The South Loup Lady Bobcats (11-5) just keep stacking on the wins and accolades this season - the most recent feather in their cap - Mid-Nebraska Activities Conference (MNAC) Champions.

A rough start to the season, losing four of the first five games, didn’t stop them from improving and striving to play to the top of their ability. In addition to being MNAC champs, they are also on a 6-game winning streak.

The Lady Bobcats were the third seed coming into the conference tournament. They opened their tournament last Monday in Merna against Hyannis in a runaway game with a final score of 45-16. In the first quarter, the Lady Bobcats outscored the Lady Longhorns 18-3, and the second quarter was just as lopsided with the score at the end of the first half 36-9.

The second half of the game was a great opportunity for the non-starters to get tournament playing time. By the end of the third quarter, the Lady Bobcats had relented a bit and allowed the Lady Longhorns to drop a few buckets to head into the fourth with a score of 40-13.

Senior Taylor Ross was the high scorer of the game with 15 points, followed by Josie Reiff with 9 points, and Bryn Schwarz with 7 points. Ross also led in rebounds with 10 and Reiff also grabbed 9 rebounds.

Moving onto the semifinals, the Lady Bobcats again dominated the court against the Lady Mavericks of Sandhills Valley. In a repeat of their regular-season game against the Mavericks, the Bobcats kept the pedal to the floor and outscored them 50-29.

This was a very physical game with the Lady Mavericks launching into attack mode almost instantly, but they were no match for the poised and controlled Lady Bobcats. Junior Bryn Schwarz scored 14 points, followed by Ava Pandorf with 13 points, including three 3-pointers (and one from the men’s college 3-point line). Senior Abby Stallbaumer used her height to help pull down 7 rebounds, followed by Pandorf with 6, and Ross and Lauryn Johnson with 5 each.

The championship game on Saturday brought another familiar opponent - the Lady Wolves from Twin Loup. In their first game of the season, the Lady Bobcats easily beat the Lady Wolves and Saturday was another repeat of that outcome.

By the end of the first quarter, the score was 12-9. The buckets just didn’t seem to want to drop for the Lady Bobcats in the first, but after some adjustments, the second quarter was all Bobcats with a score of 25-11. In the third quarter, the Lady Wolves attempted to bridge the deficit, and score 14 points, but the Lady Bobcats kept control to head into the fourth quarter with a score of 36-25. The momentum the Lady Wolves had built up in the third quarter was short-lived and the Lady Bobcats walked away victorious with a final score of 49-31.

Individual stats were not immediately available for this game.

The Lady Bobcats travel to Mullen on Friday to take on the Broncos at the Hilltop Gym beginning at 4:30 p.m. Central Time, and then board the bus again for a trip to Southern Valley on Saturday to take on the Lady Eagles. Play begins at 2 p.m.