The South Loup wrestlers headed north to Burwell this past weekend for a dual tournament against Hitchcock County, SEM, Hi-Line, and Burwell. The young Bobcat team brought home fourth place honors.

The Bobcats lost a close first round of the day against Hitchcock County by a score of 39-30. At 106 pounds, Josiah Coleman (12-6) pinned Dylan Kollmorgen in 3:17. Freshman 120-pounder Paxton Bierman (7-5) was pinned by Blake Devitt in 1:39. Devitt was a qualifier for last year’s state tournament at D113. CJ Quandt (85) lost to Nathan Kollmorgen by a score of 8-6 at 145 pounds. Junior Dylan Handley (2-4) at 152 pounds was pinned by Karson Shuler in 1:55. Down at 182 pounds, Kyle Bloomer (0-4) was pinned by Kolyn Gaston in 0:31.

Wrestlers winning by forfeit were Zane Ellison at 113 pounds; Bo Brennan at 126 pounds; Dawson Mason at 132 pounds; and Dawson Doggett at 195 pounds.

South Loup won round 2 over SEM by a score of 3027. Coleman lost by decision of 11-6 to Clayton Scoville. Scoville was a qualifier for last year’s state tournament at D106. Bierman pinned Wyatt Boon in 1:17; Ellison was stuck by Treu Atkins in 0:55; and Brennan pinned Brett Guerra in 1:01.

Mason made quick work of William Beatie, pinning him in 1:03. Handley was pinned by Ethan Atkins in 0:31; and Bloomer was pinned by Maddox Jones in 0:57. Jones was a state qualifier last year at D152. Finally, Doggett stuck Darren Schroeder in 0:41. Quandt won by a forfeit.

Round three brought a bye for the Bobcats before a defeat by the stacked Burwell team, 54-30.

Coleman pinned Colten Patrick in 3:57; Bierman was pinned by Ora Chaffin in 3:59; Brennan pinned Colter Wright in 1:20; and Mason pinned Josiah Koenigsberg in 4:40.

Quandt was pinned by Austin Mayfield in 3:25. Mayfield was a state qualifier last year at D138. Handley was pinned by Cort Buss in 2:55; and Kyle Bloomer was pinned by Hagen Hodges in 0:32. Hodges was a qualifier for state last year at D182. Ellison and Doggett won by forfeit.

In the final round of the day, Hi-Line (Elwood and Eustis- Farnam co-op) had the upper hand with a full roster to beat the Bobcats 60-22.

Coleman won in a major decision 11-1 over Connor Edwards; Ellison was pinned in 0:29 by Collin Shutts; and Bierman pinned Zack Christner in 2:58.

Bo Brennan was pinned by Parker Schutz in 3:24; and Dawson Mason pinned Aidan Shutts in 5:23. Quandt was pinned by Grady Shutz in 0:12; and Handley was pinned by Wryston Bell in 0:30. Bloomer was pinned by Kaden Clouse in 1:28; and Doggett won by forfeit.

Burwell finished first in team points, followed by Hi-Line in second, Hitchcock County in third, South Loup in fourth, SEM in fifth, Southern Valley in sixth, and Centura in seventh.

The Bobcats will take a long holiday break and open the new year on Jan. 3 at Anselmo-Merna with a triangular against AM and Sandhills-Thedford.