LMS boys battle during busy stretch

Lovell Middle School boys basketball teams had a busy but successful week, traveling to face Worland and Lander before returning home to take on Greybull. 

The Lovell seventh graders opened the week on Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Worland, falling 47-32 in the A game. Dax Mangus led the team with 12 points, and Dallas Romero added 8. Kayan Owens, Brhysan Henton and James Sanders each contributed 4 points. Head coach Collin McArthur said the team has things to clean up.

“We had a lot of missed opportunities and got too frustrated with calls, which affected their focus,” he said. “We learned some valuable lessons about mental toughness as a team and plan to use it the next time we play Worland.”

The B team also ended up falling 44-26. Tre Clark led the team with 9 points, and Sanders scored 6 points. Both Henton and Owens scored 4 points for the team, and Gage Angell scored 3.

On Saturday the boys played Riverton and Lander at home, where the A team earned two wins. The Bulldogs defeated Riverton 54-37 and Lander 50–38. In the Lander game Mangus once again led the offense with 19 points, followed by Henton with 14. Romero contributed 9 points, and Angell added 5. Owens added 2 and Thomas Nichols 1, which rounded out the scoring. McArthur explained that his team’s consistent play on both ends of the floor helped them stay in control throughout the game. The B team beat Riverton 17-15 and fell to Worland 25-6. Sanders led the team in the Lander game with 4 points, and Angell and Degan Wilson combined for 2 points for the team.

The seventh graders traveled to Greybull Tuesday and came out with victories in both games. The A team won 44-4, with Mangus leading the scoring with 7 points. Carson Grant and Nichols both contributed 6. Owens, Romero and Henton each added 5 points. Sanders gave the team 4 points and Angell, Kaden Waltjen and Clark each added 2. Coach McArthur said the team did a great job adjusting, explaining that the boys “run a successful offense three of the four quarters in the A game” after Greybull came out strong defensively.

The B team also impressed with a 38-16 win, showing great improvement on both offense and defense. 

“I couldn’t be happier with the improvements the boys are making,” McArthur said. “I’m excited to face Worland at home next. I expect us to come back stronger and show them what we’ve got.”

The seventh-grade squad will host Worland Thursday with games at 4:15 and 5:30 p.m. They will then host Powell on Monday for games at the same times. 

Eighth grade

Playing in Powell Saturday, the LMS eighth graders were swept by Riverton and Lander. The A team fell to Riverton 41-24 and Lander 36-35. Bradley Mickelson led the Bulldogs with 8 points against Riverton, and Jackson Sanders and Garrett Henley added 6 each, Xaden Baxendale and Dane Wilson 2 apiece. Mickelson fired in 16 points against Lander, and Wilson added 8, Mason Kitchen 7, Baxendale 3 and Landon Asay 1.

The B team fell to Riverton 34-12 and Lander 36-19. Miles Bischoff scored 4 points against Riverton, Tyler Walker 3, Landen Peterson and Gage Bair 2 each, Alex Mcillwaine 1. Brock Butler led the scoring against Lander with 9, and Peterson, Jordan Mangus, Bischoff, Walker and Degan Wilson scored 2 apiece.

Hosting Greybull Tuesday, the Lovell A team defeated the Buffs 39-9 while the B team fell to the Greybull seventh graders 43-23. Mickelson scored 11 for the A team, Asay 8, Kitchen 5, Damion Craw and Dane Wilson 4 each, Kyson Spanier 3, Baxendale and Henley 2 apiece. In game two, Butler scored 9, Sanders 7, Bair 4, Connor Harris 2 and Peterson 1.

The eighth-grade Bulldogs will travel to Worland Thursday and Powell Monday for games that tip off at 4:15 p.m.