Panther tennis team recognizes members at awards night

Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2016 3:20 pm

By Breanne Thiel

The Powell High School tennis team recently handed out awards to its most improved, most inspirational and most valuable players of the fall season. Letter winners were also recognized at the Oct. 18 event.

Earning most improved for the boys was junior Nathaniel Whitham. After playing through the intrasquad tournament at the start of the season, Whitham did not make the varsity squad.

“But Nathaniel took advantage of the challenge process and ended up earning a spot on the varsity team with another junior, Wade Musso, playing in the No. 2 doubles spot,” said head coach Joe Asay.

Nicole Sanders was voted most improved for the girls team. One of two seniors on the varsity squad, this was Sanders’ first year on the varsity team.

“She played No. 2 doubles with her cousin, sophomore Sierra Sanders,” said Asay. “They were one match away from playing on Saturday in the consolation finals for third and fourth place.”

Most inspirational was awarded to juniors James Sheets and Lauren Asher for the boys and girls team.

Sheets, playing in his second year on the varsity team, wasn’t able to play as much tennis this summer as he would have liked due to a wrist injury, Asay  said.

“One of the biggest goals for these athletes is the opportunity to play in one of the two singles spots,” said Asay. “(Sheets) worked through his injury and, although he did not have a chance to play in one of two singles spots, he and his partner, Aaron Jacobsen, played great tennis this year.”

Last year as a sophomore, Asher and her partner Tessa Eller, played in the consolation final for the No. 2 doubles team. They placed third last year at state after having lost a three set match.

“(Asher) has worked very hard at the game of tennis,” said Asay. “She earned the No. 2 singles position this year and, although she did not have the results she would have liked, she always had the best attitude.”

Most valuable on the boys team went to freshman Jesse Brown. Brown lost only two matches during the regular season. One of those losses was to an undefeated senior from Gillette in the final match of the regular season.

“(Brown) had the perfect opportunity for redemption beating that same kid for the No. 2 singles state title,” said Asay. “(Brown’s) state title gave the boys team enough points for a fifth-place finish out of 16 teams.”

Brown also made all-conference and all-state honors.

Junior Hattie Pimentel was voted most valuable for the girl’s team. Pimentel has played on the varsity tennis team since her freshman year.

As a freshman, Pimentel and her partner Maddie Morrow placed fourth as the No. 3 doubles team. Last year, as a sophomore, Pimentel earned the No. 2 singles spot.

“This year, Pimentel, earned the No. 1 singles spot,” said Asay. “Her record during the season was seven wins out (of) 10 matches.”

The awards for most improved, inspirational and valuable are all voted on by the players.

“The players did a good job recognizing their teammates that set themselves apart within each of the categories,” coach Asay said.

State Tennis 2016

Brown wins state crown

Posted Tuesday, October 4, 2016 2:41 pm

By Dan Hoehne

The tough competition throughout the regular season paid off for the Powell tennis team at the State Championships in Gillette last week.

And it paid off for no one more than freshman phenom Jesse Brown. He only lost one match all season and continued his winning ways by taking four straight matches to claim the No. 2 singles state crown.

Brown cruised past Rawlins Jacob Pacheco in his first match, 6-1, 6-1, and faced just a little more resistance in topping Kelby Kramer of Rock Springs, 6-4, 6-2.

Things got a little dicey in his semifinal match against Ethan Creagar of Torrington when Creagar was dominant in a 6-0, opening-set win.

Brown joined the battle in the second set as the two went at it hard; the Panther prevailed in a tie-breaker with a 7-5 win.

With the positive momentum on his side, Brown took control in the final set and took a 6-3 win to put him into the title match against Garrett Seagmans of Campbell County.

The first set was a barn-burner with the two matching each other swing for swing. Neither gave an inch, with a tie-breaker needed to settle it. Brown came out with the slightest of edges in the 7-6 (7-5) win. He made it hold up — and breathed just a bit easier — in taking the second set 6-4 to win the state title.

“He was a little disappointed at the start of the season as he had his sights set on playing No. 1 singles,” Powell High School head coach Joe Asay said of Brown. “But things worked out well and he got to enjoy it and have fun. It’s quite a way to end a freshman season, going against the No. 1 seed, who is a senior, and beat him for the state title.”

