doubles spot, Whitney Hull and Kaili Wisniewski lost by the same scores to Cody’s Soffy Anderson and Nathalia Morales.

“All the girls had really good matchups ... I see great tennis being played,” Asay said. “That’s just a really strong Cody team.”

The PHS tennis teams are on the road Friday, taking a trip through Yellowstone and the Tetons for matches against Jackson.

“Anytime you get to spend some time in the park with a good bunch of kids it’s always fun,” Asay said, adding that, “Knowing what they [Jackson] had last year, it will be good, competitive tennis.”

Panther tennis teams shine in Gillette

Sweep Thunder Basin, Campbell County

PHS No. 1 doubles player Aidan Jacobsen returns a shot against Rock Springs during a match earlier this month. The Panther and Lady Panther tennis teams traveled to Gillette on Friday, returning home with wins over Thunder Basin and Campbell County.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY CARLA WENSKY

Posted Tuesday, August 27, 2019 8:15 am

By Don Cogger

Friday may have seemed to the Powell High School tennis teams like the longest day ever, starting with hopping a bus at 7 a.m. and finishing at an indoor court in Gillette 14 hours later.

But while the day was long, it was also productive: The Panthers and Lady Panthers swept the teams from Thunder Basin and Campbell County to return home with a perfect 4-0 record on the day and their first conference wins of the season.

“It was a good trip over to Gillette,” said PHS head coach Joe Asay. After departing Powell early, the team started matches at 1:30 p.m. with the Thunder Basin. “The later matches against Campbell went a little long due to weather, but all in all, it was a good day for us,” Asay said.

Lady Panthers 4, Thunder Basin 1

Against Thunder Basin, Lady Panther Sloane Asay picked up her first win of the season in No. 1 singles, beating Alyson Borchers in a three-set thriller 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Ashley Dunkerley also needed three sets to pick up the win at the No. 2 spot, beating Alexa Kubacher 7-5, 6-7, 6-1.

The No. 1 doubles team of Hailee Paul and Sophe Morrow came up short against TB’s Kim Kern and Kinsley Larson 6-4, 6-4 — the only loss for the Lady Panthers in the match.

“Hailee and Sophe battled hard that whole match, just came up short,” coach Asay said.

Sami Cole and Sydnee Thompson dispatched TB’s Autumn Lund and Ali Morgan in straight sets 6-6, 6-0, while at the No. 3 doubles spot, Whitney Hull and Kaili Wisniewski beat Katie and Maggie Bruse 6-3, 6-3.

“Thunder Basin always have some real competitive teams, so I was pleased by that win,” Asay said.

Panthers 4, Thunder Basin 1

Jesse Brown continued his winning ways at No. 1 singles, beating the Bolts’ Jack Voigt 6-2, 6-0. Dylan Preator was pushed a bit in the No. 2 singles spot, winning the first set against TB’s Jordan Klaasen 7-6 but dropping the second 6-7. Preator rebounded in the third 6-1 to take the match.

Powell’s pairing of Aidan Jacobsen and Ethan Bartholomew also survived a three-set match at No. 1 doubles, beating Joel Klassen and Mason Miller 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.

Grant Dillivan and Jay Cox took the loss at No. 2 doubles to Isaac Lass and Carson Hanson 6-1, 6-0, while Logan Brown and Aiden Chandler were winners at No. 3 doubles over TB’s Luke Lass and Matt Mobley.

“Grant and Jay are still trying to figure out what works for them, but it’s coming together,” Asay said of the seniors and friends, adding that, “Grant may be a little bit further along in his game, but Jay is super-athletic. They’ll be fine.”

Lady Panthers 3, Campbell County 2

Against Campbell County Friday afternoon, the Lady Panthers took losses at both No. 1 and No. 2 singles, but a sweep in all three doubles matches gave Powell the 3-2 overall win.

At No. 1 and No. 2 singles, Lady Panthers Sloane Asay and Dunkerley lost in straight sets to Campbell County’s Alli Hays (6-0, 6-0) and Alexa Richert (6-0, 6-1), respectively.

“Both Sloane and Ashley struggled, a bit of a let-down on both their parts,” coach Asay said. “They both went three sets at Thunder Basin, so I think they were a little bit wiped out in the afternoon.”

Powell rebounded in doubles play, however. At the No. 1 position, Paul and Morrow downed Livia Castellanos and Abi Neary 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5. Cole and Thompson made short work of Taylor Kannapel and Mari Bouzis in the No. 2 doubles spot (6-0, 6-1), while Hull and Wisniewski broke the 2-2 stalemate at No. 3 doubles with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Isabell St. Martin and Chloe Rankin.

“The doubles teams all got it done, so that was fun,” coach Asay said.

Panthers 4, Campbell County 1

Weather became a factor late in the afternoon. The Panthers started the action outside at Campbell County, but moved indoors to the Campbell County Rec Center once the rains hit.

Brown and Preator remained undefeated at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, with Brown making short work of Campbell County’s Miles Veyna 6-0, 6-2. Preator had a bit more of a challenge against Tanner Lemm, eventually winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

The Camels’ No. 1 doubles team of Jefferson Neary and Austin Robertson proved too much for Jacobsen and Bartholomew, winning in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 for CC’s only win of the match.

Dillivan and Cox beat the Camels’ Jason Fink and Logan Dymond 6-3, 6-1, while Brown and Chandler won a three-set grind at No. 3 doubles against Marcus Sarvey and Tully Allison 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4.

The PHS tennis teams are in action today (Tuesday) in Cody against their cross-county rivals — the first of two meetings between the two teams. Today’s meeting will be considered a non-conference match, while the second match on Sept. 5 at PHS will count toward the conference standings.