Lady Bulldogs recap basketball season at team awards banquet

The Lovell Lady Bulldogs basketball program held their end-of-season team awards banquet on Thursday night in the LHS Multi-Purpose Room.

Head coach Brian May welcomed everyone to the culminating event and thanked everyone for taking the time to attend.

He began the ceremony by thanking all of the parents showing appreciation for all they have done throughout the season, for all the food provided for trips and just for being there at the games for support.

He then expressed gratitude for the booster club for “being so good to us.”

“A big thank you goes out to the Lovell Chronicle and their crew for all of the coverage throughout the season,” he added.

May also recognized athletic director Chris Edwards, school secretary April Price, administrative assistant Celecia Gallagher and team bus driver Judy Felkins for all they have done to help the season go smoothly.

“I also want to thank my assistant coaches and their husbands and families for the time they put into our program,” May said. “It is a long season, and we appreciate them for putting up with it all.”

May presented assistant coaches Gretchen Walker and Jen Hessenthaler with Lovell Lady Bulldog sweatshirts, and they in return gave Coach May a T-shirt that reads, “You can’t scare me. I coach girls basketball.”

TEAM AWARDS

“It’s been fun to be back into coaching and being around the kids,” May said. “What a good group of girls.”

May handed out certificates for lettering on the varsity roster and outstanding academic achievement to the following players: Jenna Hessenthaler, Becca Nichols, Kenadee Rael, Kaydree Owens, Kindle Collins, Breeah Jones, Hannity Felkins, Avery Walker, Libby Mickelson, Kennadee Owens, Reagan May, Celeste Lindsay, Ali Walker, Brooklin Clark and Kandace Asay.

“This may have been the first time I’ve ever coached where I didn’t have to worry about the failing list,” said Coach May.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

For the three individual awards given to girls in the program, Coach May presented three plaques for the Team Leadership Award, Team Stat Award and Most Improved Player.

The Team Leadership Award was given to Mickelson, a senior.

“We really felt like she exemplified leadership in our program and was always composed, a good leader at practice and positive all of the time,” May said.

Senior Rael received the Team Stat Award for finishing in the top 10 in the Northwest Conference in steals, assists and three-point field goal percentage.

Rael was also recognized as being the only Lady Bulldog to be selected as an all-conference player.

The Most Improved Award was given to sophomore Asay.

“She just kept after it and she was told at times, there were some situations where she didn’t make the varsity team, but she kept going and trying and doing her hardest,” May explained.

The five seniors (Jones, May, Mickelson, Rael and Kennadee Owens) moving on after graduation were given Lady Bulldogs for Life certificates.

“We’re going to miss them, and they’re going to be great people going out into the world and moms and whatever they choose to do with their lives,” May claimed.

The banquet concluded with discussing upcoming summer workout schedules and camps, and May encouraged the returning players to get in the weight room and continue to work on strength and agility to build on this season’s progress.