Lovell boys return depth and talent as track season begins

Coming off a second-place finish at the state track meet last season in the 3A Boys Division, the Lovell Bulldogs are hoping to build on that success as the 2025 season unfolds, and the girls squad has talent returning, as well.

Head coach Joshua Sanders said the Lovell program boasts 52 athletes as the season begins, 32 boys and 20 girls, and practice started on Monday, March 10, though practice was limited last week during spring break.

“It’s always feeling things out a little bit depending on how many new people you have,” Sanders said of the pre-season practice period. “We have a lot of returnees who kind of know what they’re doing, but some want to completely pivot and do something different than they did last year.”

Lovell boys

Sanders said the boys squad is looking strong in certain areas.

“I believe we’re going to be strong in the jumps and sprints, which is where we were strong last year,” he said. “Halen (Strom) will anchor the throwers.”

Though sprinters Adnan Khan and Blake Wilson have graduated, the Bulldogs return senior Gavin Robertson, who placed second in the 100-meter dash by 1/100th of a second and fourth in the 200 meters at the state track meet last season.

“Gavin’s been great,” Sanders said. “He’s a good leader. We’re always asking him to demonstrate certain things because we (as coaches) are too old now.”

Sanders noted that junior Matthew Newman returns with a school record in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and was also strong on the 800. Sophomore Kaeson Anderson was also strong in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.

Newman won the state championship in the triple jump as a sophomore, and both Robertson and Owen Walker placed at State in the long jump. Sophomore Nathan Cornia also returns in the horizontal jumps.

“Matthew is just so darn explosive,” Sanders said of Newman.

Walker set a school record in the high jump last year at 6-8, and Anderson also returns in the event. Experience returns in the pole vault in the form of seniors Taggart Shumway (fifth at State) and Talon Burton and junior Owen Edwards.

“I feel really good about the three boys we have coming back in the pole vault,” Sanders said.

Strom placed at State in the discus, and he won the regional championship in the shot put.

As for young athletes, Sanders noted, “We’ll find out. I think there’s some speed. We’ll see. We have a couple kids with success in middle school.”

Girls squad

Sanders said the Lady Bulldogs will be strong in the middle-distance races with sophomores Jenna Hessenthaler and Kandace Asay and freshmen Caylee Herman and Addie Weber.

“We have some talent in the freshman group,” Sanders said. “We’ll have to see how it develops. I like what the young ones are bringing in. I like their potential.”

Junior Becca Nichols is trying a variety of events like pole vault and the jumps, and sophomore Brooklin Clark returns in the 100-meter intermediate hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles, plus the long jump.

Junior Elana Schilthuis had a strong cross country season and will be in the mix for middle- to long-distance races.

The Lady Bulldogs lost super throwers Summer Teter and Carissa Lindsay to graduation and sophomore Celeste Lindsay to a knee injury during basketball season.

Coaches and their specialty events are Joshua Sanders, head coach and horizontal jumps; Caleb Sanders, mid-distance to long-distance runs, 800 meters and up; Josey Allen, sprints and hurdles; AJ Montanez, throws; Bob Weber, high jump; Colton Galambas, volunteer coach for pole vault.

Burlington meet

The Bulldogs will open the season Friday at the Burlington Invitational. Field events begin at 1:30 p.m., followed by the 3,200-meter relay at 2 p.m. and other running events at 2:30.