All but two of the other Powell positions won at least one set during their time in the state competition. The No. 1 singles players for the boys and girls, Rhett and Hattie Pimentel, each lost their first match but got a consolation bracket win before being knocked out.

That same format held true for each No. 1 doubles teams: James Sheets and Aaron Jacobsen and Jennifer Bonander and Kaylee Meyer.

No. 3 doubles boys Nathan Brown and Dylan Preator, both freshmen, also went loss, win, loss in their first time on the state level of competition.

At the girls No. 2 doubles, cousins Nicole and Sierra Sanders reached the consolation semifinals, having won their first match, losing the second, but winning two more before bowing out.

Also reaching the consolation semis were sophomore Shayla Shoopman and freshman Sloane Asay at No. 3 girls doubles.

The duo picked up an opening-round win, dropped into the consolation bracket with a second-round loss, but won two matches in a row before taking a tournament-ending loss to Laramie.

With Brown’s big finish, the Powell boys wound up fifth out of 16 schools in the team standings, while the Lady Panthers placed 11th.

“That’s how you always hope to finish a season,” coach Asay said. “I always emphasize that success isn’t always measured in wins, but in how you compete. The kids all competed well here and it was a lot of fun to see, especially those No. 2 and 3 girls doubles teams going so far and getting some points for us. It was a good season overall and the kids had a lot of fun.”

PHS comes up short on tennis court

Posted Thursday, September 22, 2016 2:45 pm

By Dan Hoehne

Panther tennis had its last two matches before the regional tournament late last week, and while the results weren’t quite there in the win column, there certainly were reasons.

“This isn’t a good week, or time of the week, with Homecoming being very much a distraction for the kids,” head coach Joe Asay said. “And these are some really strong and experienced programs we’re facing.”

Those two programs, Sheridan and Gillette, showed that ability on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The visiting Broncs swung their way to 4-1 wins against both the Powell boys and girls.

The lone Panther boys win came at No. 2 singles from freshman Jesse Brown, who was looking for a little redemption after taking his first loss of the season a few days earlier at Cody.

Facing Ethan Kutz, Brown took a 6-3, first-set win, but Kutz evened it up with a 6-4 win in the second set.

Brown would then repeat the score of the first set, 6-3, to get the victory.

At No. 1 singles, Rhett Pimentel won three games in his first set loss to Quinton Suska, but couldn’t get into the win column in the second set.

Both the No. 1 doubles (James Sheets and Aaron Jacobsen) and No. 2 doubles (Wade Musso and Nathaniel Whitham) picked up some game wins, but lost in straight sets.

The No. 3 doubles team of Nate Brown and Dylan Preator proved a very tough out early, battling to a 6-7, first-set loss, before the Sheridan duo made things a little easier in the second set, winning 6-2.

On the girls side, the Lady Panthers’ win came at No. 1 singles, where it was a match up of Hattie and Maddie, Powell’s Hattie Pimentel and Sheridan’s Maddie Garneau.

But the similar sound of their first names didn’t reflect much resemblance in their games as Pimentel cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Lauren Asher at No. 2 singles and cousins Sierra and Nicole Sanders, at No. 2 doubles, lost in straight sets, while the other two doubles teams stretched their contests to three sets.

The No. 1 doubles team of Jen Bonanader and Kaylee Meyer got a 6-4 win in their first set, but could only muster four more game wins in the next two, falling 1-6 and 3-6.

No. 3 doubles saw Shayla Shoopman and Sloane Asay in an epic back-and-forth, going to tie-breakers in each of the first two sets and splitting 7-6 and 6-7 scores. The Lady Broncs kicked it up a notch in the third set, however, getting a 6-2 win.

In Saturday morning’s contest against the visiting Gillette Camels, the Lady Panthers made it interesting in a 2-3 loss.

Both of Powell’s singles players picked up wins in straight sets, with Pimentel going 6-4, 6-4 over Kayla Sankovich and Asher winning 6-3, 6-2 over Alli Hays.

But none of the Panther doubles teams could come away with a win, tilting the match in Gillette’s favor.

The boys didn’t fare well against their Camel foes, with straight-set losses in all but one match.

