Matthew Newman claims Wilford Mower Award

One week before he won four individual titles at the Wyoming State Track and Field Championships, Lovell High School senior Matthew Newman was presented with the prestigious Wilford Mower Award as the outstanding Class 3A male athlete in the Northwest Region for his success in multiple sports.

The award is given annually to the top male and female senior athletes in Northwest Wyoming, broken into small school (1A-2A) and large school (3A-4A) divisions. The award is named in memory of Wilford Mower, a longtime coach and educator who was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1959. The trophy was established in 1960 to honor boys, and a girls division was added in 1979. Mower coached and taught in Byron, Lovell and Riverton.

The son of Tom and Suzie Newman, Newman is a four-time letter winner in football, basketball and track at Lovell High School. He has been a member of three state championship teams at Lovell, two in basketball and one in track.

In football, Newman was named all-conference three times and all-state two times as a versatile offensive threat and defensive back. He was selected for the June 13 Shrine Bowl in Casper as a defensive back, though he will be unable to participate.

In basketball, he was named all-conference three times and all-state twice. He was a vital part of the two-time 3A state championship basketball teams as a lightning quick point guard.

In track and field, Newman holds LHS school records in the 110-meter high hurdles, 300-meter intermediate hurdles, 400-meter dash and triple jump. He is a three-time state champion in the triple jump and has earned 10 all-state recognitions. Matthew prequalified for State in seven individual events this year in track and won four titles at the state track meet over the weekend.

Newman’s GPA is 3.62, which ranked him 23rd in his class. He plans on attending college to participate in track and field after he returns from his church mission to Samoa.