Troy University Athletics
Fourth Place Finish Drops Troy Into Fourth in Ozark Region
4/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Rodeo
MARTIN, Tenn. - The Troy University men's rodeo team placed fourth over the weekend at the 39th annual spring rodeo at the University of Tennessee-Martin, dropping the Trojans into fourth place in the Ozark Region standings with only one week of competition remaining in the regular season.
The Trojans will compete in the Northwest Mississippi Community College Rodeo this weekend in Senatobia, Miss. The top three teams in the Ozark Region advance to the National Finals Rodeo, which is scheduled for June 9-13 in Casper, Wyoming.
The Trojans scored 350 points in the event, finishing behind West Alabama (715), UT-Martin (600) and Missouri Valley College (400). Arkansas-Monticello finished fifth (225) followed by Southern Arkansas (185), North Arkansas (165) and Arkansas State (10).
Troy coach Cliff Toliver said the Trojans have been faced with a lot of bad luck in recent weeks.
"They have just been getting a lot of little penalties that come from trying too hard," Toliver said. "We have a lot of work to do, but this is a very young group. Next year should be a lot better for them."
Junior Chris Graham (Carthage, Texas) had the best finish on the weekend for the Trojans, winning the tie down roping with a score of 180 points. Freshman Jake Thomas (Ranger, Ga.) finished eighth in the event.
Freshman Justin Caylor (Opp, Ala.) earned a fourth in the bull riding event with 70 points and also earned an eighth in saddle bronc riding, which propelled him to a sixth place finish in the men's all-around.
Sophomore Mark Weber (Morton, Ill.) finished third in steer wrestling with 110 points while Thomas took home and eighth place mark.
Freshman Mark Gentry (Pelham, Ala.) again teamed with his brother Matt of UAB to earn a second place finish in the team roping event. The duo scored 120 points. The freshman duo of Clint Keller (Winston-Salem, NC) and Tyler Etheridge (Franklin, Ga.) took home a third in the same event with a score of 110.
Two other Trojans, sophomore Andy Seiler (Ocala, Fla.) and Brett Hanson teamed with riders from other schools to place sixth and eighth respectively.
While the Trojans are struggling in the race to advance to the National Finals as a team, individual members of the team can still make it to Wyoming by finishing in one of the top three spots in the region. As a team, the Trojans are 145 points behind West Alabama for third place in the region.
"Clint and Ty are going to make it to the nationals in the team roping," Toliver said. "Andy Seiler also gets an automatic bid because he is involved with the student leadership group. Ben Mayworth should also make it in the tie down roping. He has had a great year and will be a threat to win at the National Finals."
A sophomore, Mayworth (Sebring, Fla.) holds a 55 point lead over Clayton Turner of Arkansas State in the tie down roping. Keller is in third place in the team roping header standings, 150 points behind second place Chance Parker of Southern Arkansas.
Etheridge enters the final weekend just 20 points behind region leader Hugh Bragg of Southern Arkansas in the team roping heeler standings.
