MSU-N rodeo performs well in return

Like other sports on the Hi-Line, the Montana State University-Northern rodeo teams had to adjust their recent schedules because of inclement weather. Now, after nearly two weeks, the MSU-N rodeo teams returned this past weekend to compete in a rodeo hosted by the University of Providence in Great Falls.

In their first action in nearly two weeks, the MSU-N womens team placed third and the MSU-N mens team took fourth. The MSU-N womens rodeo team has been having a solid season, so MSU-N head coach Doug Kallenberger was happy to see them continue to ride well.

“The womens did exactly what we needed them to do. They needed to stay consistent and continue to get points and they did just that,” Kallenberger said.

The last time they competed was on April 10 in a rodeo in Bozeman hosted by MSU. The MSU-N rodeo teams were set to compete in a rodeo April 15-16 hosted by Miles City Community College, but it was postponed due to weather. But with injuries and the added stress of academics, Kalleneberg believes that weekend helped his teams.

“That was a really good thing for us,” Kallenberger said. “I thought the week off served us well and helped us regroup and go back to the basics a little bit in practice and slow it down.”

The MSU-N womens team took third in its rodeo with a score of 315 points. University of Montana Western scored 430 points to win the womens rodeo and Montana State University placed second with 390 points. The MSU-N mens team scored 220 points to place fourth. MSU took first with 715 points while Western took second and Dawson Community College took third.

Many MSU-N riders had strong performances over the weekend. Kassidy Williamson placed first in average breakaway roping with a time of 5.4 seconds. She took first in the long go with a time of 2.6 second and she took third in the short go breakaway roping with a time of 2.8 seconds. Her teammate Mikenna Schauer placed first in the short go breakaway roping with a time of 2.4 seconds. In average breakaway roping, Schauer placed second with a time of 5.5 seconds.

Jill Marcenko also had a good weekend for the MSU-N women’s team. She placed fifth in average goat tying with a time of 16.8 seconds and she also placed fifth in the short go goat tying with a time of 8.4 seconds. In the long go for barrel racing, Cecelia Lynn placed sixth with a time of 16.37 seconds. In the long go for breakaway roping, Taylissa Lytle placed sixth with a time of 3.0 seconds.

The MSU-N mens team saw several riders perform well in Great Falls. Garrett Cunningham took first in both average and the short go for the saddle bronc event. He averaged a score of 140 and in the short go, he recorded a score of 71. He was second in the long go with a score of 69.

Along with his partner Luke Murphy from Western, Rope Three Irons placed sixth as the header in average team roping as they recorded a score of 7.5. Their score placed them third in the long go team roping.

The MSU-N womens team is now second in the Big Sky standings with 1,976 total points while the MSU-N mens team is fifth. With just two more rodeos this season, Kallenberger feels optimistic with where they are at.

“The womens team is exactly where they should be. I couldn’t be more proud of where they are,” Kallenberger said. “For the guys, (I want to see them) keep letting it all hang out.”

The MSU-N rodeo teams will next compete in a rodeo hosted by the University of Montana in Missoula.