Cinch Kiger, a sophomore from Overton, Neb., led the Chadron State College entries at the Eastern Wyoming College rodeo in Torrington last weekend. 

Kiger scored 75 points to tie for second and third in the first go-round and earned 71 points in the finals on Sunday to share fifth and sixth places and finish third in the averages. 

Five other CSC entries reached the finals by ranking among the top 10 in the opening go-round, but none of them was able to do well enough on their second runs to call it a successful weekend.

There was good news that Jack Skavdahl of Harrison returned to action in the saddle bronc riding after having knee surgery last fall.  He rode both broncs, but his scores of 67 and 62 points weren't high enough to make the top six in the overall standings.

The other Chadron entries to make the finals were in timed events and they did not receive a score on Sunday.

They included Colton Storer of Arthur, who completed his first run in tie down roping in 9.6 seconds to share third and fourth place, but he didn't catch his second calf. Tanner Whetham of Morrill and his team roping partner, Cam Jensen of the University of Wyoming, were 10^th in the first round of that event with an eight-second run, but they failed to make both loops fit in the finals.

Two CSC cowgirls also reached the finals, but their good fortune didn't continue.  Hanna Huffman of Burwell completed her first run in breakaway roping in 2.7 seconds, good for fifth place, but she didn't catch her second calf.  Rylee Naprestek of Gothenburg made the goat tying finals with an eight second run, but didn't receive score in the finals.  

There won't be a rodeo in the Central Rocky Mountain Region during Easter weekend, but the action will resume at Colorado State at Fort Collins on April 5-7.

Eagles have impressive marks at first outdoor meet

With the Air Force Academy and the University of Wyoming among the teams entering the Spank Blasing Invitational Meet hosted by the Colorado State-Pueblo on Saturday, the competition was extreme strong, but that didn't prevent Chadron State College from posting some impressive marks.
 

In particular, the Eagles' men ran extra well in the sprints.  Four of them finished the 100 meters in under 11 seconds and three of them dipped below 22 seconds in the 200.  No one from CSC had times that fast in either of those races a year ago.
 

"We had some major highlights for our first outdoor meet," Coach Jake Gruver said. "Several of our marks will rank high in the conference.  I think our men's time in the 4x100 relay is sitting eighth in the country."
 

Quincy Efeturi set the pace for the Eagles in the 100 in 10.79 seconds, while Ryan Clapper ran it in 10.81. Cole Perkins was next in 10.89 seconds and Esosa Iyengunmwena finished the race in 10.97 seconds.
 

CSC's best in the 100 a year ago was 11.03 seconds. 
 

Clapper led the Eagles in the 200 in 21.25 seconds while Efeturi was close behind in 21.34.  They placed seventh and eighth among the 55 entries. In addition, Cole Perkins wasn't far behind at 21.71 seconds. 
 

The Eagles' fastest 200 time last season was 22.23 seconds. 
 

Gruver was particularly pleased when Perkins, Iyengunmwena, Clapper and Efeturi joined forces to place third in the 4x100 relay in 40.72 seconds.  It was the first time they had ever run a relay together, and Perkins and Clapper are redshirt freshman.
 

Their time is No.2 on Chadron State's all-time list, exceeded only by the school record of 40.50 in set in 2011 when Gruver anchored the winning 4x100 relay at the RMAC Championships.  The other runners that day were Brandon Segelke, Karl McFarlane and Phil Rivera. 
 

Elsewhere on the track, Topi Alahuta was sixth in the 5000 meters in 15:01.39 and three CSC entries in the 400-meter hurdles ran well, led by senior Logan Peila in 56.31, followed by freshmen Jacob Jefferson in 54.62 and Malachi Swallow in 57.20.  
 

Senior Greg Logsdon finished the 400 meters in 50.06 seconds. Alissa Wieman ran the 1500 in 4:57.65, matching her best time of a year ago. 
 

Gruver noted that Shantae Morgan had a career-best of 25.88 in the 200 even though she's still recovering from a hamstring injury. Caydence Groth also turned in her best time of 12.69 in the 100. 
 

Chadron State's highest finish belonged to junior Detiny Pelton, who was second in the high jump at 5-2 ¼.  Senior Alec Penfield was seventh in the men's event, clearing 6-4 ¾.  
 

Redshirt freshman Chayton Bynes was fifth in the triple jump at 45-5 ¼ and newcomer William Stemler placed fifth by sailing the javelin 179-1 ¾, which Gruver said is second best in the RMAC so far. 
 

In addition, Christopher Jennings had a personal best of 135-5 ½, putting him among the top five in the discus in the conference.   
 

Gruver also was pleased by the promise shown by freshman Ashlyn Tapio, who threw the discus 130 feet, 2 ½ inches. Senior Madyson Schliep had a career-best mark of 154-½ in the hammer throw. 
 

This coming week, the Eagles plan to compete at Colorado State at Fort Collins.