The South Loup Bobcats picked up their second win of the season with a strong performance against the Hi-Line Bulls on Friday, Sept. 6. The game had its rough moments, but the Bobcats showed they can stay in control and stand their ground.

“If you can’t accept defeat, you’ll never win,” said AJ Starr. Hi-Line actually struck first with a big 55-yard run by Asher Hecox that put them on the scoreboard right away. It looked like it might be a back-and-forth kind of night when both teams fumbled early on, but South Loup quickly settled down.

Once Conner Paulsen got going, there was no looking back. He racked up four touchdowns in the first half alone, putting the Bobcats firmly in control. It was clear he was the key player of the night—every time he touched the ball, something good seemed to happen.

By halftime, South Loup had built a solid 26-7 lead. The second half was quieter offensively, but the Bobcats still controlled the game. Paulsen added one more touchdown, while Hi-Line struggled to get anything going. Late in the fourth quarter Traevyn Koch recovered a Hi-Line fumble and brook loose for a 78-yard run, to seal the win 34-15.

“It wasn’t pretty, but we won. A win is a win,” said Head Coach Matt Jageler. The Bobcats did have a few hiccups, including turnovers and penalties, but their defense held strong, led by AJ Starr with 5 tackles and 7 assists. Ethan Furne and Harper Johnson each had an interception for the Bobcats.

Paulsen finished with 101 rushing yards and four total touchdowns, while AJ Starr added another 65 yards on the ground. Hi-Line, on the other hand, only managed 147 yards of offense in total.

In the end, South Loup took home the victory, keeping their momentum going in their second game of the season. They’ve still got a few things to clean up, but it’s clear this team knows how to get the job done when it counts.