Though Jesse Brown took it to three sets at No. 2 singles against Garrett Seamans, he ended up with his second loss of the season, and week, 6-2, 4-6, 5-7.

Coach Asay has said the tough regular season competition is key to preparing for the postseason and those final two opponents certainly fit the mold. They could well have the Panthers prepped for the North Regional Tournament this Friday and Saturday in Cody.

Powell tennis comes up short

Aaron Jacobsen goes airborne to get everything into this forehand shot against Cody in the No. 2 doubles match on Thursday.

TRIBUNE PHOTOS BY DAN HOEHNE

Posted Tuesday, September 6, 2016 2:42 pm

By Dan Hoehne

Boys win two out of five matches against Cody Broncs Thursday

After getting their feet wet in matches against Green River, Rawlins and Rock Springs the weekend of Aug. 26-27, the Panthers of the tennis courts stepped into deeper waters on Thursday against a talented and experienced Cody squad.

And yet the step up in the level of competition saw the Powell High School players rise to the challenge.

The Panther boys picked up two wins in their five matches, both coming in singles play.

At No. 1 singles, Powell’s Rhett Pimentel had to battle back from a 3-6 opening-set loss to Cody’s Zach Ross, and he did that in a big way.

Pimentel turned the corner in the second set for a convincing 6-2 win and he kept things going in the third and deciding set with a 6-3 score.

Freshman Jesse Brown won in straight sets at No. 2 singles over Joe Luedde, surviving a 7-5 first set before taking control and taking the second 6-2.

The Panthers weren’t able to pick up any wins in their doubles matches, but certainly raised their level of play.

James Sheets and Aaron Jacobsen stayed with Gaston Osterland and Bailey Lasko in the first set at No. 1 doubles, falling 3-6, and were able to pick up a couple of wins in the second before taking the 6-2 loss.

In the No. 2 doubles match, it looked like Wade Musso and Nathaniel Whitham might have been overmatched after taking a 0-6 loss in the first set to Stan Ogden and Evan Wambeke.

But the Powell duo came together in the second set, winning three games and pushing the Cody pair in the 3-6 loss.

At No. 3 doubles, Panther freshmen Dylan Preator and Nate Brown went up against the Broncs Bailey Ennist and Mark Bullerdick. They were able to grab a few wins in a 2-6, 1-6 loss.

“It’s my first year playing tennis, and they were really good,” Nate Brown said. “Cody was a lot better than the teams we faced last week, so it was good that we could get some wins.”

On the girls side of Thursday’s match, Cody was able to make it a 5-0 sweep, but the Lady Panthers made it more competitive than the overall score might indicate. Each match saw Powell win at least three games in at least one set.

In the No. 1 singles match between Panther Hattie Pimentel and Filly Tessa Blough, Blough earned a 6-3, 6-3 win.

Lauren Asher took her first loss of the season at No. 2 singles, but gave Cody’s Teagan Thompson all she could handle in the first set, forcing extra games in a 5-7 loss.

Thompson then held Asher off a bit better in a 6-3, second-set win.

Jen Bonander and Kaylee Meyer fell at No. 1 doubles, 3-6 and 2-6, to Lucille Sax and Dorothy Shippen while Shayla Shoopman and Sloane Asay rebounded from a 1-6 loss in the first set at No. 3 doubles to pick up three wins against Jessica Morales and Kaylee Arnold in a 3-6 second set loss.

Then there were the Sanders girls, cousins Nicole and Sierra, keeping things extremely close in the first No. 2 doubles set.

Cody’s Simona Wambeke and Zoe Pearson were just able to eke out a 7-6 win, and while the second set wasn’t quite that close, the Sanders girls didn’t make it easy in the 6-4 win for the Fillies.

“Cody has a very strong tradition with tennis and all of their players stay competitive by playing in tournaments over the summer,” Powell head coach Joe Asay said. “We have a few that played in the summer and those are the ones that were more competitive. It’s definitely a higher level of competition than our first few matches.”

That’s a level of competition they will have to get used to and play up to as the season progresses. Weekend matches against Jackson Hole and Riverton were on the immediate docket.

