Young Lovell runners ready to build on state experience

The Lovell High School cross country teams will combine a large group of young runners with several returning state competitors as they begin the new season.

Head coach Caleb Sanders and assistant coach Bret George have 21 runners on this year’s roster, 14 boys and seven girls. Only two are seniors, giving Lovell one of its youngest teams in recent years.

“Coach George and I are really excited for the season,” Sanders said. “We weren’t sure what to expect going into the season because we lost a lot of runners from last year. We had a lot of seniors on the team, but we got a lot of our runners who returned this year, and we have a lot of new runners.”

The Bulldogs lost several of their top runners to graduation, including David Durfee, Owen Hill, Jacob Thomas, Elana Schilthuis and Atlee Sanders.

Durfee led the Lovell boys at last year’s state meet, placing 44th with a time of 19 minutes, 21.8 seconds. Hill and Thomas finished less than one-tenth of a second apart, recording times of 20:38.5 and 20:38.6, respectively.

Schilthuis led the Lovell girls at State, placing 34th in 22:32.1. Sanders placed 73rd in 29:34.6.

Despite those losses, Lovell returns six runners with state meet experience.

Sophomore Isaac Sanders is the top returning state finisher for the boys. He placed 65th as a freshman with a time of 20:30.5. Fellow sophomore Oscar Garcia was close behind, placing 73rd in 20:41.

Ethan Hendershot gives the Bulldogs another returning state runner. He placed 84th as a freshman, completing the course in 21:38.3. The three sophomores will help form the foundation of a boys team that finished 12th at State last season.

Senior Hudsen Mickelson is the only senior on the boys roster. Juniors Gage Pillow, Aaiden Walker and Anthony Garcia will also provide experience for the young team.

The large sophomore class includes Isaac Sanders, Oscar Garcia, Hendershot, Grant Rose, Taevan Henton, Christian Garcia and Connor Grant. Freshmen Dagan Reuter, Jackson Sanders and Daniel Durfee round out the boys roster.

The Bulldogs also welcome three freshmen to the boys team: Dagan Reuter, Jackson Sanders and Daniel Durfee. Each will have an opportunity to gain valuable racing experience while developing alongside Lovell’s large sophomore class.

The Lovell girls return three runners who competed at state last year.

Junior Caylee Herman is the top returning state finisher after placing 62nd with a time of 25:54.3. Senior Candace Walker placed 71st in 28:40.9, while sophomore Toree Herman finished 72nd in 29:16.7.

They are joined by junior Kaylynn Mickelson, sophomore Bonnie Buchholz and freshmen Rylee Mayes and Macee Winterholler.

Sanders sees the team’s youth as an opportunity to develop a strong program for the coming seasons.

“We don’t have a lot of seniors,” he said. “We’re a young team, but I think that’s great. We’re building for the future.”

Lovell will open its season Friday in Billings. With many runners preparing for their first high school race, Sanders said the opening meet will give the coaches a better idea of where each athlete stands.

“We’re just going to see how racing goes,” he said. “We plan on setting some individual and team goals after the race once runners see what it’s like to actually race.”

For the returning runners, the opening meet will provide an early measurement of their progress since last fall. For the newcomers, it will be their first opportunity to experience the pace, competition and mental demands of a cross country race.

Sanders said the team’s priorities this season will extend beyond places and finishing times.

“We’re looking forward to having a lot of fun this season, building our running capability and pushing ourselves,” he said.

With a deep sophomore class, several returning state competitors and a promising group of freshmen, the Bulldogs will use this season to pursue immediate improvement while building a foundation for the future.