Southwest Louisiana cowboys Cale Carpenter, Wyatt Sonnier and Cougar Racca picked up wins in the first-go round at the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo on Thursday at Burton Coliseum.

Carpenter (Jeff Davis Home School) won the first round of steer wrestling with a stunning sub-four-second time of 3.56 seconds.

Sonnier (Welsh High School) teamed up with Teddie Austin Guynn to win the opening round of team roping at 7.64 seconds and just .15 seconds ahead of Stratton James and Gus Dorris. Sonnier and Guynn moved up to fourth place in the standings.

In tie down roping, Racca (Bell City High School), the 2023 state champ, edged Cruz Melancon (Vinton) for the top time of the day at 8.41 seconds. Melancon posted a time of 8.57 seconds.

The battle for the breakaway roping title remains tight after the first round. Kensley Mudge (Magnolia Bend Academy) and Jillian Fontenot (Beau Chene) still lead with 41 points each, and Caroline Fontenot (Beau Chene, 36.1) and Saige (Sulphur, 36) Martin and Faith Dubois (34.5) are not far behind.

LHSFR first-go round winners

Bareback riding – Ethan Parrott, Darbonne Woods Charter, 59 points.

Barrel racing – Rylee Jo Maryman, University View Academy, 14.935 seconds.

Breakaway roping – Abbie Savant, Home School, 2.29 seconds.

Bull riding – Briggs Cooley, Christ Bridge, 75 points.

Goat tying – Jamie Kile, Hicks HS, 7.70 seconds.

Pole bending – Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend Academy, 20.769 seconds.

Steer wrestling – Cale Carpenter, Jeff David Home School, 3.56 seconds.

Team roping – Teddie Austin Guynn, Home School/Wyatt Sonnier, Welsh HS, 7.64 seconds.

Tie down roping – Cougar Racca, Bell City HS, 8.41 seconds.

 

Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo

Standings after first-go round

 

All-Around Cowboy

1, Braxton Guillot, La. Virtual Charter                                                                                  114.4

2, Turbo Baxter, Slaughter Comm.                                                                                  109.2

3, Cruz Melanson, Vinton                                                                                  101.1

4, Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron                         97.0

5, H.D. Willis, Home School                            89.0

 

Rookie All-Around Cowboy

1, Cole Steib, Catholic-PC                               87.9

2, Skinner Wilkinson, Home School             37.0

3, Cain Martin, Sulphur                                     34.4

 

All-Around Cowgirl

1, Abbey Anderson, Shepherd                                                                                  229.7

2, Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View                                                                                  205.1

3, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend                                                                                  188.0

 

Rookie All-Around Cowgirl

1, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend                                                                                  188.0

2, Kinley Walker, Home School                      96.0

 

Bareback riding

1, *#Bryer Prince, Home School                    93.2

2, Fisher Burnworth, Home School               46.1

3, Ethan Parrott, Darbonne Woods               28.0

 

Barrell racing

1, *Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View                  91.0

2, Abbey Anderson, Shepherd                        78.4

3, Ava Nunez, Bell City                                       65.4

4, Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend                62.8

5, Kynnedy Nunn, Welsh                                   47.5

 

Breakaway roping

1, Jillian Fontenot, Beau Chene                      41.0

2, Kensley Mudge, Magnolia Bend                 41.0

3, Caroline Fontenot, Beau Chene                36.1

4, Saige Martin, Sulphur                                   36.0

5, Faith Dubois, Home School                        34.0

 

Bull riding

1, Ty Lavergne, DeQuincy                                                                                  98.65

2, *Brennan Polito, Epic Charter                                                                                  86.65

3, Carter Shaw, Magnolia Bend                      56.5

4, Briggs Cooley, Christ Bridge                       45.5

5, Luke Simon, Notre Dame                             44.3

 

Goat tying

1, *Ella Kay, Barbe                                                                                  102.0

2, Sage Raymond, Briarfield Acad.                82.2

3, Abbey Anderson, Sheperd                           78.3

4, Abbie Savant, Home School                       73.5

5, Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View                    73.1

 

Pole bending

1, *Kodi Miller, Simpson                                                                                  100.7

2, Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend                84.1

3, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend                  73.0

4, Kenzie King, Jeff Davis Home School       62.4

5, Abbey Anderson, Sheperd                           46.0

 

Saddle bronc riding

1, *#Wyatt Lavergne, DeQuincy                     89.0

2, Zach Reeves                                                     64.0

3, Austin James, Rosepine                               54.0

4, Brant Schexnider, Kaplan                            8.0

 

Steer wrestling

1, Turbo Baxter, Slaughter                                95.2

2, William Gunter, Sulphur                               68.3

3, Kyler Landry, Ascension Cath.                   67.0

4, Noah Weeks, Magnolia Bend                     45.0

5, Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron                         44.0

 

Team roping

1, *Kayson Lasyone, Magnolia Bend                                                                                  130.4

Cole Steib, Catholic-PC

2, Carter Perry, Cedar Creek                                                                                  116.0

H.D. Willis, Home School

3, Carter Huffman, Jena                                                                                  108.8

Andrew Paul, Jena

4, Teddie Austin Guynn, Home School        76.0

Wyatt Sonnier, Welsh

5, Grant Engel, Jeff Davis Home School      74.0

Skinner Wilkinson, Home School

 

Tie down roping

1, Braxton Guillot, La. Virtual Ch.                  96.4

2, Cruz Melanson, Carol Acad.                       81.1

3, Carter Primeaux, Erath                                 64.2

4, Gentry Silver, Bell City                                   59.3

5, Cougar Racca, Bell City                                59.0

*Defending state champ

#2025 state champion