Ella Kay defends goat tying title, Ty Lavernge closing in on first bull riding title
Barbe Ella Kay secured her second consecutive goat tying state championship on Friday, and DeQuincy's Ty Lavergne is close to winning his first bull riding title today at the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo at Burton Coliseum.
The short-go round starts at 5 p.m.
After not scoring any points in the first-go round Thursday (13.79 seconds), Kay bounced back to win the second-go round on Friday with a 7.42-second run. The nine points for the win put her at 111 and over the 21-point lead threshold needed to keep Sage Raymond (Briarfield Academy, 85.8) and Abbey Anderson (Shepherd HS, Texas, 82.8) from catching up with her today in the short-go round.
Lavergne's path to his first bull riding state championship is simple: stay on for eight seconds in today's round.
He leads defending champion Brennan Polito (Epic Charter) by 12.9 points, 106.75-93.85. A scoring ride plus at least a seventh-place finish in the average standings will give Lavergne the 8.2 points he needs to hold off Polito. The pair tied for second in the first-go round with 73-point rounds. Lavergne was second in the second-go round on Friday with a 78-point ride, while Carter Shaw (Magnolia Bend) won the round at 79, and Polito was third with a 66.
Lavergne currently leads the average title race with 151 points.
Three cowboys have already secured state championships. Wyatt Lavergne won his fourth consecutive saddle bronco state championship, while Bryer Prince (Sulphur) won three in a row in bareback riding. Turbo Baxter (Slaughter Community Charter) is the steer wrestling state champ.
The top four in each event qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyoming, July 13-19.
Here is a look at how the other events at the LHSFR are shaping up:
Barrel racing
Defending champion Rylee Jo Maryman (University View Academy) leads Abbey Anderson (Shepherd HS, Texas) in a tight race by 9.9 points, 97.3 to 87.4, for the barrel racing state title.
Maryman needs a combination of 11.2 points between the short-go and points from her placing in the average standings to secure the state title. She placed in the top four in the first two rounds, including the top time on Thursday at 14.935 seconds, the only sub 15-second round. Maryman (30.083 seconds) leads the average standings by .316 seconds.
Tie down roping
Cruz Melanson (Vinton) and Cougar Racca (Bell City) cut into Braxton Guillot's (La. Virtual Charter) lead on Friday in tie down roping. Racca won the second-go round with a time of 8.85 seconds, while Melanson was second at 9.09 seconds. Racca (17.26) and Melanson (17.66) are one-two in the average standings, putting the pressure on Guillot.
Guillot's magic number is 11.2 points to win his first tie down roping state championship.
Breakaway roping
The most contested event of the week is breakaway roping. Seven cowgirls are within 10 points of leader Kensley Mudge (Magnolia Bend), who has 42.8 points.
Faith Dubois (Home School) is just .2 points off the lead, and Jillian Fontenot (Beau Chene) is 1.8 points back at 41.
Mudge has no margin for error as she essentially needs to win the short-go round and the average. Dubois is currently the leader for the 12 points that go with the average title at 4.65 seconds on two runs, giving her a strong chance of overtaking Mudge (8.16 seconds)
Team roping
A fourth-place finish today in the short-go round will be enough for Cole Steib (Catholic-Point Coupee) and Kayson Lasyone (Magnolia Bend) to win the team roping title regardless of the outcome of the average standings.
Steib and Lasyone, the defending champion, have 147.4 points, while Carter Perry (Cedar Creek) and H.D. Willis (Home School) are currently second at 117.8 points.
Steib and Lasyone had the second-best time in the second-go round Friday at 8.03 seconds, while Braxton Guillot and Johnny Price won with a time of 7.65 seconds.
Pole bending
Kodi Miller (Simpson) is on the verge of winning her second consecutive pole bending state championship.
Despite placing ninth (21.330 seconds) in the second-go round on Friday, Miller is still in the lead and needs 9.9 points to wrap up another state title. Gemi Robinson (Magnolia Bend) is second at 91.3 points.
Addison Krieg had the best second-go time at 20.165 seconds.
Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo
Standings after second-go round
All-Around Cowboy
1, Braxton Guillot, La. Virtual Charter 126.10
2, Turbo Baxter, Slaughter Comm. 117.30
3, Cruz Melanson, Vinton 109.20
4, Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron 97.00
5, H.D. Willis, Home School 89.90
Rookie All-Around Cowboy
1, Cole Steib, Catholic-PC 114.00
2, Cain Martin, Sulphur 43.40
3, Skinner Wilkinson, Home School 41.10
All-Around Cowgirl
1, Abbey Anderson, Shepherd 254.45
2, Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View 217.70
3, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend 197.00
Rookie All-Around Cowgirl
1, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend 197.00
2, Kinley Walker, Home School 96.70
Bareback riding
1, *#Bryer Prince, Home School 102.2
2, Fisher Burnworth, Home School 54.2
3, Ethan Parrott, Darbonne Woods 28.0
Barrell racing
1, *Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View 97.3
2, Abbey Anderson, Shepherd 87.4
4, Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend 70.0
3, Ava Nunez, Bell City 69.9
5, Kynnedy Nunn, Welsh 51.1
Saddle bronc riding
1, *#Wyatt Lavergne, DeQuincy 98.0
2, Austin James, Rosepine 54.0
3, Brant Schexnider, xxx 16.1
Tie down roping
1, Braxton Guillot, La. Virtual Ch. 99.1
2, Cruz Melanson, Carol Acad. 89.2
3, Cougar Racca, Bell City 68.0
4, Carter Primeaux, Erath 64.2
5, Gentry Silver, Bell City 59.3
Breakaway roping
1, Kensley Mudge, Magnolia Bend 42.8
2, Faith Dubois, Home School 42.6
3, Jillian Fontenot, Beau Chene 41.0
4, Caroline Fontenot, Beau Chene 36.1
5, Saige Martin, Sulphur 36.0
Steer wrestling
1, #Turbo Baxter, Slaughter 103.3
2, William Gunter, Sulphur 73.7
3, Kyler Landry, Ascension Cath. 71.1
4, Noah Weeks, Magnolia Bend 45.0
5, Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron 44.0
Goat tying
1, *Ella Kay, Barbe 111.0
2, Sage Raymond, Briarfield Acad. 85.8
3, Abbey Anderson, Sheperd 82.8
4, Abbie Savant, Home School 79.8
5, Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View 75.8
Team roping
1, *Kayson Lasyone, Magnolia Bend 147.4
Cole Steib, Catholic-PC
2, Carter Perry, Cedar Creek 117.8
H.D. Willis, Home School
3, Carter Huffman, Jena 109.4
Andrew Paul, Jena
4, Teddie Austin Guynn, Home School 92.4
Wyatt Sonnier, Welsh
5, Grant Engel, Jeff Davis Home School 82.2
Skinner Wilkinson, Home School
Pole bending
1, *Kodi Miller, Simpson 102.5
2, Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend 91.3
3, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend 81.1
4, Kenzie King, Jeff Davis Home School 62.4
5, Abbey Anderson, Sheperd 51.4
Bull riding
1, Ty Lavergne, DeQuincy 106.75
2, *Brennan Polito, Epic Charter 93.85
3, Carter Shaw, Magnolia Bend 65.5
4, Briggs Cooley, Christ Bridge 45.5
5, Luke Simon, Notre Dame 44.3
*Defending state champ
#2025 state champion
Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo
At Burton Coliseum
Results from the second-go round on Friday, May 30
Bareback riding
1, Bryer Prince 69
2, Fisher Burnworth 55
Barrel racing
1, Abbye Anderson 15.053
2, Kanely Cooper 15.066
3, Gremi Robinson 15.145
4, Rylee Jo Maryman 15.148
5, Addison Krieg 15.153
6, Ava Nunez 15.203
7, Kynnedy Nunn 15.374
8, Kenzie King 15.432
9, Logan Krieg 15.441
10, Addison Rains 15.469
Saddle bronc riding
1, Wyatt Lavergne 75
2, Brant Schexnider 44
Tie down roping
1, Cougar Racca 8.85
2, Cruz Melanson 9.09
3, K.J. Rideaux 9.66
4, Kyler Landry 10.87
5, Colt Guillot 11.02
6, Brennan Aucoin 12.42
7, Austin James 12.48
8, Braxton Guillot 12.53
9, Colton Summers 12.72
10, Tyler Lavergne 13.00
Breakaway roping
1, Steeley Franklin 1.92
2, Faith Dubois 2.08
3, Reese Broussard 2.37
4, Abbey Anderson 2.45
4, Alex Poole 2.45
6, Emma Bain 2.78
7, Michelle Hesnor 2.84
8, Jenna Vincent 2.96
9, Kensley Mudge 3.03
10, Keylee Izard 3.20
Steer wrestling
1, Cain Martin 5.53
2, Turbo Baxter 6.20
3, Jadon Leonard 14.61
4, Kole Landry 18.17
5, William Gunter 25.80
6, Cale Carpenter 27.13
7, Kyler Landry 30.82
Goat tying
1, Ella Kay 7.42
2, Kynnedy Nunn 7.51
3, Brantlee Colbert 8.27
4, Abbie Savant 8.29
5, Lauren Williamson 8.32
6, Abbey Anderson 8.73
7, Sage Raymond 8.80
8, Rylee Jo Maryman 8.98
9, Katie Abshire 9.07
10, Jamie Kile 9.25
Team roping
1, Braxton Guillot/Johnny Payne 7.65
2, Cole Steib/Kayson Lasyone 8.03
3, Teddie Austin Guynn/Wyatt Sonnier 8.78
4, John Wade Hoffpauir/Trace Watkins 9.34
5, Hayden Walker/Grant Boudreaux 10.36
6, Bill Odell/Tucker Wright 11.69
7, Grant Engel/Skinner Wilkinson 12.02
8, Caleb Brister/Kaden Doughty 15.15
9, Hollis Davis/Brayson Manuel 15.47
10, H.D. Willis/Carter Perry 16.62
Pole bending
1, Addison Krieg 20.165
2, Addison Rains 20.463
3, Gemi Robinson 20.543
4, Stella Aucoin 20.564
5, Abbey Anderson 20.744
6, Brinna Jo Wagner 20.890
7, Rylee Jo Maryman 20.930
8, Jossy Gantt 21.108
9, Kodi Miller 21.330
10, Logan Krieg 21.379
Bull riding
1, Carter Shaw 79
2, Ty Lavergne 78
3, Brennan Polito 66
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