Winning two championships isn’t a bad way to wrap up the fall rodeo season. That’s just how the Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team finished over the weekend during the 50th annual North Dakota State University Bison Stampede in Fargo, N.D.

The rodeo was Friday and Saturday. Members ended up third as a team and took the top three places in bull riding.

Trey Engel, of Silver Creek, won the bull riding. Ethan Lesiak, of Columbus, came in second and Garrett Heinert, of Papillion, was third.

Reece Weber, of Valentine, won the team roping alongside Tucker Dale, of Timber Lake, S.D.

Rowdy Moon, of Sargent, placed third in the bareback riding, and Ty Wriedt, of Norfolk, ended up fourth in steer wrestling.

“All the kids had great individual efforts,” said Dustin Elliott, MPCC Rodeo Team rough stock coach. “You can’t point the finger at one person or one thing, but we were that close to winning the team title as well. I mean, 45 points away and there are 180 per person, per event – that’s close.”

Overall, the first half of the season was good for MPCC. The college is currently ranked third in the Men’s Team standings for the Great Plains Region with 1,818.50 points.

Lesiak is winning the region in the bull riding. Engel is third, Jett Peterson, of Parade, S.D., is sixth, Aukai Kaai, of Johnstown, Colo., is seventh, Heinert is 10th, Garrett Wickett, of Norfolk, is 13th and Colter Glendy, of Oconto, is 15th.

Reece Weber holds the number one spot in the region among the team roping headers, and Ryan Joseph Masada, of Makawao, Hawaii is 10th.

Moon is currently ranked second in the region in bareback riding.

Kanoa Awai-Dickson, of Kula, Hawaii, has claimed a fourth place ranking in steer wrestling, while Cord Hesseltine, of Halsey, is listed sixth. Triston Eklund, of Valentine, is ninth, Kris Rasmussen, of Riverdale, is 10th in the event and Wriedt is 12th.

Duell Puttergill, of Tryon, is currently fourth in the saddle bronc riding, Shane Weber, of Burwell, is fifth and Eklund is seventh.

Riley Weehler, of Mount Ayr, Iowa, is holding steady at eighth in tie down roping.

“Overall, for the first half, I couldn’t be happier,” said Elliott. “Well, first would be happier. We are ahead of schedule for where we thought we’d be. We have 21 athletes with points and a lot who still have a chance at nationals. We have a long layoff until the spring season, so these kids need to hit the gym and practice arena to see who wants it the most.”

Rodeos will resume in the spring. A schedule has yet to be released.