Heading into the final week of 2025, the Bobcats battled hard but came up short against two tough opponents, falling to Medicine Valley at home and Brady on the road. Despite some positive moments in both games, the beleaguered Bobcats will have to look to the second half of their season to find some wins.

The Lady Bobcats came up just short in a hard-fought 41–38 home loss to Medicine Valley on Friday, Dec. 19 in Arnold. After falling behind 12-20 at halftime, the Bobcats rallied in the second half, outscoring the Raiders 26-21 and pulling within one possession late in the fourth quarter. Despite a late surge, South Loup couldn’t overcome Medicine Valley’s strong shooting down the stretch.

Sophomore Emma Stallbaumer led the Bobcats with 9 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals, shooting 3-for-12 from the field and 3-for-6 at the free-throw line. Junior Kamryn Kramer added 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal, hitting 3-of-8 overall and 2-of-4 from the line. Sophomore Rae Hagler finished with 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals, while senior Erin Fitzgerald contributed 5 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Freshman Gracie Brennan scored 6 points on 2-of-4 shooting and pulled down 3 rebounds.

As a team, South Loup shot 29% from the floor and 45% from the free-throw line. The Bobcats collected 27 rebounds, 8 assists, 12 steals, and 4 blocked shots, com- mitting 24 turnovers.

The Lady Bobcats then traveled last week to compete in the annual Maxwell Holiday Tournament on Dec. 22-23. South Loup and Sandhills Valley brought their JV teams along for first-round action, but the main matchup of the tournament was the first-place match against the Brady Eagles on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

The Eagles came into the match fresh off a 45-29 win against the Maxwell Wildcats. Brady came out firing on all cylinders, while the Bobcats struggled to get their game going offensively. Outscoring the Bobcats 25-10 the first half, South Loup battled back in the second, putting up 20 points to Brady’s 15. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t quite enough for the Bobcats to overcome, and they dropped the game 30-40.

The Bobcats put up a solid effort despite the loss, shooting 31% from the field and hitting 43% from the free-throw line. Brennan led the way with 6 points, connecting on 3-of-6 shots and grabbing 6 rebounds. Jade Bierman added 6 points and 4 rebounds, while Stallbaumer contributed 3 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Neltje Reiff and Hagler each chipped in 2 points, with Hagler also recording 3 steals. Kramer and Tyra Brestel each scored 4 and 2 points, respectively, with Kramer hitting 2-of-6 free throws. On the boards, South Loup battled hard, pulling down 30 total rebounds, including 7 offensive, while forcing 17 steals on the defensive end.

Still looking for their first win of the season, the Lady Bobcats headed into the holiday break. They were back in action in the new year, with a busy schedule of three games starting Jan. 6, with a home contest against Hershey. The Bobcats travel to Dunning to face Sandhills/Thedford on Jan. 8, and come back to Callaway to host Bertrand on Jan. 10.