PINEDALE – The Pinedale Lady Wranglers basketball team is off to a 6-1 start to begin the 2023-24 season, including wins over Green River, Evanston, Star Valley and Cheyenne Central.

The Wranglers opened the season with a 50-24 victory over Rawlins on Dec. 7 and backed that up with a 68-54 win over Central on Dec. 8.

Pinedale suffered their lone loss of the season on Dec. 9 to Powell, 35-28, but rebounded nicely with wins over Star Valley, 50-46, Evanston, 55-13, and Green River, 49-41, at the Flaming Gorge Classic in Green River and Rock Springs.

The 6-1 start has the Lady Wranglers ranked No. 5 in the latest Wyopreps.com Coaches and Media poll, as of Dec. 20.
Against Rawlins, the Lady Wranglers opened the season by holding the Outlaws to 2 first-quarter points in running out to a 17-2 lead in the first eight minutes. Pinedale continued its defensive pressure in the second to extend to a 31-6 lead at halftime. The Outlaws managed to play nearly even in the second half but could not overcome the Wranglers’ quick start.

Junior Elyn Bowers led the Lady Wranglers with 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point distance. She also added five rebounds, five steals and four assists. Fellow classmate Gabby Rogers tallied 13 points, including 3-of-5 from long distance, to go with four steals and three rebounds. Sophomore Erica Wilson had 10 points for Pinedale.

The following evening, Pinedale again used a fast start to run out to a 17-7 lead at the end of the first quarter against Cheyenne Central. The Wranglers then used a 23-18 scoring advantage in the second to grab a 40-25 lead at halftime. Central remained within the 15-point margin for the majority of the second half, but the Wranglers were too much in the end.

Bowers tallied 29 points in the victory with six rebounds and four assists, while Rogers had 17 points and two assists and sophomore Alyxis White had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Wilson finished with 8 points and four steals.

In its sole loss of the young season, the Wranglers fell to Powell, 35-28, on their third straight day of game play. Pinedale shot 9-of-40 from the field, including 2-of-12 from 3-point distance, in the loss.

Bowers led the Wranglers with 11 points and four rebounds, while Wilson tallied eight points and two steals. Junior Mae McGuire had 4 points and four rebounds, Rogers added 3 points, White finished with 2 points and three rebounds and sophomore Charlotte Hawke had five rebounds.

Since that loss, the Lady Wranglers have run off four straight victories and have outscored their opponents, 202-125, and currently boast Wyopreps.com’s Female Athlete of the Week in Bowers.

Bowers led the Lady Wranglers to a 3-0 record at the Flaming Gorge Classic and averaged 28 points and seven rebounds per game and also won the girls’ and overall 3-point competition by sinking 17 of 25 baskets, including 15 in a row.

Along with the state accolades, Bowers posted a school record 39 points in Pinedale’s victory over Evanston and also surpassed 1,000 career points, becoming the first in Pinedale history, both boys or girls, to do so in her junior season.

The Lady Wranglers opened the Classic with a 50-46 victory over Star Valley on Dec. 14.

In a rare occurrence, the Wranglers found themselves trailing at the end of the first period, 17-11, but slowly chipped away in the second quarter to cut the halftime deficit to 29-25. Pinedale erased the deficit in the third, outscoring the Braves, 13-5, and managed to hold on to that lead throughout the remainder of the fourth quarter.

Bowers had 17 points and seven rebounds in the victory, while Wilson tallied 13 points, five steals and four rebounds. White chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds, as McGuire added 4 points and eight boards.

On Friday, Bowers posted her career high 39 on 14-of-22 shooting, including 8-of-11 from three-point distance, as the Wranglers cruised past Evanston, 55-13. Pinedale held the Devils to less than five points in each of the four quarters.

White tallied 10 points and six rebounds for Pinedale, while Wilson had six steals and five rebounds and Rogers added three steals and two rebounds.

To cap off the Classic, Bowers tallied a double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds, as Pinedale held off Green River, 49-41.

Wilson added 10 points, four steals and three rebounds for the Wranglers, while Rogers had 6 points and four assists. White ended with eight rebounds and 3 points and McGuire added six rebounds.

The Wranglers wrapped up play before the holiday break with a 48-25 win over Kemmerer on Dec. 19. Pinedale held Kemmerer to 65 points in the first quarter and 2 in the second to grab a 21-8 lead at halftime and put the game away with a 15-3 run in the third.

Bowers had 24 points, five steals and four rebounds, while McGuire had six points and eight rebounds. Rogers ended with 10 points and four rebounds, and Hawke tallied 3 points and three rebounds. Wilson finished with five points and four steals.

Pinedale’s Lady Wranglers return to action, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 5-6, when the team travels to take on Worland, Buffalo and Hot Springs County.