Cook, LHS golfers set for fall debut

Coach Dane Robertson has a deep and experienced boys squad and a smaller but talented girls squad as the Lovell High School golf team prepares for the 2023 fall season with team members from Lovell, Rocky Mountain and Greybull.

Both squads placed third at the Class 3A State Tournament last September in Buffalo, and although the Bulldogs lost four golfers to graduation, there is experience returning in the form of five golfers who competed at State, including Greybull senior Erika Cook, who captured her third consecutive state individual title last year as a junior.

Cook returns from the state team, along with Lovell senior Madison Wolvington, who placed 27^th at State. The Lady Bulldogs lost Lauren Cook of Greybull and Alex Walker of Lovell to graduation.

The boys squad lost Mason McCollam of Rocky Mountain (10^th at State) and Carter Lundberg of Lovell (14^th) to graduation but return three from the state team who will be seniors this season in Max Cooley of Rocky Mountain, Brandon Burns of Greybull and Parker Anderson of Lovell.

“We have a pretty good returning boys team this fall,” Robertson said. “We lost Carter and Mason, but we have Parker, Max and Brandon from last year's third-place team at State. I expect all three of them to post some good scores.

“We are a little thinner on the girls side this year, but, of course, have Erika returning for her senior year and trying to be a four-timer at the state tournament. She's played a lot of golf this summer in various places including Torrey Pines in San Diego as part of a junior tour circuit and in Canada for Team Wyoming. Madison Wolvington has been swinging the club very well, and she will be shooting new personal bests this fall.”

Other members of the boys squad, so far, are seniors Coby Henderson of Greybull and JR Prosser of Lovell, juniors Branton Moore of Rocky Mountain and Matthew Allen, James Blau and Talon Burton of Lovell and sophomores Zayden Stahl and Jacob Thomas of Lovell.

Golfing on the girls team with Cook and Wolvington are Lovell freshmen Addisyn Perkins and Kenley Wilson.

“There is a lot to be excited for on both the boys and the girls sides,” Robertson said. “I'm excited for the healthy intrasquad competition we'll have throughout the year. Players will be working to get better and to show out at practice to receive opportunities to play in tournaments. That's the thing about golf; there are only so many spots available in tournaments, so you've got to be able to showcase what you can do to receive one. I love both the team and individual aspects of the game.

“We still have some players that will come out later this week and into next week, so I don't have a particular number just yet, but I expect we'll be right around 20 golfers again this fall. You love to see the numbers of players that we've been getting.”

The team started practice Monday morning and is prepping for the opening tournament in Powell this Thursday and Friday, with tee times set for 1 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday. Next week, the Bulldogs are scheduled to compete in a tournament in Cody on Tuesday and Wednesday with tee times at 10 a.m. each day, Robertson said.

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