Lovell Middle School eighth graders continue winning ways

The Lovell Middle School boys basketball teams played Cody on Thursday. The seventh-grade A team took a loss in Cody, 46-15. Dane Wilson led the team, scoring 9 points, with Bradley Mickleson right behind with 4 and Landon Asay adding 2.

The B team also fell short, 28-14. Both teams faced tough competition and played hard-fought games. Brock Butler led the scoring with 9 points, while Jordan Mangus and Mason Kitchen each added 2 points, Miles Bischoff 1.

The eighth-grade A team secured a win at home Thursday, 48-22. Kannon Owens led the way, scoring 21 points, with Mac Morgan close behind at 19. Reigo Romero and Mason Leithead each added 4 points.

The Bulldogs focused on zone defense and attacking when they had the opportunity offensively. Coach Stephany Durtsche was proud of the boys for their teamwork. She highlighted their efforts in setting up assists for their teammates. Nearly every player made at least two assists. Mac Morgan led the team with three. The boys will continue working on building trust and confidence on the court.

The B team also played a strong game, winning 38-18. Oscar Garcia led with 10 points, followed by Mike Cornia with 8 and Hudson Miller with 7. The team distributed the ball well and played tough defense, Durtsche said.

Jamborees

The seventh-grade B team played Cody and Lander at their jamboree Saturday in Cody. Both games were closer than previous matchups against the teams.

Their game against Cody came down to the wire, ending in a tight 28-25 loss. Butler scored 11 points, and Mangus added 6, Bischoff 4. The Bulldogs kept the game close throughout, but a Cody player shot a buzzer-beating three-pointer to seal the win.

The Bulldogs’ game against Lander was another close loss, 28-26. The team has shown lots of growth since the beginning of the season. Coach Collin McArthur expressed his pride in the team’s progress, saying, “I couldn’t be happier with how hard the boys have played. It was a great group of boys to work with.”

The eighth-grade B team played Powell and Riverton at their jamboree in Lander. The Bulldogs beat Powell 48-17. Cornia led the team with 15 points, and Chris Carabay and Jasper Lopez each scored 9, Gaige Underhill 4. The boys transitioned well and kept their focus throughout the game. Coach Durtsche remarked, “The boys played outstanding against the competition. I was proud to see them attacking the rim and playing strong team defense.”

Playing Riverton, the Bulldogs fought in a tough matchup. Riverton’s team was highly talented, making it an intense game. The Bulldogs made many adjustments throughout the game, one of which held Riverton scoreless throughout the third quarter. However, Riverton came back in the fourth, resulting in a 41-34 loss for the Bulldogs.

Corina led the team with 13 points, followed by Harper Morgan with 7, Oscar Garcia and Carabay 5  points each.