Valley men second in Viking Stampede | Lady Vikes not a factor in 2009 debut

Valley senior Kyle Brennecke finished third in bareback riding in the season-opening Viking Stampede. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

After playing second fiddle to the Missouri Valley men's rodeo team the last two years, Tennessee-Martin appears loaded for bear.

The Skyhawks won three events last week to claim the title at the Viking Stampede, the opener to the NIRA Ozark Region campaign. While Tennessee-Martin scored 925 points, defending champion MVC had 815.

The Vikings were led by senior Jake Shaw of Cocoa, Fla., who racked up 260 points by winning steer wrestling and combining with senior Adam Gilchrist for fifth in team roping.

Valley's saddle bronc riders tallied 220 points with junior Will Smith placing second and Gilchrist third. A third-place showing by senior Kyle Brennecke in bareback riding added another 170 points, while the roping duo of seniors junior Jared Kempker and senior Brady Wilson's second place was good for 110 points.

Seniors Chance Weldon and Chris Coulter were third in team roping, although didn't count toward the Vikings' total.

Freshman Cody Metsker was second in steer wrestling, freshman Jason Seeley tied for second in bull riding and Weldon came in fifth in tie-down roping.

Troy (Ala.) took the women's crown with 325 points, 15 more than UTM, while Valley finished sixth at 100 points -- all coming from senior Krista Staley's third place in goat tying.

The Vikings are in Magnolia, Ark., this week for the Southern Arkansas Rodeo, the second of a series of 10 meets which stretch into April.