“These young men ended the season by playing really well together amidst all the adversity thrown their way with injuries,” he said. “Ethan Jensen put a change in the Wranglers’ favor with a pick. Great blocking on the edge from Siefkes built a strong run presence leading to a rushing touchdown from Ethan Jensen. Big defensive performances in the second half from several Wranglers held the score to 7-8 for the third and fourth quarters.”
Lander won the first set with a 4-point lead. Pinedale rallied in the second set and trounced the Lady Tigers. Lander managed to win the third set by a razor-thin margin.
“At the bottom of this hill, and the halfway point in the race, Maddy found herself in a one-on-one battle with Morrell as all the other girls had lost contact with them,” Brazil said.
“Conference is one of my favorite meets,” said Co-Head Coach Kursty Day. “The pool is full of athletes cheering on their teammates. We have a young team this year and for most of our athletes this was their first time to experience Conference and the excitement that comes with it.”
Regardless of their opponents’ size, athletes from Sublette County posted strong performances and faster times, stepping up with fearlessness in a crowded field.
Friday’s game against Mountain View featured Pink Out Night, with the Lady Wranglers honoring those who have battled breast cancer or are battling the disease. The team also recognized their Superhero Assistant Coach, Pinedale Elementary student Braylee White.
Competing with the Jackson Hole High School (JHHS) cross-country team, Antonino’s first-place finish earned the runner All-Conference honors and helped propel the JHHS varsity girls into second place overall, beating Laramie, Star Valley, Kelly Walsh and Rock Springs.
“These young men have taken on a tall task of helping to install a different style of offense, develop fundamentals at varsity speed and see that growth every day to remain positive in the midst of the voices and people that do not understand or trust the process. For that, I am indebted to these young men and know that they are significant and will continue to be so in life.”
Antonino dominated the 5K course and earned gold in girls’ varsity. She clocked in at 18 minutes, 07.70 seconds, and beating the runner-up from the host school by 15.2 seconds.
The Pinedale defense dug in their heels in the first half, holding the Rangers to 9 points. Kemmerer scored two touchdowns in the second half to secure a 22-0 win, though the Wrangler defensive line prevented the game from becoming a rout.
Pinedale held its own against top-ranked teams at the event. The Lady Wranglers matched Lyman, the No. 1 seed in the Southwest Quadrant, and Powell, the No. 1 seed in the Northwest, with a 3-1 record over the weekend.
“The girls worked really hard and were super competitive,” she said. “They showed up smiling and full of excitement for the day.”
Senior Lilly Joseph qualified for State in 11 dives at the Homecoming Meet on Saturday. She picked up seventh place in the event, tallying 275.05 points. Joseph qualified in six dives earlier in the season.
“The boys played well and began the game with a huge screen pass interception by Bailey. The offense put together some great drives where Luke Gray was able to find senior Holden Saxton for a big pass conversion leading to (freshman) Cale Dauwen finding the end zone in the second quarter. The foundation blocks are continuing to be laid by the Wranglers as they improve each week in multiple areas.”
Pinedale won the first two sets by a wide margin and led for a majority of the third set.
The Lady Wranglers maintained a lead through several sets, managed to close the gap multiple times or kept their opponent’s margin of victory to within one or two points. Pinedale delivered plenty of powerful hits and serves and demonstrated a high level of coordination.
The Wranglers’ unyielding work ethic on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field reflected the team’s growth and paid off with impressive plays culminating in a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Pinedale High School junior Brody Hamby and sophomore Elyn Bowers both broke into the top 10 at the 3A West Qualifier in Lander on Sept. 8-9, picking up All-Conference honors.
The Sublette County combined girls’ swim team dove into Big Piney’s Homecoming Meet on Friday, Sept. 23, posting multiple top-three finishes in the competition against Kemmerer and Lyman. Sublette County took second place, beating Lyman by 27 points.
“Jackson was a great confidence booster when many of our swimmers and a diver made it back for finals when competing against some of the top 4A teams,” said Co-Head Coach Ambr Seemann. “We are proud of the effort given over a busy week by all our athletes.”