South Loup student-athletes, coaches, and their families gathered in the Callaway Schools gym last Thursday to celebrate the successes of each sports season in the 2022-23 school year.

The Outstanding Senior Athlete awards were given to Ava Pandorf of Callaway and Lance Jones of Arnold for their contributions to South Loup athletics during their four years of high school.

Pandorf is a 12-season athlete, playing volleyball and basketball all four seasons, track for three seasons, and cheerleading for one year. Jones is an 11-season athlete, playing football and basketball all four years, and track for three years. COVID canceled their freshman track season in 2020.

Pandorf also received the MNAC All-Conference 1st team honors, as well as All-State honorable mention. Abby Stallbaumer was also named to the MNAC 1st team. Taylor Ross was honored with the MNAC 2nd team award. Bryn Schwarz, Charli Vickers, and Talli Martin were all MNAC honorable mention award winners.

The Bobcats will lose five seniors to graduation - Lauryn Johnson, Talli Martin, Ava Pandorf, Taylor Ross, and Abby Stallbaumer.

The Bobcat football team also had much to celebrate this year, from winning their first home game since 2019, to advancing to the second round of the state playoffs, head coach Mat Jagler had many successes to talk about.

The boys had a 6-4 season, their first winning season and playoff appearance since 2018. They handily beat most every team they encountered this season, losing to the eventual state champions and runners-up.

Players being selected for the D-9 All-District teams include Clay Witthuhn (2nd team offense); Ethan Furne (honorable mention); Cache Gracey (1st team defense); Joey Sallach (1st team offense); Trey Connell (1st team defense); Rio Remund (1st team defense).

Remund was also named an All-State defensive end for Class D2. Sallach, Gracey, Connell, and Lance Jones were All-State honorable mention award winners.

The football team will lose three seniors to graduation - Lance Jones, Clay Witthuhn, and Kaden Paulsen.

The cross country team honored the three state qualifiers - Ella Cool, Ivy Tullis, and Logan Recoy, as well as awarded letters. Hailey Recoy was the lone senior on the Bobcat cross country team this year.

Cheer coach Lucy Kimball introduced the cheer team for the 2023-24 school year: returning cheerleaders Delaney Rogers, Jazlynn Bechtold, Greeley Hrupek, and Josie Reiff, as well as oncoming cheerleaders, Addie Bailey, Aubrie Birkel, Tyra Brestel, Neltje Reiff, Kelynn Witthuhn, and Josie Christensen.

Girls basketball coach Bryon Hansen celebrated his girls’ 15-7 season this year, including claiming the MNAC title. Athletes earning post-season awards included Ava Pandorf - 1st team MNAC, honorable mention Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald teams; Bryn Schwarz - 1st team MNAC and honorable mention Omaha World-Herald; Taylor Ross - 2nd team MNAC.

The girls basketball seniors include Ava Pandorf, Lauryn Johnson, Abby Stallbaumer, Halie Recoy, and Taylor Ross.

The boys basketball team also had a successful season with an 18-5 record and thrilling wins at the Maxwell Holiday Tournament and the MNAC tournament to be champs of both. Coach Jeff Cole awarded Trey Connell and Cache Gracey with 1st team All-Conference and Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star honorable mention awards, as well as Bobcat Team MVP awards. Senior Silas Cool was also honored with an MNAC honorable mention team award.

Seniors for the boys are Silas Cool, Lance Jones, and Kaden Paulsen.

Wrestling coach Todd Phelps had one grappler qualify for state this year - junior Dawson Doggett - and presented his team with awards for their work during the season. CJ Quandt and Rio Remund were recognized as the team leaders; Doggett and Dawson Mason were named Outstanding Wrestlers of the Season; and Bo Brennan was named Most Improved for the season.

Even though their season is still ongoing, track coaches Lane Chesley and Mike Weverka awarded the Best in the Midwest awards for athletes who were chosen to participate in the elite meet last week in Sutherland. Those included Ella Cool, Silas Cool, Erin Fitzgerald, Cache Gracey, Talli Martin, Ava Pandorf, Dylan Pandorf, Halie Recoy, Logan Recoy, Josie Reiff, Rio Remund, Abby Stallbaumer, Ivy Tullis, and Charli Vickers.

Golf and Unified Bowling also awarded letters to their team members.

Letter winners Seniors:

Silas Cool - Basketball, Track Grant Hrupek - Golf Lauryn Johnson - Volleyball, Basketball Lance Jones - Football, Basketball, Track Johnny Lamphear - Track Talli Martin - Volleyball, Track Ava Pandorf - Volleyball, Basketball, Track Kaden Paulsen - Football, Basketball, Track Haley Recoy - Cross Country, Basketball, Track Taylor Ross - Volleyball, Basketball Abby Stallbaumer - Volleyball, Basketball, Track Clay Witthuhn - Football, Track

Juniors:

Jazlynn Bechtold - Basketball, Cheer Grace Bierman - Volleyball Maggie Birkel - Volleyball, Basketball, Track (manager) Brady Brestel - Golf Trey Connell - Football, Basketball, Track Dawson Doggett - Wrestling, Golf Cache Gracey - Football, Basketball, Track Dylan Handley - Wrestling, Golf Delaynie Liable - Volleyball Gracie Neth - Cross Country Tahnna Nokes - Track Logan Recoy - Cross Country, Track Josie Reiff - Volleyball, Basketball, Track, Cheer Rio Remund - Football, Wrestling, Track Delaney Rogers - Volleyball, Basketball, Cheer Joey Sallach - Football, Basketball, Golf Bryn Schwarz - Volleyball, Basketball, Track Brendan Streit - Track Lance Wooters - Football Charli Vickers - Volleyball, Track

Sophomores:

Bo Brennan - Wrestling Ella Cool - Cross Country, Track Ethan Furne - Football, Wrestling, Track Greeley Hrupek - Volleyball, Cheer Harper Johnson - Football, Basketball, Golf Dawson Mason - Wrestling, Golf Caleb McFate - Cross Country, Basketball, Track CJ Quandt - Wrestling Riata Remund - Track AJ Starr - Football, Basketball, Track Jamie Tickle - Football, Wrestling Ivy Tullis - Cross Country, Track

Freshmen

Paxton Bierman - Wrestling, Track Aubrie Birkel - Basketball, Track Josiah Coleman - Cross Country, Wrestling, Track Zane Ellison - Wrestling Erin Fitzgerald - Track MacKenzie Green - Track (manager) Dylan Pandorf - Football, Basketball, Track Conner Paulsen - Football, Basketball, Track Haydn Streteskey - Golf Natalie Trotter - Track Crew Witthuhn - Football, Basketball, Track Kaygan Witthuhn - Track