Lovell runners tune up in Powell for regional meet

The Lovell High School cross country team used last Friday’s Powell Invitational as a final tune-up for the postseason, working through warm conditions while continuing to see improvement across both the boys and girls squads.

Head coach Caleb Sanders said the Bulldogs were rested and ready to compete at Powell, where temperatures climbed to about 82 degrees on a course he considers one of the better ones on the schedule.

“It was a little hot,” Sanders said. “But it’s a fast course.”

The Bulldogs will travel to Lander on Friday for their regional meet at the Big Hill course. Lovell has already raced there this season, which gives the runners some familiarity as they enter the final stretch before state.

“We ran well in there this year,” Sanders said. “Last year they canceled it because it was so much rain and stuff. But they promised they wouldn’t do that this year.”

Lovell’s boys competed in the varsity race at Powell, led by junior Aaiden Walker, who placed 27th in 18 minutes, 50 seconds. Walker had set an ambitious goal of holding a 5:39-per-mile pace, a tough target on a hot afternoon, but Sanders said the junior’s drive comes from within.

“He’s self-motivated, great runner,” Sanders said. “He sets goals for himself, which I like personally.”

Sophomore Isaac Sanders was 46th in 19:46. His coach said Sanders did not feel like himself during the race, an unusual circumstance for a runner who had been in the 18-minute range in his two previous meets. Still, Sanders is expected to be healthy and ready for Regionals.

Sophomore Ethan Hendershot turned in one of the day’s best Lovell performances, placing 50th in 20:24. It was a personal record for 5,000 meters.

Sanders said Hendershot is frustrated before a race, but it is part of his way of dealing with the challenge ahead. Once the race begins, he competes.

“He really pushed,” Sanders said. “That was his best race he’s ever run, a 5K.”

Sophomore Oscar Garcia finished 55th in 20:57, his second-fastest time of the season. Sophomore Grant Rose was 64th in 21:35, while senior Hudsen Mickelson placed 66th in 22:20. Sanders said Rose continues to chase his personal-record time of 21:03, while Mickelson has held onto his position among Lovell’s top six runners.

Freshman Dagan Reuter led the Lovell junior varsity boys in 22:58, with freshman Jackson Sanders next in 23:19. Reuter currently sits seventh among the Bulldog boys, while Jackson Sanders has consistently been eighth and is expected to serve as the alternate when the state roster is finalized. Sophomore Conner Grant ran 25:43, and junior Anthony Garcia and sophomore Taevan Henton each finished in 27:15.

Lovell placed its girls in the junior varsity race at Powell, a decision Sanders made to give the six runners a more comparable race and a chance to compete directly against each other.

“It was just to make it more comparable,” he said. “Generally, if you’re a senior, I like to run varsity, but they were more suited for that race.”

Freshman Macee Winterholler led the Lovell girls, placing 17th in 25:11. Sanders said Winterholler has established herself as the top girl on the team through a competitive mentality that carries over from races into daily practice.

“She’s competitive in practice,” Sanders said. “She runs harder. I just think it makes her better.”

Junior Caylee Herman finished 25th in 25:50, followed by senior Candace Walker in 26:46. Sanders was encouraged by Walker’s late-race competitiveness after he felt she had not raced as well in the previous couple meets.

“Especially her last mile, she was competitive,” he said. “It’s not naturally in her mind, the way she frames races, to say, ‘I’m going to go and just be competitive.’ But she was that race.”

Sophomore Bonnie Buchholz finished 30th in 26:55. Sanders said she was on personal-record pace through two miles before the heat made the final mile difficult.

Freshman Rylee Mayes placed 33rd in 27:22, a personal record that earned her the team’s female runner of the week recognition. Senior Kaylynn Mickelson ran a season-best 29:36, breaking 30 minutes for the first time.

“I was super happy with Kaylee Mickelson,” Sanders said. “She keeps getting better. She got from 35 to 33 to 30 to 29.”

The Lovell Bulldogs will head to their regional meet today (Thursday) at the Lander Community & Convention Center. The field will include host Lander Valley, Lovell, Lyman, Mountain View, Powell, Rawlins and Worland, giving the Bulldogs one final opportunity to measure themselves against familiar western Wyoming competition before the state meet.

Running begins at 1 p.m.

With individual runners lowering times, the girls pack improving and the regional course already familiar, Lovell heads to Lander on Thursday ready for its next postseason test.