POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Northwest freshman Darby Toole had a spectacular weekend in barrel racing at the Three Rivers Championship Rodeo, helping the women's rodeo team to a fifth place finish.

Northwest totaled 110 points, all thanks to Toole's performance. The Eudora native finished third in the long round and advanced to the short-go on Saturday evening, where she placed second overall with a time of 33.54, just slightly behind event-winner Taycie Matthews (West Alabama). 

By finishing fifth out of nine teams, the Lady Rangers tied their last fifth place finish, which occurred in February 2020 at East Mississippi. Prior to 2020, the last finish above fifth came in March 2014, when the Lady Rangers earned fourth place at Arkansas-Monticello.

Overall, the team finish was the highest among Mississippi schools in competition on the women's side. Pearl River finished sixth with 95 total points, while East Mississippi failed to place. Northwest did not place among men's competition.

At the midway point of the fall season, Northwest ranks seventh in the women's Ozark Region standings with a total of 190 points. The men are currently 10th out of 11 teams in the Ozark Region standings, leading only Auburn. Out of 15 barrel racers, Toole is fifth in the region and one of only five with 100 or more points.

Other Rangers in the individual standings include fellow barrel racer Riley Kate Lenagar at ninth overall and David Holt at 15th in the tie-down roping standings.

Northwest will resume competition at Southern Arkansas from November 3-5, before concluding the fall slate at Murray State University from November 17-19.