Troy University Athletics
Trojans Strengthen Position In Ozark Region With Strong Showing at Mississippi State Rodeo
3/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Rodeo
TROY, Ala. - The Troy University women's rodeo team increased its lead in the Ozark Region standings over the weekend with a victory in the Mississippi State Rodeo, held in Meridian, Miss.
The Troy men's team held onto second place in the Ozark Region, but saw their margin slip to just 10 points over third place Missouri Valley College. The top two teams in the Ozark Region standings at the end of April qualify for the National Finals in Casper, Wyoming, in June.
"Our women are in the same position they were in last year at this time, but last year they let the lead slip away from them," Trojans coach Cliff Toliver said. "This year they have really stepped up their efforts. They got a taste of it last year and are determined not to let it get away from them this year."
The Trojans hold a 330-point lead over West Alabama in the region standings with four events left in the season. Murray State is in third place, 695 points behind Troy.
"It is going to be very difficult for another team to make up that much ground on us, especially with the determination the team has been showing," Toliver said. "This team is out for blood this year."
The Troy men are in a much more precarious position as the season moves into the final month of the season.
"Our men don't have any room for error right now," Toliver said. "They have to find a way to clean up some of the little mistakes they have been making, because those little mistakes have caught up with them."
Tennessee-Martin holds a commanding lead of more than 1,500 points over Troy, with Missouri Valley, West Alabama and Arkansas-Monticello all closely packed together in the chase for the second national qualifying position.
While the Troy men's team is fighting to maintain its position in the standings, sophomore Zak Dobbins (Bay Minette, Ala.) has a commanding lead in the region's All-Around standings. Dobbins, who did not compete at Mississippi State, has 855.0 points to lead Whit Ashe (595.0) of UT-Martin and teammate Clint Keller (Winston-Salem, NC), who has 420.0 points in third place.
Dobbins is ranked in tie down roping (6th), steer wrestling (11th), and team roping heeler (1st).
In the women's all-around standings Troy sophomore Randa Dewees (Westville, Fla.) and junior Jackie Jacobs (Ashton, Ill.) are tied for second place with 635.0 points each. Lauren Hedrick of West Alabama leads the standings with 775.0 points.
Complete Ozark Region standings for both the men and women are available at the link above.
Top performance at the Mississippi State Rodeo for the Troy men included a sixth in calf roping by Keller, a seventh in saddle bronc riding by freshman Justin Caylor (Opp, Ala.), an eighth in steer wrestling by sophomore Mark Weber (Morton, Ill.), and a fourth place tie for the team of Keller and freshman Ty Ethridge (Franklin, Ga.) in team roping. Sophomore Andy Seiler (Ocala, Fla.) teamed up with Jordan Southern of Tennessee-Martin for a sixth place finish in team roping.
Top performances for the Troy women at Mississippi State included a second by freshman Letitia Lockhart (Cullman, Ala.) and a fourth by Jacobs in breakaway roping, a first for Jacobs in goat tying, a first for sophomore Camile Cox (Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.) in barrel racing along with a third by sophomore Randi Jo Williams (Sebring, Fla.) and a tie for fifth by Dewees.
The Troy rodeo teams will return to action March 30-31 at Arkansas-Monticello.
