On Friday, Sept. 13, the South Loup football team faced a challenge as they hosted Perkins County and fell to their opponents by a final score of 40 -12. Despite the loss, there were notable individual performances that shone through.

“We made some really good plays, we also had some mistakes we have to clean up. They were a good team, but so were we. If we get the mistakes fixed up, we will be golden,” said Bobcat TE, DE Crew Witthuhn.

Junior quarterback Dylan Pandorf demonstrated solid play, completing 9 of 16 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. His efficient passing helped keep the offense moving, with a highlight being a 27-yard touchdown pass to senior Ethan Furne.

Senior running back AJ Starr had a standout game on the ground, rushing for 104 yards on 17 carries, including a long 37-yard run. Starr's efforts were crucial in keeping South Loup competitive, and he scored the team’s only rushing touchdown.

In the receiving game, senior Ethan Furne made a significant impact with three receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown, showing his ability to make plays when the team needed them.

Defensively, senior Jamie Tickle was a key contributor with two sacks, and junior Paxton Bierman added another sack. Their efforts were vital in applying pressure to the Perkins County offense.

Special teams saw some positive contributions as well, with Jamie Tickle handling kickoffs effectively, averaging 35.7 yards per kick, and Ethan Furne punting 40 yards.

“We lost to a tough team. We achieved a lot of good things, but we made too many mistakes to win,” said Head Coach Matt Jageler.

While South Loup faces areas for improvement, the individual highlights from the game provide a solid foundation for the team to build upon as they prepare for the upcoming games.