Panther girls win state title

Get the fire engines ready for a parade through the streets. The Powell High School girls' cross country team is bringing home their third state championship in the past five years after running away from the competition in Douglas.

Freshman Sierra Morrow and sophomore Tally Wells, both in their first year of competition, earned all-state honors after placing fifth and seventh, respectively. In all, the Panthers finished with five of the 16 fastest runners at the 3A championships to score a decisive 30-point margin of victory over 3A West rival Jackson. Lander edged Cody on a sixth-runner tiebreak for third place honors.

The Panther boys are also bringing back some hardware with a third-place finish at this year's state championships. Running for a measure of redemption after a fifth-place team finish at the regional meet last week, the Panthers found that and then some. Bodie Friday placed 13th to finish as Powell's top runner as PHS leapfrogged three teams that finished ahead of it in the regional standings, placing third behind state champion Jackson and state runner-up Newcastle.

Pictures and details of the Panthers' state cross country haul will appear in Tuesday's edition of the Powell Tribune .