A Waterloo High School boys basketball squad that was riding high following a rivalry win at home in late January bowed out of the postseason early. 

The Bulldogs (15-17) lost 53-36 to Mississippi Valley Conference foe Highland last Wednesday in the Class 3A Freeburg Regional. 

Waterloo also lost to Highland to end regular season play. 

The ‘Dogs dropped five straight games to end the season and seven of eight contests overall following a thrilling victory at home over rival Columbia, 53-49, on Jan. 23.

Playing their final games for Waterloo were seniors Rodrigo Lopez Tercero, Caleb Yochum, Eli Schwehr and Isaac Lohman. 

Tercero, at 6-foot-8, averaged 12.2 points per game this season. 

Yochum averaged 11.1 points per contest, including 82.5 percent shooting from the free throw line. 

The Bulldogs will hope to improve upon their 2023-24 campaign next year with the return of 6-foot-10 junior Alex Stell. He led the team this season with averages of 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. 

Stell missed a few mid-season games due to injury.