LMS seventh graders win three of four games

The Lovell Middle School seventh-grade boys basketball A team competed at the Yellowstone Conference Tournament in Cody Saturday against Riverton, Cody and Worland.  The B team participated in a jamboree in Riverton on Friday.

“We had four games over the weekend and went 3-1,” head coach Collin McArthur said. “Our only loss was to Worland in the semifinals.”

The Lovell A team beat Cody 38-25. The Bulldogs jumped out to a lead and never gave it up, McArthur said. Dax Mangus led all scorers with 21 points, and Dallas Romero had 7 points, Brhysan Henton added 4 points and James Sanders, Tre Clark, and Gage Angell contributed 2 points each in the win.

The Lovell B team was also victorious against Cody Friday, winning 33-22. The game started with Cody pulling ahead and finishing the first half ahead of the Bulldogs by a score of 15-10.  The Bulldogs put together a great second half, outscoring the Broncs 23-7. Kayan Owens led the B team with 10 points, followed by Angell with 9, Sanders 6, Henton 4 and both Clark and Thomas Nichols 2 apiece.

The Lovell A team took its only loss to Worland Saturday, falling 52-34. McArthur stated, “The boys fought back in the fourth from a 23-point deficit to cut it to within 13 before Worland pulled away again with free throws.” Henton led the Bulldogs with 15 points, and both Romero and Mangus scored 8, Clark 3.

The A team earned a hard-fought 37-31 victory over Riverton to place third at the conference tournament.  The score was close at halftime, with Lovell leading 13-12, and the Bulldogs held off the Spartans in the second half to win the game. Mangus led with 20 points, and Romero scored 9, Henton 4 and Clark and Nichols 2 each.

Looking back on the season, McArthur said, “I couldn’t be prouder of the effort all our boys gave this year. They all fought hard to the very end and took third to a very good Powell and Worland team. Glad we could go out with the win and see the boys fight through adversity in order to get third place. They played their hearts out in the last game and never gave up. We couldn’t be happier with this group of boys.”

Eighth grade

Coach Dan Wolvington’s eighth-grade teams dropped three games over the weekend but were close in two of the three.

The B team played in a jamboree Friday in Worland and fell to Cody 21-19. The Bulldogs led 15-12 at halftime but were outscored 9-4 in the second half. Mason Kitchen scored 8 points for the Bulldogs, Jordan Mangus 3 and Landen Peterson, Jackson Sanders, Brock Butler and Tyler Walker 2 apiece.

Playing at the Yellowstone Conference tournament in Worland Saturday, the Bulldogs fell to Riverton in the first game, 38-27. Lovell led 16-12 at halftime and trailed just 25-24 after three, but Riverton won the fourth 13-3 to pick up the win.

Xaden Baxendale led the Bulldogs with 11 points, and Dane Wilson added 8 points, Bradley Mickelson 7 and Garrett Henley 1.

Lovell fell to Lander 31-27 in the second game Saturday. Lovell started strong and led the Tigers 14-10 after the first quarter and 19-17 at halftime. Lander rallied in the second half to outscore Lovell 14-8 and win by four.

Baxendale drained three treys to lead the Bulldogs with 9 points, and Wilson scored 8, Mickelson 6, Henley 3 and Kyson Spanier 1.

“It was a fun season to coach,” Wolvington said. “The kids came a long way. It’s a good group of boys.”