MARSHALL, Mo. - To say this past weekend was a memorable one for the Northwest men's rodeo team would be an understatement.
Competing in the Viking Stampede at Missouri Valley College to open the 2023-24 season, the Ranger men placed second out of nine teams, marking the highest finish for the men's or women's rodeo teams since at least 2010.
Northwest compiled 405 total points, finishing behind event host and winner Missouri Valley College, which earned 855 team points. Meanwhile, the Lady Rangers placed sixth overall out of seven teams.
Laine Moore and
Luke Stanley came away as the big winners for the Rangers, with Moore winning the average in both steer wrestling and team roping. Stanley also won both rounds and the average in bull riding.
For Moore, the freshman from Albertville, Ala. scored a 5.9 in the first round of steer wrestling and a 4.8 result in the second round, winning both rounds. With a 10.7 average score, Moore provided 140 points for the Rangers.
Moore's success continued in team roping, where he and partner Tanner Brown (East Mississippi) collected 8.5 points in the opening round and 6.7 in the second round, earning an average score of 15.2. Both athletes came away with 120 points for their respective teams.
Stanley was the only bull rider to place during the weekend, earning a 151 average score and 180 total points.
Other notable finishes included
Christian Cagle, who finished second in the average in steer wrestling. The Canton, Ga. native placed third in both the short and long rounds, while
Wyatt Newman placed sixth in the short round and average of steer wrestling.
In women's action, sophomore
Darby Toole made the short round in breakaway roping, but didn't place in the average.
Delaney Naifeh won second in the long round of goat tying, but did not place in the average either.
Northwest will make the quick turnaround ahead of this weekend's event at the University of West Alabama. Action begins Thursday evening, September 28 and runs through Saturday, Sept. 30 in Livingston, Ala.
