Tigers take 1st place in Lander

Following a 3-0 weekend at the 1A West Regional Tournament in Lander, the Encampment Tigers are heading into the 1A State Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the West. This year, the Tigers have been on a roll as they finished the regular season with a nearly perfect record having been dealt only one loss.

Last year, Encampment entered the regional tournament as the top team in the southwest, but were eventually handed a loss by the Farson-Eden Pronghorns in the championship round. The Pronghorns would, again, deal a loss to Encampment during the championship round of the State Tournament.

This year, the Tigers didn't allow Farson-Eden to repeat history as they sent them to the consolation bracket after defeating the Dubois Rams and before facing the Saratoga Panthers.

Tigers vs. Rams

The only time that Encampment faced the Rams was during the Carbon County Classic in December. In that preseason matchup, the Tigers sunk their claws into Dubois with a 20-point lead. In the postseason, the Rams entered the regional tournament as the No. 4 Northwest seed.

In the 1st quarter, Encampment hit the hardwood putting 23-points on the scoreboard while keeping the Rams to only 6 points. It was only during the 2nd and 3rd quarter of the game that Dubois would just barely break the double digit mark as they scored 13 points and 12 points, respectively. 

Encampment, meanwhile, scored 19 and 24 points and kept a substantial lead against the Rams. In the end, the Tigers would lead Dubois by 41-points and send them into the consolation bracket.

Dalton Peterson scored 25 points and had 11 assists and 9 rebounds against the Rams. Following Peterson was Dayne Anderson with 14 points, Koye Gilbert with 13 points and Reid Schroeder with 12 points.

The final score was 80-39.

Tigers vs. Pronghorns

Throughout the regular season, Farson-Eden has attempted to keep ahead of the Tigers but have been unable to outpace them. While they have been able to keep the scores close, Encampment has been able to walk away with a win after each game. Friday afternoon was no different as the Tigers secured an 11-point lead against the defending State Champions.

When they first met in January, Encampment dealt a 20-point loss to the Pronghorns. In mid-February, Farson-Eden attempted to avoid the Tigers' claws but fell by 8 points. 

Going against the Pronghorns, Peterson scored 24 points and had 13 rebounds. Schroeder followed with 16 points and Anderson scored 15 points against Farson-Eden.

With a final score of 63-52, Encampment sent the Pronghorns to the consolation bracket where they would defeat the Cokeville Panthers and St. Stephens Eagles to place 3rd over the weekend.

Tigers vs. Panthers

The championship round at the 1A West Regional Tournament was one for Valley fans to watch as Encampment and Saratoga faced off in Lander. In the regular season, the two teams went tit-for-tat as the Tigers dealt Saratoga a loss at home and, later in the season, the Panthers returned the favor.

When Encampment won, it was with a lead of 9 points. When Saratoga won, it was with a lead of 16 points. This time, the final score determining who would walk away with 1st place was separated by just 2 points.

It was Anderson who would lead the Tigers this time with 24 points and 7 rebounds. Peterson followed with 23 points and Schroeder scored 15 points and had 7 assists.

The final score was 66-64.

For their first game at the 1A State Tournament, the Tigers will have a familiar start as they face another Carbon County team. Last year, Encampment started their weekend in Casper as they faced the Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) Miners. This weekend, they will do the same.

Encampment will start the 1A State Tournament at 1:30 p.m. on March 5 against the HEM Miners at the Casper Events Center.