EMCC men's rodeo team grabs runner-up honors in spring opener; Lady Lions tie for third place
The East Mississippi Community College rodeo teams opened the spring portion of their schedule by placing second in men’s competition and tied for third in women’s action this past weekend at the Cossatot Community College-hosted event.
TEXARKANA, Ark. – The East Mississippi Community College rodeo teams opened the spring portion of their schedule by placing second in men's competition and tied for third in women's action this past weekend at the Cossatot Community College-hosted event. The season-opening rodeo of the Ozark Region's five-event spring slate concluded Saturday evening at Texarkana's Four States Fairgrounds.
In men's competition for the Lions, sophomore cowboy Andrew Yates and freshman Ethan Bobo led the way with first-place individual finishes. Yates, of Crystal Springs, collected an event-high 155 points in the calf roping competition, while Bobo, of Carthage, took top honors with 125 points in the steer wrestling event.
Freshman Shane Overby, of Morton, picked up 55 points with his sixth-place showing in calf roping. In addition, former Noxubee County product D.D. Hunt and Scooter Scarbrough, of Florence, jointly collected 70 points for the EMCC men by tying for fourth place in the team roping competition.
As a team, the EMCC Lions compiled 405 points for the runner-up finish. Ozark Region powerhouse Missouri Valley College comfortably claimed first-place men's honors with 935 points. A year ago, the MVC men placed fourth nationally as a team in the 2011 College National Finals Rodeo held in Casper, Wyo.
Lady Lion freshman cowgirl Kellie Hailey, of Macon, single-handedly totaled all of the 165 points for the EMCC women in their spring opener. The former Central Academy product earned 100 points for a second-place tie in the breakaway roping competition. She also grabbed 40 points in goat tying and 25 points in barrel racing.
The Lady Lions' 165 team points tied with Missouri Valley College for third place, finishing behind team champion Southern Arkansas University (330 points) and runner-up Tennessee-Martin (185).
Coach Morgan Goodrich's East Mississippi Community College rodeo teams will next participate at the University of Arkansas at Monticello event to take place March 29-31.