Thomson, Rianda on top heading into rodeo finals
The Daily Inter Lake
MISSOULA - Rachel Thomson of Columbia Falls is tied with Justine Reynolds of Melrose for first place in pole bending heading into today's championship round of the Montana State High School Rodeo finals.
Reynolds won the second go-round on Saturday, nipping Thomson by 1/100ths of a second.
They go into today's action with 77 points, each.
Thompson will also compete in barrel racing today, where she is listed in the top four (points not available).
In goat tying today, Lexy Rianda of Kalispell is on top with 88 points. She leads last year's national high school rodeo champion, Kate Sharon of Dillon, by seven points.
On Saturday, Rianda finished third with a time of 8.12 seconds.
Rianda is also 10th going into today's breakaway roping finals. She has 68 points.
Shane McCaffree of Columbia Falls has advanced to the finals in two events - calf roping and team roping.
McCaffree is 12th in calf roping with 66 points. Leading that event is Jake Newton of Glasgow with 80.5.
McCaffree and Levi Guenzler of Ronan are sitting third in the team roping standings with 141 points. They did not place Saturday during the second round.
Leading the team roping are Wit and Wyatt Williams of Broadus with 148 points.
Chance Weeding of Jordan is the saddle bronc leader with 81 points. Gerald Eash of Trego is tied for eighth with 68.
Shaun Halko of Bozeman is first in bull riding with 79 points. Tied for fifth is Eash with 68.5 and in 10th place is Matt Triplett of Columbia Falls with 67.5.
Saturday's Results
Second Round
Pole Bending - 1. Justine Reynolds, Melrose, 20.96; 2. Rachel Thomson, Columbia Falls, 20.97.
Goat Tying - 1. Cassidy Nordahl, East Helena, 7.29; 3. Lexy Rianda, Kalispell, 8.12; 13. Sarah Ham, Columbia Falls, 9.59.
Breakaway Roping - 1. Mykayla Tatsey, Valier, 3.28; 13. Maddie Matelli, Kalispell, 4.87.
Calf Roping - 1. Jason Schaeffer, Broadus, 10.03; 4. Shane McCaffree, Columbia Falls, 11.08.
Saddle Bronc - 1. Trevor Ross, Jordan, 65; 5. Gerald Eash, Trego, 62.
Team Roping - 1. Matt Wznick, Sidney/Taylor Williams, Broadus, 7.56.
Bull Riding - 1. Jake Kearns, Melrose, 76; 4. (tie) Gerald Eash, 62; 9. Matt Triplett, Columbia Falls, 65.
Barrel Racing - 1. Mariah Morgan, Stevensville, 17.46; 10. (tie) Rachel Tomson, 18.01