Lovell thinclads perform well at State Indoor Track

Gavin Robertson and Halen Strom closed out the 2025 indoor track and field season with strong performances at the 3A State Meet in Gillette over the weekend as both athletes scored in their events. 

The Cody Fillies and Broncs dominated the meet with both winning state championships by wide margins. The Fillies bested the 17-team field with 118.5 points while Torrington placed second with 81 points and Worland was third with 66.5. In the boys division Cody scored 154.5 points in winning the title with Buffalo (65 points) and Worland (60 points) placing second and third. The Lovell Bulldogs finished in 11th place with 19 points.

This was the first year that the 3A and 4A State meets were held separately with the 3A meet held on Thursday and Friday morning and the 4A meet held on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Lovell head coach AJ Montanez said he liked the separate meets and felt the format helped highlight the performances of the 3A athletes.

Robertson, who qualified in four events, placed third in long jump with a leap of 19-10¾, which was a new PR for the indoor season. He also tied for third in the high jump with another PR with a jump of 5-8. In the running events Robertson placed 13th in both the 55-meter dash and the 200-meter run with times of 6.98 and 24.20 respectively. Coach Montanez felt that Robertson had a very good state meet.

In the shot put Strom was able to place fourth with a toss of 45-8 in a strong field that saw Derek Hagler of Mountain View set a new state record with a throw of 56-0.50. The other Bulldogs competing in the shot put event were Jace Pluhar, 14th with a mark of 37-3¾, Elijah Montanez 16th with a throw of 36-10 and Matthew Allen 24th with a throw of 32-8.

Jaxon Pluhar scored in the high jump, tying for sixth place with a jump of 5-2 and then placed 17th in the long jump with a leap of 16-8. He also competed in the 400-meter run, placing 17th in a time of 57.81.

In other running events, Jacob Thomas had a strong meet placing 12th in the 400-meter run with a time of 55.72 and 15th in the 800-meter run, hitting the finish line in 2:14.14. In the distance events Stetson Asay finished the 3,200 meters in 11:45.41 to place 14th and then placed 21st in the 1,600 meters in a time of 5:21.76.

In the sprints, William Watts placed 10th in the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.94 and 14th in the 200-meter run, hitting the tape in 24.40. Also competing in the 55-meter dash were Jett Hessenthaler, who placed 31st in 7.69, and Grady Henley, who finished 37th in 9.25 seconds. Landon Pruett placed 22nd in the 200 meters with a time of 25.81, and Hessenthaler was 41st with a time of 29.29.

In the girls division Janelle Hessenthaler performed well in her events, placing 14th in the 55-meter dash with a time of 8.02 seconds and then finishing 19th in the 200-meter run in 29.81. Also competing in the 55-meter dash were Emily Jensen, who placed 31st in 8.69 seconds, and Kaitlynn Robison, who finished 36th in a time of 8.81.

Jensen and Robison also represented Lovell in the long jump with Jensen placing 26th with a jump of 12-2 and Robison finishing right behind her in 27th place with a mark of 10-11.25.