Hirata, Hevalow and Hayes Shake Up National High School Finals Rodeo Top 5
By: Darci Miller
July 20, 2018
Juro Hirata earned 67 points in his second qualified ride to move into fifth place overall at the 2018 National High School Finals Rodeo. Photo: Acenture Rodeo.
PUEBLO, Colo. – After the second day of competition in the second go-round at the 2018 National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, things are starting to heat up with more riders making their case for a Top-20 finish.
Only the Top 20 riders in the aggregate move on to Saturday’s final round, and right now it’s anybody’s game.
Austin Herrera is the event leader with 149 points, while Patterson Starcher is second with 146 points after each rider notched their second qualified rides on Wednesday.
However, the rest of the Top 5 is looking very different following Thursday’s competition.
Performance 8 saw just two qualified rides with Koltin Hevalow now in fourth place overall (136 points) following a 62-point ride.
Keenan Hayes took second place in the performance with 59 points. Hayes is sitting third overall with 139 points.
Juro Hirata was the only rider to reach 8 seconds in Performance 9, earning 67 points. His first qualified ride was 48 points back in Performance 4, so he now has a two-ride score of 115 points and is in fifth place overall.
Only five riders have posted two scores, therefore the field is wide open with two performances left until the championship round.
Elsewhere in the rodeo, Daylon Swearingen took both the round and the aggregate lead in the bareback riding with an 80-point ride in Performance 9. The PBR bull rider from Pifford, New York, tied for the lead in go-round 1 with a 76-point ride, putting him atop the aggregate leaderboard with 156 points.
He also qualified for the NHSFR in bull riding.
“Just being tough that makes you a good bareback rider,” Swearingen told the NHSFR. “It’s kind of like a boxing match.”
2018 National High School Finals Rodeo Bull Riding Results
Go-Round 1
1. Cole Skender, Crossett, Ark., 86
2. Chris Wilson, Parkville, New South Wales, 83
3. Colten Fritzlan, Rifle, Colo., 81
4. TJ Gray, Dairy, Ore., 80
4. Denton Spiers, Quesnel, British Columbia, 80
4. Keenan Hayes, Hayden, Colo., 80
7. Patterson Starcher, Mc Louth, Kan., 79
7. Coy Pollmeier, Fort Scott, Kan., 79
9. Mason Ward, North Platte, Neb., 77
9. TJ Schmidt, Belle Fourche, S.D., 77
11. Bubba Greig, Estherville, Iowa, 76
12. Jayde Murphy, Cut Bank, Mont., 75
12. Cash Bronson, Chelsea, Okla., 75
12. Cody Keathley, Sweetwater, Okla., 75
15. Andre Rodriguez, Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, Mex., 74
15. Koltin Hevalow, Smithville, Mo., 74
17. Kyle Smith, Allen, Neb., 73
18. David Hartshorn, Rapid City, S.D., 72
19. Chris Villanueva, Mesquite, Texas, 71
19. Taine Nash, Cassilis, New South Wales, 71
21. Austin Herrera, Soap Lake, Wash., 68
22. Luke Sieczkowski, Avonmore, Pa., 66
23. Jesse Hopper, Mangum, Okla., 65
24. Zac Naegele, Franklinton, La., 64
25. Juro Hirata, Ensenada, Baja California, Mex., 48
25. Adam Kezar, Syracuse, Ind., 48
27. Bucky McAlpine, Prosper, Texas, 41
Go-Round 2
1. Austin Herrera, Soap Lake, Wash., 81
2. Dawson Gleaves, Amarillo, Texas, 70
3. Casey Roberts, Munford, Ala., 69
4. Juro Hirata, Ensenada, Baja California, Mex., 67
4. Patterson Starcher, Mc Louth, Kan., 67
6. Koltin Hevalow, Smithville, Mo., 62
7. Keenan Hayes, Hayden, Colo., 59
Aggregate
1. Austin Herrera, Soap Lake, Wash., 149
2. Patterson Starcher, Mc Louth, Kan., 146
3. Keenan Hayes, Hayden, Colo., 139
4. Koltin Hevalow, Smithville, Mo., 136
5. Juro Hirata, Ensenada, Baja California, Mex., 115
6. Cole Skender, Crossett, Ark., 86
7. Chris Wilson, Parkville, New South Wales, 83
8. Colten Fritzlan, Rifle, Colo., 81
9. Denton Spiers, Quesnel, British Columbia, 80
9. TJ Gray, Dairy, Ore., 80
11. Coy Pollmeier, Fort Scott, Kan., 79
12. TJ Schmidt, Belle Fourche, S.D., 77
12. Mason Ward, North Platte, Neb., 77
14. Bubba Greig, Estherville, Iowa, 76
15. Cody Keathley, Sweetwater, Okla., 75
15. Cash Bronson, Chelsea, Okla., 75
15. Jayde Murphy, Cut Bank, Mont., 75
18. Andre Rodriguez, Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, Mex., 74
19. Kyle Smith, Allen, Neb., 73
20. David Hartshorn, Rapid City, S.D., 72
21. Taine Nash, Cassilis, New South Wales, 71
21. Chris Villanueva, Mesquite, Texas, 71
23. Dawson Gleaves, Amarillo, Texas, 70
24. Casey Roberts, Munford, Ala., 69
25. Luke Sieczkowski, Avonmore, Pa., 66
26. Jesse Hopper, Mangum, Okla., 65
27. Zac Naegele, Franklinton, La., 64
28. Adam Kezar, Syracuse, Ind., 48
29. Bucky McAlpine, Prosper, Texas, 41
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