By SARAH OTTO
Staff Reporter
The Northwestern rodeo team not only competed at Manhattan, Kans., but claimed a few titles while they were there.
The women’s team placed third overall, while the men’s team came in fifth overall.
Northwestern had ten athletes made it back to the short round.
The Northwestern cowboys took over the steer wrestling. Four of the 10 cowboys that made it back to the short round were from Northwestern. Ty Batie won the long round with a time of 3.8. Jon Laine Herl followed close behind him, coming in second with a time of 4.0. Stephen Culling split fourth and fifth in the long round with a time of 4.8 and James Struxness followed with a time of 5.0, splitting sixth, seventh, and eighth. Herl took control of things in the short round, finishing his weekend first overall. Batie finished third overall, Culling finished sixth, and Struxness finished the weekend splitting eighth and ninth.
Herl, a Junior from Goodland, Kansas, said, “Overall it was a good weekend. It is good to be starting the semester off on a good note. Now I need to keep the ball rolling the rest of the spring rodeos. I’m just going to keep making the best runs possible for what I draw.”
In team roping, Northwestern was represented by two cowboys in the short round, William Whayne and Dustin Searcy. Whayne roped with Connor Osborn from Connors and had a time of 6.2, placing third in the long round, which qualified them for the short round. Searcy and his team roping partner, Hunter Munsell from Western, had a time of 5.4, which won the long round and advanced them to the short round. Whayne ended up third in the average for the weekend and Searcy finished the weekend fifth overall.
In each of the women’s events, two cowgirls made it to the short round representing Northwestern. In barrel racing, Shea Ransome and Kelsey Driggers were the two NWOSU cowgirls that claimed a spot in the short round. Ransome ended up second overall and Driggers finished the weekend fifth overall. In breakaway roping, Elli Price and Karley Kile made it back to the short round. Price came in third for the weekend, while Kile endured a no-time in the short round.
Shayna Miller and Karley Kile represented Northwestern in the short round of goat tying. Kile finished the weekend ninth overall, while Miller claimed a title and finished first overall.
Miller, a junior from Faith, S.D., is focused on being consistent at each rodeo so she can pick up points and win the region. She said, “I plan to work hard through the week, stay focused on what I am doing, and show up ready to compete at each rodeo.” After winning the goat tying at the first rodeo of the spring semester, Miller wants to keep a good mindset for the upcoming rodeos. She said, “I am going to go make one run at a time and I can’t beat myself.”
The Rangers’ next rodeo is at Garden City, Kans.