LIVINGSTON, AL – The Northwest Mississippi Community College rodeo team had an improved performance across the board at their second rodeo by getting six riders back to the short go, but a tough run in the final performance kept them from being able to capitalize on the way to a fifth-place finish for the men and an eighth-place finish for the women.
"We need to work on our mental focus," Head Coach Will Lummus said. "The freshman expressed being nervous, but we need to understand the hard part is done and we just need to go and compete. You don't have to beat 60 or 100 or 150 kids, or however many are in your event anymore. You just have to beat ten people to close and finish."
The men still picked up a solid 270 points in the rodeo, remaining in fifth in the overall standings with 570 on the season, just 10 points back of fourth-place Pearl River Community College, although big weekends from Missouri Valley College and the University of West Alabama saw the two leaders extend their advantage to over 500 points on the Rangers.
On the women's side, the team picked up their first points of the season, moving them to 10th place in the region standings, with not much separating them from the top five in the early season, placing them only 70 points out of the top four.
Individually, Northwest was led by the bull riders, with a duo making it back to the short go. Bradley Landon made it back with a ride of 57 on his first bull, finishing in sixth after the opening rides, but it was his second ride that turned heads, picking up an 82 from the judges for the second-best ride of the rodeo. That moved him from sixth to second in the average, and he picked up a clean 100 points over the weekend. It also moved him into fifth in the region standings, just 40 points back of third.
Levi Alliston also made it back, scoring a 78 on his opening ride for the third best of the opening round, and despite not staying on his second bull, he would capture fifth in the average and pick up 60 points for his first of the year in bulls.
"It was great for their confidence, and we got some points," Head Coach Will Lummus said.
Alliston added to his good weekend in saddle bronc riding, going all eight seconds on his first ride for a score of 57, placing him in third in the go. He couldn't stay on his second bronc, but only two stayed on in the second ride, giving him third in the average for an 80-point weekend in the rough stock. That bumped him into a tie for third in the region standings.
"Levi had been struggling a bit, so I think it was really good for him," Lummus said. "He actually rode his short round bull, but he slapped him so he got a no score on the ride, but it was still a good confidence boost there."
Sloan Stewart had another good weekend for points in steer wrestling, finishing the long go in fifth place after going nine flat on his opening run. He followed it up with an 11.9 on his short go steer, but was one of only six to catch on what was a difficult pen, and finished third in the go and fourth in the average. The 90-point weekend kept him in third in the overall standings with 140 points on the year.
"As a freshman, he's got a ton of confidence," Lummus said. "I look for him to do good in the next couple as well. Tegan Orr, who is his team roping partner, is leading in the steer wrestling right now, and those two guys feed off of each other. And I know how it is to have a friend to feed off of, so I look for him to keep doing well."
Cole McCorkle also made it back to the short go with a 10.5 on his first steer, putting him in eighth place. He had the second-fastest time of the final performance, catching his steer in 9.4 seconds, and he placed second in the average with a time of 19.9 on two head. The 100 points put him onto the board in the region standings, sitting in seventh place overall, just ahead of teammate Cayce Huver in eighth.
McCorkle also made it back in team roping as he and partner Leo Williams put out the third-fastest time in the long go, registering a catch in 8.9 seconds for 40 points. They did not get a time in the short go, though, and had to settle for being just outside of the average when the final points were tallied.
On the women's side, Reagan Shurden had her best run of the year, making all three turns in 17.18 seconds for the third-fastest time in the opening runs for 40 points. A couple of overturned barrels in her short go run would keep her out of the points in the average. It still put the Rangers up on the board on the women's side and gave her some momentum to carry into week three.
Barrel racing is the deepest field in the region, and Lummus said it is important to understand the logistics of that event.
"What makes the college finals in the barrel racing is substantially less than any other event because there are so many competitors and it spreads out more. So when you look at it, you really need to do good at three or four of them," Lummus said.
Northwest will keep up their streak of rodeos with action in Monticello, Arkansas, as the Boll Weevil Stampede, hosted at the UAM Truck Driving Academy, with action beginning on Thursday, October 1st and continuing until the short go on Saturday night.
Find more information on the Ranger rodeo team by visiting nwccrangers.com or by following along on Northwest social media accounts.