With the Labor Day holiday causing an early press day for this edition of the Powell Tribune, results from the Friday and Saturday matches will be in Thursday’s issue.

A new beginning for Panther tennis team

The 2016 Powell tennis team started its season off on the road this past weekend with matches against Green River and Rock Springs. Making up the varsity squad are, back row (from left): Wade Musso, Rhett Pimentel, Jesse Brown, Aaron Jacobsen, James Sheets, Nathan Brown, Dylan Preator and Derrick Lynn. Front row (from left): Lauren Asher, Shayla Shoopman, Hattie Pimentel, Sloane Asay, Nicole Sanders, Sierra Sanders and Jen Bonander. Not pictured is Kaylee Meyer.

TRIBUNE PHOTO BY DAN HOEHNE

Posted Tuesday, August 30, 2016 2:36 pm

By Dan Hoehne

The Powell tennis program lost a key member of the team when long-time coach Ray Bieber decided to call it a career and retire at the end of last season.

But Bieber had a hand in his replacement, asking Joe Asay, a former stand-out swimmer in Cody, to take over.

“There’s always been a lot of tennis in the area and while I was a swimmer in Cody during the winter seasons, before my senior year I picked up a racket for the fall season and decided it was kind of fun and it kept going from there,” Asay said. “Over time, I got to know Ray Bieber who was coaching swimming for Powell. When my family and I landed here six years ago, I started wandering around and coach Bieber asked me to come out and help. When he retired he ran it by me to see if I’d be interested. I always thought I’d end up coaching on the swim deck, but I just love this game and time-wise, this really works best for me as well.”

As for the team he is taking over, Asay is without the services of graduate Cody Akin who was the singles state champion last season.

Which, while a big loss, creates opportunities.

“We have two strong junior girls (Hattie Pimentel and Lauren Asher) returning and a senior, Jen Bonander, who are at the top,” Asay said. “On the boys side, there’s a strong junior Rhett Pimentel at the number one position, but we have freshman Jesse Brown that is pushing for it. Two other juniors, James Sheets and Aaron Jacobsen, are also back.”

And while the team has its share of upper classmen with talent and experience, there is a youth movement afoot.

“We have three freshmen that have worked their way onto the varsity team, with another four that are right at the top end of the junior varsity,” Asay said. “Having that sort of competition within the team really helps push them and makes us better. After they all competed, I put a bracket together of where I thought people should be to have them in the best position to succeed and compared it with a bracket that (JV coach Brandon) Preator put together, and they pretty much matched up.”

Things didn’t start off, perhaps, in as strong of a way as Asay may have liked as the Panther boys fell by a 4-1 margin at Green River Friday, though the girls played it closer in a 3-2 loss.

Lauren Asher was dominant in her No. 2 singles win, cruising to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Haylen Cordova and the duo of Bonander and Kaylee Meyer went three sets in topping Isabel Leininger and Alex Palmer 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

And even in the losses, the Lady Panthers were competitive as Nicole Sanders and Sierra Sanders stretched their No. 2 doubles match to three sets.

On the boys side, it was that freshman vying for the top spot that got the lone win with Jesse Brown getting past Andrew Halverson 6-4 4-6, 7-5 at No. 2 singles.

Rhett Pimentel put up a good battle against Jacob Lock at No. 1 singles, but fell 6-7 and 4-6.

Wade Musso and Derrick Lynn also proved competitive in defeat at No. 3 doubles, winning three games in each of the two sets.

Saturday saw the team 20 minutes up the road in Rock Springs, where things took a definite turn for the better against Rawlins as both the boys and girls pulled off 5-0 wins.

Rhett Pimental got it started with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ryan Pfeffer at No. 1 singles and Brown went straight sets in a 6-0, 6-0 shutout of Jacob Pacheco at No. 2 singles.

Nate Brown and Dylan Preator lost a hard-fought first set at No. 1 doubles, 7-5, but bounced back with 6-4 and 6-1 wins to take the match going away.

Musso and Lynn got the final Powell win at No. 3 doubles over Sebastian Maes and Alfonso Porea.

For the Lady Panthers, Hattie Pimentel went 6-2, 6-1 over Anne McFarland at No. 1 singles and Asher triumphed 6-2, 6-1 over Kryslin Poppie at No. 2 singles.

