LMS football teams experience growing pains throughout season

The Lovell Middle School seventh and eighth grade football teams faced a tough schedule against bigger school districts but saw tremendous growth by the end of the season.

They began their year by facing Cody on September 12, and the eighth-grade squad lost 44-6 while seventh grade lost 34-6.

Then things were closer when the Bulldogs hosted Rocky Mountain on September 17 in Lovell when the eighth graders lost only 14-6 and the seventh graders pulled out the victory, 12-8.

Bigger schools from Powell and Worland swept the Mustangs 22-8, 62-26, 55-0 and 38-0 before the two grades combined to battle Thermopolis and competed hard before coming up just short, 34-28.

Then, in the final games of the season, the seventh graders dominated Greybull on Tuesday, October 1, 26-6, and the eighth-grade team lost 43-6 to the Buffs.

“Both teams really did have a successful season,” eighth grade head coach Kevin Walker said. “They had to learn to play through adversity, and they were able to be successful when doing so.

“Even though we played some tough teams this year, the team learned and grew from those experiences, and it was exciting to see these athletes continue to develop.”