LMS eighth graders sweep Cody and Powell

The Lovell Bulldogs eighth-grade boys basketball team opened the 2025 season by sweeping Cody in Cody on Thursday, Jan. 16. Coach Stephany Durtsche was very impressed with the boys’ effort, stating, “It has been over five years since the A and B teams have come home with wins on the same night against Cody. We have a group of incredibly talented individuals with determination and grit. These boys are extremely competitive and hungry to win.”

She said she is very excited to see them grow this season.

The A team won by a score of 45-22. Reigo Romero led the team with 11 points followed by Kannon Owens with 10 points and Mac Morgan with 9.

The B team won 44-18. Chris Carabay and Mike Corina led the team with 8 points each, and Harper Morgan followed with 7.

On Monday afternoon, Jan. 20, the eighth-grade boys hosted the Powell Panthers. The coaches focused on defensive positioning and speeding up the game in transition. Both the A and B teams were able to get up early in the game using a full-court press. Coach Durtsche said she was proud of the boys for playing with a team mindset.

The Lovell A team won 51-29. Mac Morgan led all scorers with 27 points, and Owens added 12 points, Easton Morgan 5.

The Lovell B team won 43-16. Harper Morgan, Jasper Lopez and Carabay contributed 10 points each to the scoring output.

Seventh grade

The seventh-grade team hosted Cody Thursday and traveled to Powell Monday.

The Bulldogs came out with a slower start but picked it up after halftime, working harder and aiming to improve.

“Many of the players have not had much time on the court, and we lack experience practicing and competing with one another,” Coach Collin McArthur said. “This season is one full of growth for the seventh-grade boys.”

The Bulldog A team was led by Dane Wilson and Bradley Mickelson, who both scored 6 points in a 46-14 loss.

The Lovell B team played a much tighter game and came out on top 19-16 in a defensive battle. Mason Kitchen was the high scorer with 6 points, and Garrett Henley added 4 points in the victory.

The seventh-grade boys did not fare as well in their matchup on Monday at Powell.  The A team played hard but fell by the score of 43-19. Wilson scored 10 points, Mickelson 7.

The B team lost a close game 24-22 against the Panthers.

“We will be working on getting more confident and aggressive,” McArthur said. “We need to practice a few fundamentals along with working together as a team. It will pay off as the season progresses.”

He said he is excited to coach the team and unlock their potential.

The season continues today (Thursday) when the Bulldogs make the short trip to Cowley to meet the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies for three games starting at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, the Lovell eighth graders host Worland while the seventh-grade squad travels to Worland for 4:15 p.m. tip-offs.