The No. 1 doubles team of Bonander and Meyer were slightly tested in a 6-3, first-set win, but slammed their way to a 6-0 clinching set.

Similarly, the Sanders girls held on for a 6-4 win in the opener at No. 2 doubles, but came together to overpower Mackenzie Thompson and Selena Landa in the second set, 6-0.

Shayla Shoopman and Sloane Asay finished off their match quickly with 6-0 and 6-1 wins at No. 3 doubles.

Powell then finished up the busy opening weekend with the girls continuing to roll in a 5-0 win over the hosting Rock Springs Tigers.

Hattie Pimentel and Asher took the two singles matches, 6-2, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-3, respectively.

Bonander and Meyer went 6-1, 7-5 at No. 1 doubles while the Sanders’ went straight sets as well, getting a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 2.

Shoopman and Asay then had to battle, getting a 7-5 first-set win before Courtney Smith and Amanda Borders of Rock Springs evened the match up with a 6-2 win.

But the Powell pair pulled out a 6-3 victory to complete the sweep.

On the boys side, Rhett Pimentel won the No. 1 singles match, 6-4, 6-3, and Jesse Brown continued to show his strong play by going 6-0, 6-0 over Fletcher Wadsworth.

But the Panthers doubles teams had a tough time, dropping their matches in straight sets as Rock Springs got the 3-2 match win.

The first weekend out of the way, Powell will be at home Thursday with a tough test against visiting Cody, which saw both its boys and girls teams go 3-0 over the weekend against the same trio of Rawlins, Rock Springs and Green River.

The home match is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

Aidan's 8th Grade Recognition

Aidan will be moving on to high school!  That is a crazy thought!  But it is true!  I had the opportunity to attend his 8th grade recognition lunch.  They presented the Academic Presidential Awards, shared fun memories/thoughts about his class, heard a few words from the high school principal and vice-principal, and watched a fun slide show.  Aidan is very blessed to be part of an amazing class!  They are a very diverse class, but they are so tight-knit.  They look out for each other.  They build each other up.  They cheer for each others' successes.  Almost everyday when I pick Aidan up, the first words out of his mouth are, "What's for dinner?" followed by, "I want to tell you what cool thing so and so did."  He is always eager to brag about his friends' successes before he tells me anything about himself.  The kids he goes to school with are all like that.  They know how to have a lot of fun, but they also know how to work hard.  I love hearing about all their shenanigans.  They are able to joke around with their teachers because their teachers know they will also buckle down and work hard.  I've heard about the 3 on 3 basketball tournament in the hallway in between testing periods (played on their knees - Aidan has scars to prove it).  I just learned about "raisin day" competition.  Group projects are normally my worst nightmare, but not with Aidan's class.  I have loved the group projects that have taken place at our house.  Everyone doing their part and lots of laughter.  I'm not sure Powell Middle School assemblies will ever be the same again after this 8th grade class leaves.  They will for sure not ever be as entertaining!  It is a blessing for Aidan to be part of group driven to excel in everything they do: academics, athletics, drama, music, citizenship, and service.  Aidan is such a fun kid!  He loves to be doing something all the time.  He is driven, energetic, goofy, compassionate, kind, and still tells me he loves me every morning before he leaves for school!  It is hard to not think of him as my "little boy," but he is growing up.  He has actually started growing this year.  He is almost as tall as me!  I'm sure by the time he starts his freshman year, he will have passed me in height.  I'm so proud of all Aidan's hard work.  He most definitely is deserving of the Presidential Academic Award!

 

Westside Marathon 2016

 

