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Show StatesmanSports Monday, Sept. 26, 2011 Page 11 Rodeo club has rough outing BY MEGAN BODILY staff writer The home arena advantage was not enough to salvage a lackluster performance by the Utah State rodeo team this past weekend at the Cache County Fairgrounds. Only six Aggie cowboys and one cowgirl made it to the final go-round Saturday night, with two top finishes. Fans gathered Friday and Saturday to catch rodeo action during Utah State's Homecoming weekend. Compared to other years, professor Jeff Hall, the rodeo club's adviser and coach, said he felt they had more attendance for home rodeos in the past. Competing with other sporting events, including a home hockey game, the crowd numbers dwindled, but the rodeo club still came out looking to put on a performance. Most notable was Ken Lym, a senior from Fort Hall, Wyo., who won the average and first go-round on the horse called Little Muddy in the saddle bronc riding. "My first horse felt really good," Lym said. "We got in time, and once you are in time with a horse a lot of your hard work turns to fun. I fell a little bit behind in the end but was able to make up for it." In the second round, Lym's horse got the best of him, but he still pulled out a win. Lym's two first-place finishes gained important points for the USU team. Another top finish came in calf roping by Colton Thacker, who placed first in the average. After a rough rodeo two weeks ago in Pocatello, Idaho, Thacker looked to finish strong this weekend. With a ► 10.4 run in the first go and an 8.4 in the second, the senior from Bountiful, Utah, clinched the win. "I just wasn't trying as hard (this time)," Thacker said. "I went out to have fun — let it happen." Another noteworthy calf roper is lace Austin, who placed second in the average. Many contenders participated in multiple events, racking up as many points possible. Devon Pope is one of those competitors, who returned to the short round in team roping and steer wrestling and was barely out of the final round in calf roping, sitting eleventh after the first round. Pope had considerable success in the steer wrestling event. On his fifth steer ever jumped, Pope finished third in the second round, receiving points in an event he has never competed in before and hardly practiced before his performance Friday night. Other points gained came from team roping, when Pope and Aggie partner DJ Anderson broke out and slipped a leg before facing for a time, giving them third in the average. USU roper Jake Wanner and Weber State University partner Taylor Christensen placed sixth in the average, even though they missed on their second steer. Jace Austin and brother Kyler Austin also missed their second steers but ended up eighth in the average, just out of point placing. Only one contender from the women's team made it to the final round. Lacy Larsen competed in goat tying Saturday, finishing sixth in the second round and eighth - rows waif ANSWERS — King Crossword Weekly SUDOKU — Answers Solution time: 25 mins. 111 13 MI A El HOME MADE A R OOP A El AMOS Answer 5 8 3 6 9 4 1 7 2 9 6 7 2 1 8 3 4 5 2 4 1 3 7 5 9 6 8 7 5 2 8 6 9 4 1 3 6 MODADDEMIGIOMEI 8 3 6 1 4 2 7 5 9 D R Empp R Oil 3 7 5 9 2 1 6 8 4 A MEI El A EMI D M DEMI Boom] 6 2 8 4 3 7 5 9 1 MGM 1111 A MEI 4 1 9 5 8 6 2 3 7 P A R EMILIO ©A El =MEM a UMENNED A Pil0 P DE1011 D Stickelers Answer D OEM EMI 0 111 Here's the correct order, left to right: MCI CI A NICKEL, QUARTER, DIME, PENNY 0 1 9 4 7 5 3 8 2 .1.440 4.1 massive VSA EVENT for LDS Si1914 KEN LYM LOSES his seat on Absentee in the saddle bronc on Saturday night. Lym scored a 64 Friday night for the only qualified ride of that performance. CODY GOCHNOUR photo in the average, out of point placing. Larsen also competes in team roping and breakaway but did not reach the short go in either. The Aggie women's team is still looking for wins and top finishes as the fall rodeo season comes to an end next weekend "In the women's — they are coming along — a couple girls were just out of coming back in the final round," Hall said. "It will take time but we will see the women start making it to the short go." The men's team is still sitting second in the region but has room for improvement as well. "I had a couple of people I was expecting to make it to the short round, but didn't do as well as I was expecting," Hall said. "Everybody has bad weekends." USU's rodeo team heads to Pleasant Grove, Utah, next weekend for its final rodeo of the fall season. Action will pick back up next spring, when the Aggies will look to continue earning points and climbing the placing ladder in the region. - mega.bodi@aggiemail.usu. edu FRIDAY SIEP *Pik min floor D it • IVP go From Page 10 Football has four turnovers against Colorado State Andersen called the play to go for the win. "I am sure that they believe in their offense, and Gary Andersen is a good coach," Fairchild said. "It's a good call when it works, and it isn't when it doesn't." Utah State out-rushed the Rams, 281-124, in the defeat. Andersen said turnovers were key in the game. "Obviously this was a heart-breaking loss," Andersen said. "No question about it. I don't have much further answers other than that. You lose a turnover battle, 4-1, and you're not going to win games, period. If that's the case, you're going to have a hard time winning games." The loss drops Utah State to 1-2, but both losses this season have been taken away from the Aggies in the final quarter. "We played great for three quarters," USU safety Walter McClenton. "I don't want to say that history repeats itself, but we saw the same thing against Auburn. We have to make a stop." Andersen said all is far from lost. "It's just crushing to feel the momentum in the stadium — the fans," Andersen said. "It's hard for me to deal with, to swallow. Everyone wants this thing to get flipped, and when I say everyone, I mean Aggie Nation. We'll come back fighting. It's the only choice we have." Looking forward to next week, the Aggies will face in-state rival Brigham Young University in Provo, Sept. 30. McClenton said the team will need to let go of the loss and focus on what lies ahead. "We can't let Colorado State beat us at the BYU game also," McClenton said. COLORADO STATE PLAYERS CELEBRATE after recovering a fumble from USU true-freshman quarterback Chuckie Keeton late in the first quarter. CURTIS RIPPLINGER photo Aggies struggle to put away quality teams BY TYLER HUSKINSON assistant sports editor Making key plays in key moments has plagued the Utah State Aggie football team twice this season. Special teams has also plagued the Aggies, and it did Saturday night as USU dropped a heart-breaking double-overtime loss, 35-34, to the Colorado State Rams at Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium. "Obviously this was a heart-breaking loss, no question about it. I don't have much further answers other than that," USU head coach Gary Andersen said. "You lose a turnover battle, 4-1, you're not going to win games, period. If that's the case, you're going to have a hard time winning games." Instead of being 3-0, the Aggies find them- selves 1-2 after not being able to convert a twopoint conversion in overtime, but it was special teams and turnovers that ended up costing the Aggies the game, along with their first 2-1 record since 1997. "We're up 10, four minutes to go, and we tense up on the onside kick; and all of the sudden we don't execute what we're supposed to do," junior running back Robert Turbin said, referring to USU's loss at Auburn. "Tonight, we're up eight points, a touchdown and twopoint conversion, and we can't field a punt. For whatever reason it is, we get in those moments." USU's trouble holding onto the ball began late in the first quarter, when Colorado State freshman defensive back forced true freshman See AGGIES, Page 12 - tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu Wednesday October 5, 2011 3:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. TSC Ballroom Visit web site fora list of employers attending (435) 797-7777 WWW.U5u.edukareer |