605 Sports Staff

GILLETTE, Wyo. — With the short-go in barrel racing at the National High School Finals Rodeo slated for Saturday night, Wall's Piper Cordes is in the driver’s seat.

On Monday, July 17 Cordes put down a run of 17.015 seconds to easily win her performance. On Friday, Cordes and her horse “Fiesta” scorched the course with a run of 16.725 seconds. Entering Saturday’s short-go, Cordes has a one-second lead over her nearest competitor.

Team South Dakota has another spectacular day Friday. Colman’s Josie Mousel won her performance in breakaway roping with a time of 2.03 seconds. Newell’s Jaelyn Wendt finished fourth in her performance (2.18). Smithwick’s Gage Glines finished third in his performance of the boys cutting (142) and Springfield’s Terran Talsma had a third-place performance in the steer wrestling with a time of 5.1 seconds. 

Friday was moving day for the South Dakota girls. Entering the day the girls were in 10th place. Entering the last round of preliminary performances South Dakota jumped all the way to fifth place. The combined boys and girls team is currently in third place. 

Complete South Dakota performances from Friday, July 21.

Barrel racing: 1. Piper Cordes, Wall, 16.725.

Boys cutting: 3. Gabe Glines, Smithwick, 142.

Breakaway roping: 1. Josie Mousel, Colman, 2.03; 4. Jaelyn Wendt, Newell, 2.18.

Girl’s Cutting: 6. Landry Haugen, Sturgis, 141. 

Goat tying: T. Merrill, Wall, 7.87. 

Pole Bending: 11. Tyra Gates, Miller, 20.922; 9. Taylor McGregor, Canistota, 20.862. 

Steer wrestling: 3. Terran Talsma, Springfield, 5.1.