1st round against no. 18 Jacob Koser (Navy): W – 14-4 (big decision)
Beard worked fast and earned the knockout to take a 2-0 lead early in the first. With a turning point and almost falling points, Beard extended his lead to 6-0 when the first period came to an end. In the second, with Beard starting, he deserved the turnaround to take an 8-0 lead. Koser finally worked his way to an escape to reduce the lead 8-1. A decrease for Beard made the score 10-1. Starting neutral in the third, Beard deserves another discount, while Koser comes out for one, making it 12-2. Koser added his total with a clearance, making it 12-4. Beard deserves an escape again.
2nd round against no. 31 Owen Pentz (North Dakota State): W – 17-8 (big decision)
Beard deserves the first clearance to take the lead 2-0, before giving an escape. The same thing would happen again when Beard was ahead 4-2. The first period continued with flurry as Beard built up an 8-4 lead. Pentz earned an escape in the second period, starting from the bottom, to reduce the lead by 8-5. A further beard removal, followed by an escape, makes it 10-6. Beard earned another removal before the end of the period, making it 12-6. They started in neutral to start the third period. Another removal and escape made it 14-7. Must be a removal party because it happened again, which made it 16-8. Bear advanced to the quarterfinals with the win.
DAY TWO
Quarterfinals at no. 26 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma): L – 8-3 (decision)
Beard conceded the first removal, but eventually managed to escape and cut the lead to 2-1. An escape for Beard in the second game drew the game, but Woodley attracted another removal to take a 4-2 lead. Woodley started the third period down and earned the escape for a 5-2 lead. Another removal and escape combination put Woodley ahead 7-3 late in the game. Beard fell with the loss to the fightback rounds.
Blood round at no. 13 Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State): W – 9-1 (big decision)
Beard worked his way up for the first removal of the game for a 2-0 lead. He also made a turn to lead four near-points and a 6-0 lead in the second period. No score change in the second, as Beard maintained his lead and accumulated over four minutes of riding time, after the third. An escape for Sloan gave him a point, but Beard delivered another clearance and had more than five minutes of driving time. Beard clinched All-American status.
Consolation quarterfinals at no. 7 Rocky Elam (Missouri): L – 5-0 (decision)
Beard could not find his offense in the first period because they were pointless. Elam got the escape and then a removal in the second period to take a 3-0 lead. Elam led it to 5-0 with almost falling points. He maintained the lead through the third period and scored the win, dropping Beard to 7th place.
7th place match against no. 8 Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming): W – 10-8 (decision, sudden victory)
Early in the first period, Beard landed a clearance and managed to take Buchanan to his back for near miss points. He led 4-0. Eventually, he drew unexpected calls to take a 5-0 lead. Buchanan took a turnaround to cut the lead to 5-2. At the start of the second period, Beard gave up an escape and then a dismissal because the game was tied 5-5. Late in the second, Beard made a U-turn to rise 7-5, but Buchanan quickly escaped to make it 7-6. Beard escaped to start the third period, but Buchanan landed a late removal to level him at 8-8 and send it to a sudden victory. In overtime, Beard attacked a beautiful clearance and finished for the win and 7th place.