RANGELY | The Rangely Panthers boys basketball team remained at home as their week began last Thursday hosting Little Snake River. The last time these two teams met dates back to last season, 2/6/25, when the Panthers traveled to Wyoming and lost 70-43. This time around, Little Snake had to travel, and if the Panthers were looking to get revenge, they came up short, falling 52-37.
Rangely struggled offensively against Little Snake, shooting just 38 percent from the field and failing to find consistent scoring. Sophomore Porter Yates led the Panthers with 12 points while grabbing seven rebounds, helping anchor the team on the glass. Sophomore Chance Allred added four points and two assists, and senior Wyatt Petty chipped in two points and five rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Panthers kept the game competitive at times, but could not convert enough possessions down the stretch. They also struggled to capitalize at the free-throw line and in transition.
A couple days later, Rangely took on Vail Christian. The last time these teams met was last season when the Panthers traveled to the Gore Rangers’ court and lost 58-55. This time, Rangely hosted, but again came up short, falling 43-26. Rangely shot just 27 percent from the field (13-of-49).
Sophomore Chance Allred led the Panthers with 10 points, four rebounds, and an assist, while senior Landon Bollinger contributed six points and eight rebounds. Senior Chase Cochrane finished with four points and one assist, helping the Panthers control the boards despite the deficit. Wyatt Petty added four points and five rebounds.
First-year head coach Clint Hill said he was proud of the way his team competed during the two-game stretch. “I was very proud of the way the boys came together and played both of these games. We played as a team and defense was a main priority, and they played good defense. Even though it was a couple losses, there was a lot of good,” Hill said.
On areas of growth, Hill added, “Our defense was the best part of these games. They have been working hard and putting in a lot of effort towards it, and I think it showed. Overall, their attitudes have been very good despite not seeing wins. They still work very hard every day.”
Hill also spoke about balancing teaching and confidence during a tough stretch. “We have goals that are not point-based or win-and-loss-based. This helps us not focus on those but on the goals at hand. This seems to be good, and we encourage the kids a lot,” he said.
Looking ahead to this week’s home games against Olathe and West Grand, Hill emphasized defense and teamwork. “We still need to work hard on defense and take care of the ball on offense. Playing as a team and together are the main emphasis we have every week. Since it is our last home games, we need to enjoy it, work hard, and show our home crowd how we are progressing. We need to take the buzz of the crowd and use it to play hard,” Hill said.
With West Grand set as Senior Day, Hill praised his upperclassmen. “The seniors have been great. They have had to go through a lot of different things in their four years and they just keep working hard. Having them as my first-year head coach has helped with them wanting to work hard and having good attitudes towards anything I throw at them,” he said.
Hill said that regardless of the final scores, he wants to see his team continue to grow. “I want us to keep growing on the defensive side of the ball. It makes offense come more naturally. If we can play defense like we can and take care of the ball on the other end, it will be a good game for us. Playing as a team is always top of the list.”
With the losses, Rangely fell to 4–10 overall and 1–5 in league play. The Panthers hope to use home-court advantage this week to regroup, starting Thursday against Olathe at 5:30 p.m. and finishing Saturday against West Grand at 4 p.m. for Senior Day.
Rangely senior Chase Cochrane (#10) goes airborne while battling for a rebound under the basket Thursday night against Little Snake River. MATT SCOGGINS PHOTO