TRAPPER RODEO WRAPS UP SEASON
The Northwest College rodeo team wrapped up its season with three more rodeos in Montana, two in Miles City April 24-27 before finishing in Missoula on May 2-3.
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
The Northwest College rodeo team wrapped up its season with three more rodeos in Montana, two in Miles City April 24-27 before finishing in Missoula on May 2-3.
In the first rodeo at Miles Community College, the Trappers had a fourth place finish in team roping, made up of the header/heeler duo of Gary Grant and Weston LaPierre.
Another duo of Drew Ellingson as the header and Coltyn LaRue as the heeler finished just behind them in seventh place.
LaPierre also finished eighth in tie down roping, helping him earn seventh overall in the all-around standings with 100 points.
Rilee Fisher tied for ninth in the steer wrestling, as the Trappers scored 200 points as a team to tie for third.
In the second rodeo, Christopher Staley finished second in bull riding, while Ellingson and LaRue finished sixth in team roping.
Overall the Trappers scored 100 points to finish sixth as a team.
In Missoula, LaPierre finished in a three-way tie for first place for tie down roping.
Grant and LaPierre finished tied for sixth in team roping and Nathan Ruth tied for sixth in tie down roping.
LaPierre tied for fourth in all-around, scoring 155 points as the Trappers finished fourth in their final rodeo of the season with 245 points.
Coach Del Nose said the Trappers had several competitors who fell just short of making the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper in June, as late mental errors caused them to not score points and come up short.
"It was pretty disappointing for lack of a better word," Nose said.
Staley was the lone qualifier for the CNFR, as he qualified for the second straight year in bull riding after taking third in the Big Sky standings.
"He's been getting on bulls here. He'll be riding up until the college finals," Nose said.
With the temperament of bull riding, Nose said that it can be anybody's game heading into the CNFR.
"When the stars align it does work, and when they don't, it doesn't work," Nose said. "Chris has as good a chance as anybody going there."