Several years ago, the kids' elementary school began the tradition of running a marathon each year.  The kids use one of their recesses a week (two recesses on early release Wednesday weeks) and run laps at school.  6 laps = 1 mile  They keep track of how many laps they run each "lap day" and work toward accruing enough laps to qualify to run the last mile of their marathon at the end of the school year.  K/1st graders run a half marathon.  They need 12 miles before the last lap day to qualify.  2nd/3rd graders run a 3/4 marathon.  They need 18 miles before last lap day.  4th/5th graders need to run 25 miles before the last lap day.  My girlies all ran more than the required laps to qualify.  I always loved hearing how many laps they were able to run on lap days.  It seemed like the worse the weather, the more laps they ran.  Seems a bit backwards to me, but since we live in Wyoming and the weather is so crazy, maybe that is the best way to have it.  This year the middle school track was unavailable to run on to finish their marathon, so our awesome PE teacher, Mr. Robertson, and our amazing principal, Mrs. Woyak, came up with an ingenious idea to have the route be around the hospital/school neighborhood.  It worked out fantastic!  I didn't get to run with the girls this year because I am an aide in kindergarten, so I needed to "run" with some of the kiddos in the class I work in.  But the girls had fun friends to run with, and they were super speedy.  I love their enthusiasm, their hard work, and their fun, energetic personalities.  Getting to go to work everyday with my girls is such a fun thing! 

 

 

Megan - 5th grade, Kenna - 3rd grade, Ashlee - 1st grade

Kenna has a hard time giving me a nice smile in pictures.  This is usually how most of the pictures end up.  Goofy girl!

 

Megan ran with her bucket pals from 2nd grade.  Ashlee celebrated at the end with her sisters and Kenna's good friend.

The 3 Amigos - It's fun to have one of your best friends be your cousin!  These 3 girls are lots of fun and got to be in the same class this year.  They have a fabulous teacher that knew just how to tame their bubbly, talkative personalities to make sure work got done in the classroom.  (They had squares on the carpet at opposite ends from each other. Haha!)  A marathon was the perfect way to wear them out just a bit.

Apparently, it was a full day of learning, marathon finishing, and playing after school!  I found these 3 sacked out in my bed at 7:30 pm!

Election Results

And the results are in......DRUM ROLL, PLEASE..... Your new Westside Student Council Historians for the 2016-2017 school year are....Kenna Jacobsen and Caitlin Belmont!  How fun it will be to spend the school year with such a good friend recording all the fun events happening at Westside Elementary School.  Love these two girls! (And they both were superstar runners and finished their marathon the same day results were announced!)

 

Student Council Elections

My sweet 3rd grader decided to run for Student Council Historian for next school year.  Kenna just amazes me with her confidence and people skills.  She is such a good friend to everyone and loves to make people happy.  She wrote her own speech (with a little help from her older sister).  Megan loved helping Kenna with her posters, and I loved watching them work together.  It makes my mom heart happy to watch my children sincerely love each other, encourage each other, and cheer each other on.  Results will be announced tomorrow morning during morning announcements.  Stay tuned for the results!

 

Each candidate was able to ask some friends to help hold their posters while they gave their speech.  I loved that every one of them with a sibling at the school asked their sibling to help them.  It was so fun to see Ashlee so proud of her big sister and Kenna so happy to have her help her.  She had a few other friends help too, but they were on the other side of Kenna.

National Honor Society

Aaron was inducted in the Powell High School Chapter of National Honor Society tonight.  Unfortunately, Andy had to work out of town and couldn't be there for the ceremony.  I am so thankful I was able to be there.  Aaron most definitely has all the characteristics they look for in an inductee for the NHS.  He is very driven academically.  He has good character.  I don't know that I know a more compassionate, kind, caring, empathetic teenager.  Aaron always teaches me how to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ.  He strives everyday to treat others the way the Savior would, and it is hard for him to understand why others look for ways to tear other people down.  He likes to give service, and he is a natural leader.  Aaron leads by example.  He is not a vocal, bossy leader.  He just quietly goes about doing good.  The ceremony was short and sweet, but it was nice to share this special evening with Aaron.  I have a hard time admitting that he is 16, finishing his sophomore year, and gaining independence.  He reminds me that it is only 2 years until he can put in his mission papers.  AHHHH!!!!  I have so much to teach him.  I have so many fun memories I want to make with him still at home.  I AM NOT OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE A 16 YEAR OLD!!!  But since I do have a 16 year old, I am very thankful he has been an easy teenager.  He has made it easy to be the mom of a teenager.  I am savoring this time with him.  I thank Heavenly Father every day for allowing me to be his mother!  I know there are great things in Heavenly Father's plan for Aaron.

 

Receiving his certificate of membership from PHS Principal Jim Kuhn.

I feel very short standing next to this handsome young man.