The South Loup football team picked up a much-needed victory on Friday, Sept. 26, to make it two in a row in the win column.

The Bobcats hosted the West Holt Huskies from Atkinson in Arnold for a 2 p.m. game. A shortage of available referees has forced many smaller schools to resort to afternoon contests to allow the referee team to get from that game to a Friday evening game. It was a great time for a big win, as the senior players and their parents were recognized at this game.

Neither team was able to get much going on offense in the first quarter of play, and the period ended with no score. The Bobcats did manage to get across the goal line in the second period, to take a 6-0 lead at the half.

South Loup added another 14 points to their side of the board in the third quarter and an additional 8 points in the fourth. Meanwhile, the Bobcats’ defense held the Huskies out of the endzone as South Loup took the win, 28-0.

The vast majority of the Bobcats’ offense came on the ground, as Dylan Pandorf had only one pass completion for 11 yards. The senior made up for that, though, as he rushed for 140 yards on 11 carries and three of the team’s four touchdowns.

Conner Paulsen was a workhorse for the Bobcats, carrying the ball 32 times in the game for a total of 133 yards and a touchdown, and being on the receiving end of Pandorf’s only pass of the game. Crew Witthuhn rounded out the senior trio with 5 carries for 16 yards.

Fellow senior Paxton Bierman got the job done on the defensive side of the ball, tallying 3 solo tackles and 15 assists. Elijah Cool was quick off the snap, getting 5 solo tackles and 6 assists for the Bobcats. Pandorf accounted for 3 solo tackles and 7 assists, while Paulsen had 2 solos and 5 assists. Crew Witthuhn added 2 solo tackles and 3 assists, Noah Anderson 1 solo and 2 assists, and freshman Jacob King had 1 solo tackle.

Anderson and Witthuhn were both credited with a sack for South Loup, and Paulsen picked off a West Holt pass and returned it 13 yards.

This week’s game is being played this evening, Oct. 2, at Pleasanton. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.