Lovell golf team looks for strong 2026 season

The Lovell High School golf team jumped into action in a hurry this week as practice for the 2026 season started Monday, and the first tournament in Powell started yesterday (Wednesday) and continues today.

Head coach Dane Robertson has 21 students from Lovell and Rocky Mountain on the roster as the season begins: Six seniors, three juniors, seven sophomores and five freshmen.

There are three Lovell High School girls on the team in seniors Kenley Wilson and Addisyn Perkins and sophomore Linnea Olsen. Wilson is a four-year golfer in the program and has been highly competitive throughout her career, Robertson said, shooting a 98 average as a junior, he noted.

“She’s been on the state team every year, and she’s progressively just gotten better and better each year,” he said. “She played really well (last year and in the spring). She’s worked really hard at it.”

Perkins joined the team a year ago and gained experience. She was unable to practice this week while attending the Wyoming State Fair in Douglas. Olsen practiced with the team as a freshman a year ago.

Wilson is the lone female varsity competitor in Powell this week.

For the boys, senior Kaeson Anderson returns as the top golfer and is looking to have a strong final season, Robertson said.

“Kaeson was our boys scoring champion last fall, so he’ll be our top guy to start the season off with,” the coach said. “I think his scoring average was about an 84 last year, which is quite good, and I know he’s been playing quite a bit this summer, too, so it should work out well.”

Another top tier golfer is senior Rocco Rael, who shot a 92 average last fall, Robertson said. He, too, has been playing a lot of golf when not on the diamond with the Lovell Mustangs American Legion Baseball team.

A third returning senior is Kellan Jackson of Rocky Mountain High School, who shot a 94 average last season.

“Kellan hits the longest ball on the team. He can pound that sucker,” Robertson said. “He has a really pretty, smooth swing, and he’s just fun to watch. He’s always smiling, and Troy Hildebrand of Powell always calls him Smiling Magoo because of that.”

Also returning from the state team is Lovell junior Kade Durtsche, who Robertson said has continued to work on his game.

“He grew a lot last fall and in the spring,” Robertson said, “and so I’m really excited to see what he can do this year. I know he and his mom and dad played quite a few different places this summer, so a lot of good activity was going on for him.”

Coming out later is returning junior Jaxon Hayes of Rocky Mountain, who will join the team shortly.

“He was like kind of five/six (on the team),” Robertson said. “He was in a playoff to make the state team last year. Kade beat him out, but he’s definitely a kid who’s worked hard.”

Hudson Miller of Lovell is an up-and-coming sophomore who made the varsity lineup for the Powell Tournament, along with freshman Madden Cooley.

“Hudson played in one tournament last year in Thermop, and he played well,” Robertson said. “He has a really good swing, and he’s just kind of a fun kid.”

Cooley leads a talented freshman class, which includes Gage Bair, Brock Butler and Degan Wilson, Robertson noted.

“Our crop of freshmen that we have coming in, they’re going to be really good in a couple years,” Robertson noted. “In fact, Madden shot a one under the other day out here. He’ll be fighting pretty solidly for one varsity spot this year.”

True to his prediction Monday, following a playoff on the first day, varsity golfers for the boys in Powell were scheduled to be Anderson, Rael, Jackson, Miller and Cooley.

Also competing for a spot in tournaments are senior Aren Olsen, junior Kelvin Robertson, sophomores Chris Carabay, Mason Leithead, Jasper Lopez (RM), Cameron Minchow (RM) and Harper Morgan and freshman Xaden Baxendale.

Outlook

Robertson hopes the Lovell boys will compete for a finish near the top of Class 3A this year. He said Wheatland is heads and tails above everyone else, but the Bulldogs should be in the thick of things.

“Everybody’s kind of fighting for second place behind Wheatland, but that being said, our boys played a lot this summer, and I’ve seen some of their scores. They have a really good opportunity to get all-state, top 10 placing, and hopefully with that we can kind of sneak into some top-three action (as a team) in some tournaments and maybe in conference and state, too.

“Kaeson, Rocco and Kellan kind of lead the team. If they play as well as they have this summer in tournament play, there’s a really good chance that we can do pretty well, as high as top three, even at culminating events.”

It takes three girls to form a team for scoring in that division, so Robertson is hopeful that his trio can come together to score points for the Lady Bulldogs.

Schedule

After the Powell Tournament this week, the Bulldogs will compete in Worland next Monday and Tuesday, then have a break until Cody August 27-28, Lander September 3-4, the 3A West Conference Tournament September 8-9 in Evanston and the 3A State Tournament in Torrington September 18-19.

“We get to go to Utah and then to Nebraska,” Robertson joked.