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American Press
31-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Locals pick up wins in LHSFR first-go round
Cruz Melanson of Vinton had the second fastest time (8.57 seconds) during tie down roping first-go round on Thursday at the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) 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
American Press
29-05-2025
- Sport
- American Press
Family affair: Martin's rodeo roots run deep
Sulphur High School's Saige Martin competed in barrels and breakaway roping at last year's Louisiana High School FInals Rodeo and is in contention this year for the breakaway roping state title this week at Burton Coliseum. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press) Sulphur High School junior Saige Martin has watched her siblings win big at the state level over the years, and now she is looking to make her mark and add more championship hardware to the family name. Martin will ride today into the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo at Burton Coliseum five points behind Beau Chene's Jillian Fontenot and Magnolia Bend's Kensley Mudge in breakaway roping with 36 points in search of her first state championship. 'I am excited,' Martin said. 'I am a little bit nervous, but I think that I am going to be fine.' Her older brothers have been quite successful over the last decade. Stranton won the reined cow horse state title in 2015, while Ryden won back-to-back steer wrestling state championships in 2023 and '24 and was the Reserve All-Around Rookie Cowboy in 2022. Gaitlin was the steer wrestling runner-up and Reserve All-Around Cowboy in 2021. Younger sister Brenlee hasn't reached high school yet, but she is one of the rising cowgirls in the state after winning the junior high breakaway state championship a few days ago. And there is first-cousin Tristan Martin, who was a state champion steer wrestler and has finished as high fifth at the National Finals Rodeo. Martin said she enjoys having so many family members she can turn to. 'I love it,' Martin said. 'There is always someone to help you. Someone is always around if you need something.' After falling short previously at the LHSFR, Martin said she knows that she can't afford to make any mistakes if she wants to overtake Fontenot and Mudge. Last season's title was decided by 0.8 points when Aubrey Habbit won after leader Grace Dubois didn't record a time in the final round. At state last year, Martin had a solid 2.67-second time in the second-go round but didn't make it to the short-go. As a freshman in 2023, she placed ninth at the state rodeo. 'I love how competitive it is,' Martin said. 'It has been good in the breakaway, better than last year,' Martin said. 'I didn't have that good of a season last year. 'I have been consistent at each rodeo. I think I just need to go and catch all three rounds, place and hopefully win the average.' Martin, a two-sport athlete, doesn't get much downtime. She has balanced training for breakaway roping with basketball practices, games and camps. The 5-foot-7 guard helped lead Sulphur to the Non-select Division I quarterfinals in February and a 26-4 record. 'I just rope every day after basketball practice,' Martin said. 'I enjoy it. I think it is fun. Sometimes it is hard to do both (sports).' Martin said she is looking forward to getting back on her horse Chick after riding older sister Josie's horse Minnie while the elder Martin competed with Chick on the college circuit for Ranger (Texas) College. She said breakaway roping is all about timing. 'You have to get a good start and take the best shot,' Martin said. 'You nod your head and your calf will go. Most of the time you know what your calf does. If the calf is fast you go right after it. If it is slow you wait till it moves. You have to time it up.'
