The UTM men’s rodeo team opened its 2004-05 season with a first-place finish in the Missouri Valley College rodeo this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Marshall, Mo.

The Skyhawks won the men’s team competition with 340 points, while Missouri Valley was second with 270 points. Troy State was third with 220 points.

“We competed well in this rodeo,” said John Luthi, head rodeo coach. “We made some mistakes, but it wasn’t from the lack of effort.”

In the bareback competition, Scotty NeSmith won the first go, the second go and the average. NeSmith had a 79-point ride in the first go and a 76-point ride in the second go.

UTM’s Whit Ashe tied for fourth in the first-go with a 65-point ride, while newcomer Jeff Fuehring was fourth in the second go and the average.

NeSmith finished second in the calf roping long go with a time of 11.3.

In the saddle bronc, Ashe finished third in the first go, while another Skyhawk newcomer, Ty Atchison, finished third in the second go with a 62-point ride.

The Skyhawks dominated the steer wrestling competition as graduate assistant Zak Danison won the average. Danison was third in the long go and first in the short go. NeSmith finished second in the steer wrestling long go and fourth in the short go and average.

Zach Waggoner added more points to the Tennessee-Martin tally in the steer wrestling with a fourth-place time in the long-go, a second-place time in the short go and an 11.3 in the average, which was good enough for a second-place pay day.

The UTM cowboys scored points in the team roping. Joseph Southern and his teammate from Northeast Mississippi Community College, Tyler Pittman, finished tied for fourth in the long go.

UTM’s Ty Atchinson and his Murray State teammate Evin Burke were fourth in the team roping long go, first in the short go and first in the average with a combined time of 14.2 in the two rounds.

The Skyhawk women finished third in the Ozark Region rodeo with 85 points. Murray State won the team title with 185 points while Missouri Valley was second with 105 points.

UTM’s Nikki Jackson was tied for second in the breakaway roping long go with a time of 3.4 seconds.

In the barrel racing, Tennessee-Martin’s Courtney Barnfield was second in the long go, short go and average.

“We have some young folks this year and right now we have a few injuries that we are dealing with,” Luthi said.

Despite the youth, Luthi said he is impressed by the competitiveness of the newcomers and freshmen.

The Skyhawk rodeo teams return to action this Thursday, Friday and Saturday when they travel to Magnolia, Ark., to compete in the Southern Arkansas University Ozark Region rodeo.