Bulldog football team looking forward to 2026 season

The Lovell Bulldogs lost 10 seniors to graduation off last season’s 6-4 team that reached the state semifinals including four all-state/all-conference selections and three all-conference picks, but head coach Nicc Crosby has plenty of optimism for what some might call a rebuilding year as he enters his eighth year at the helm of the team.

The Bulldogs traveled to Buffalo Saturday for a zero-week game and beat the Class 3A Bison 28-8. Lovell shut out Buffalo 21-0 in the varsity portion of the game. The Bulldogs opened scoring on a 30-yard pick six by nickel back Nate Cornia after a 42-yard touchdown pass from Kyson Crosby to Hunter Krei was called back on a quarterback protecting quick whistle.

Crosby then hit Krei on a five-yard touchdown pass later in the second quarter set up by an interception by linebacker Joaquin Scheeler he returned to the 13-yard line. Junior Jaxen Baxendale scored on a six-yard run in the third quarter to boost the score to 21-0.

The JV portion of the game was essentially even, Crosby noted, as Buffalo won the fourth quarter 8-7. Lovell scored on a 54-yard scoop and score by sophomore linebacker Easton Morgan as he picked up a fumble forced by Landon Asay and Tejeo Scheeler and went the distance.

Crosby noted that freshman Tyler Walker was four for four on extra-point kicks.

The Bulldogs started slowly on offense Saturday, Crosby said, but senior linebacker Porter Blau set the tone defensively with a big hit in the backfield.

“Our linebackers really came to play,” Crosby said. “Porter Blau just lights this dude up and just really gave us some huge momentum. They had all the momentum. They got us three and out, but Porter just stuffs that dude right into the turf and just was all fired up. And our linebackers just brought it the rest of the game. Just a perfect form tackle.

“That was a momentum changer, and I feel like everybody really just fed off of that. We have a lot of things to clean up, but I loved the mentality, loved the effort. And we stayed pretty healthy. It got pretty chaotic as we tried to sub down, just because we were mixing things in. But I felt like the younger guys still went out, played really hard and got some really good experience. It’s going to help us moving forward.”

The outlook

The eight seniors on the team – Travis Asay, Porter Blau, Nathan Cornia, Wilson Hendershot, Jett Hessenthaler, Tazz McArthur, Joaquin Scheeler and Cutler Wilkerson – have come up with a motto for this season, Crosby said: Unleash the dogs of war, and he said the attitude and work ethic is strong this season.

“We’re gonna be hard to be outworked,” he said. “I think we’re very determined and very together, unified. We are young in a few spots and are needing to rebuild some depth, but I like what we have. We’ll cross our fingers that we can stay healthy and keep helping those less experienced players be ready to contribute.”

Crosby said the Bulldogs “run a little bit of everything” on offense, with a varied attack designed to keep opponents on their heels. He said the offense is a little more balanced with running vs. passing than most of their opponents.

Junior Crosby returns as the starting quarterback, and Coach Crosby said his son having a year under his belt “helps a ton,” adding, “I feel like he really improved throughout the year last year. I thought he showed some good composure in the playoff games against Newcastle and Mountain View and started developing some confidence in his mobility in and out of the pocket.”

Backing up Crosby will be sophomore Mac Morgan and freshman Bradley Mickelson. Sophomore Weston Hendershot will get some snaps when he returns from an injury later in the season.

Crosby said the Bulldogs have four quality running backs in seniors Joaquin Scheeler and Porter Blau and juniors Baxendale and Carstyn Fowler, with several of the backs playing fullback, as well, when needed.

Tight ends/H-backs are seniors Nathan Cornia and Porter Blau, and catching the ball will be wide receivers Wilkerson (senior), Gage Fink (junior) and Kannon Owens (sophomore) and slot receivers Wilson Hendershot (senior), Krei (junior) and Mac Morgan.

Senior McArthur returns at center, backed by sophomore Michael Cornia. Guards are seniors Travis Asay and Hessenthaler, flanked by junior tackles Grant Hill and Ryder Lohof. Also playing on the line will be sophomores Isaac Blau and Tejeo Scheeler.

Defense

Working on the line in Lovell’s 4-2-5 defense are ends Hessenthaler, Hill, Travis Asay and Porter Blau, along with tackles Lohoff, McArthur, Isaac Blau and Tejeo Scheeler. Middle Linebackers are Joaquin Scheeler, Porter Blau and Baxendale, with Baxendale, Porter Blau and Travis Asay on the outside. Nathan Cornia is the nickel back, along with Fowler.

Working in the defensive backfield are Wilson Hessenthaler, Fink, Wilkerson, Krei, Mac Morgan, Owens and Crosby.

Kickers are sophomore Rylan Oaks and Walker. Returners are Wilkerson, Krei and Mac Morgan.

Crosby is the offensive coordinator, as well as the head coach, and he coaches quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs. Bob Weber is the defensive coordinator and coaches running backs and linebackers. Logan Blau coaches the offensive and defensive lines, Michael Jameson receivers and defensive ends.

Serving as volunteers are Greg Rael, special teams, wide receivers and defensive  backs; Bill Sheckler, offensive and defensive lines; Aden Mayes, special teams; and Erik Ferbrache, offensive and defensive lines.

The 2A West lost Worland to Class 3A, but the conference has strength returning in Mountain View, with Cokeville tough and Kemmerer and Pinedale improving, with Lyman and Thermopolis in the mix. 

“You could usually count on a couple of easier games, but we’ve got to go to Lyman and play them on the road. I just think the 2A West is wide open. It’ll be interesting to see who emerges,” Crosby said.

Big Horn is the power in the 2A East, Crosby said, with Torrington strong, moving down from 3A.

Road opener

The Bulldogs will travel to Glenrock to meet the Burns Broncs this evening (Thursday) at 5 p.m. Burns was 7-3 last season and fell to Thermopolis in the 2A quarterfinals.

“They’re a little bit more spread than most teams,” Crosby said. “They typically have some good athletes and throw the ball more than the average team on our side of the state. And then defensively, play an odd front, a three-man front instead of a four-man front.”

Crosby gave Coach Blau and the offensive line kudos for adjusting to Buffalo’s unexpected use of a three-man front, noting, “They did a pretty good job of handling that on the fly, and our offense moved the ball fairly well.”