For Bobcats coach Rick Peterson, there was little doubt the Bobcats would repeat the conference track championship they’ve held since 2018.

“I realized with the quality of athletes that the boys had that it was possible, but lower numbers from past years made me question if there were enough bodies to score in the 17 events that make up the conference meet,” Peterson said. Coach Chesley asked the South Loup boys to compete in a full schedule of events that they might not be used to running, and they responded with an inspired performance that took them to the team title once again.

The field events were not as kind as the Bobcats hoped as the top rated throwers struggled a little in the shot put, only placing Rio Remund in the event at sixth place.

Lance Jones, Jake Halstead and Remund took fourth, fifth and sixth in the discus, and while the trio did score points, there weren’t as many as the coaches had hoped for in a stacked field. In the jumps, the young Bobcats’ Ethan Furne took sixth in the long jump and Harper Johnson leapt his way to sixth in the high jump. The pole vault was the best showing in the field events for the Bobcats with Silas Cool taking gold, Jamie Tickle fourth and Dawson Mason sixth, exceeding expectations with all 3 vaulters setting or tying personal best performances. The boys were aiming to enter the running events with a lead and they did so, placing second within a tightly packed field.

Cache Gracey, Trey Connell, Logan Recoy and Cool won the 4x800 relay by a large amount. The efforts of the 3,200 meter runners were particularly impressive with Recoy taking silver, Connell finishing for bronze and Dawson Mason in sixth place in a race that they don't usually run for the chance of a team title.

In the 400 meters, Gracey ran a fantastic race for the first individual track gold medal. Without a finalist in the first two afternoon events, 110 meter hurdles and the 100 meter dash, the Bobcats dipped to third in the team standings. That position was short-lived though, the Bobcats working hard as the afternoon continued.

Cool ran a personal best in the 800 meters, clipping the field by six seconds to finish with a time of 2:06.9. The dynamic sophomore duo of Recoy and Connell churned through the 1600 meter race to a silver medal and a career-best 4:48.1 finish with Connell on his heels in fifth place. Gracey picked up a bronze medal in his first time running the 200 meters, and freshman Caleb McFate showed the desire we've come to expect, running a personal best and placing sixth in the 300 meter hurdles. Peterson said that with only the relays left to run, the buzz among the Bobcats was enjoyable to behold as they knew the opportunity for the team championship was again within their grasp. The 4x100 relay of Kaden Paulsen, A.J. Starr, Furne and Harper Johnson ran one of the best times of the year, placing sixth and gaining 1 valuable point.

“The final event, the 4x400 relay, was really exciting,” Peterson said. “The boys had a nine-point lead over Brady, but to insure the title they needed to score. Brady had a good relay and could win the race, which would have given the Eagles a one-point conference win for the team title.” The quartet of Rio Remund, Jamie Tickle, Johnson and Cool ran a season best by over 10 seconds to place 5th and insure the championship.

“Silas ran an inspiring anchor leg to move the team into 1st place in their heat and 5th overall,” Peterson said. “Effort has become a trademark of this group of athletes and it was fully on display last Thursday. As the season is quickly coming to an end it will be entertaining to find out what this group is capable of achieving.”

The Bobcats are back in action on May 6 at the Dave Blevins Invitational at Arnold, the final home track meet of the season, beginning at 9:30 a.m..