Eguchi and Team Pendleton Whisky Overcome Injuries to Defeat Team Boot Barn and Improve to 2-0

By: Darci Miller

PUEBLO, Colo. – The first night of Division B competition at the Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol, didn’t go the way Marco Eguchi had hoped.

Sure, Team Pendleton Whisky walked away with the win, but Team Captain Eguchi walked away injured. He re-aggravated a pre-existing groin injury when he was bucked off by Marquis Metal Works Bill The Butcher on his first out, and he was unable to get on his second bull as Pendleton Whisky defeated Team South Point.

In Pendleton Whisky’s second game, though, Eguchi came through for his squad on Saturday night, contributing the first – and, ultimately, winning – ride as Pendleton (2-0) defeated Team Boot Barn (1-1), 161.25-86.

With the win, Pendleton Whisky is now ranked No. 1 in Division B and is set to square off against undefeated Team Ariat (2-0) Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on the CBS Game of the Week. Ariat is coming off a 160.75-79.25 win over No. 6 Team Cat (0-2).

Eguchi’s score against Team Boot Barn came on the second-to-last ride of the first round when he rode Red Bones for 87.25 points.

 
“That’s a good ride right there, and it came at a huge time,” two-time World Champion and Team Pendleton Whisky General Manager Justin McBride said on CBS Sports Network. “I mean, Pendleton Whisky is looking at getting blanked in the first half. You can’t have that. This bull is giving it to Marco. I mean, this is all Marco can handle. And then I love the way he finishes, though, in just total control back away from his hand. That was an outstanding job by the Team Captain, taking control of the game.”

Junio Patrik Souza chipped in another 74 points for Pendleton Whisky on Thunder on Hooves in the second round, clinching the win with two rides remaining. Boot Barn Team Captain Daylon Swearingen rode Bullfrog for 86 points on his final attempt with the game already out of reach, and Eguchi bucked off Heartaches & Grease on his second out to end the game.

“Last night, I’m sad I can’t help them, but I did today,” Eguchi told CBS Sports Network’s Kate Harrison. “So I’m so thankful that the PBR gave us that chance, and I’m so happy for the win.”

Team Pendleton Whisky’s second win was a relatively calm affair compared to its first, when it defeated Team South Point on Lucas Divino’s walk-off ride on Mortimer. The 88.25-point ride gave Pendleton a narrow 166.5-158 win.

The architect of Friday night’s heroics was blanked on Saturday, though, as he was bucked off by Sniper (5.88 seconds) and Red Snapper (1.94 seconds). Divino has struggled with several hand injuries during the 2020 season, and says he re-aggravated it during his first out.

“On my first bull I twisted my hand again,” Divino told Harrison. “It’s really difficult for me, because I lose my power. We don’t have time to wait a little bit for me to rest my hands. And then I buck off again. I’m so sorry for my other friends, my team, but I’m so happy. God helped us, and then we win again.”

 
Eguchi has drawn Total Feeds Bushwacked and Smoke Show on Sunday for the Game of the Week, while Divino takes on @PBR on TikTok and Bad Brad.

The Monster Energy Team Challenge features 12 teams, and two Divisions (A & B). The Top 3 teams in each division, based upon win-loss record, qualify for Championship Weekend and a single-elimination tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on July 10-12 in front of fans.

Following Division A competition, Team Cooper Tires, Team Las Vegas and Team Can-Am have clinched playoff berths.

Pendleton Whisky is on top of Division B thanks to contributions from all four of its members. Eguchi is 1-for-3, Divino is 1-for-5, Souza is 1-for-3 and Amadeu Campos is 1-for-2. Campos stepped in for Eguchi following his injury Friday and contributed an 81.25-point score on No Prisoners, but injured his knee on his 4.57-second buckoff against The Lodge on Saturday and was replaced by Souza in the lineup.

If Team Pendleton Whisky wants to continue to succeed – and injuries continue to be a factor – it will continue needing every member on the squad to step up to the plate.

“Well, we’re not really 100% healthy, as you guys know, but we’re trusting God,” Eguchi said. “We come with all we can have, a lot of heart in each rider, in each ride.”

Professional Bull Riders – Team Challenge – Game 22
Las Vegas, NV, 2020
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Marco Eguchi, 87.25-0-87.25
2. Daylon Swearingen, 0-86-86.00
3. Junio Patrik Souza, 0-74-74.00
Lucas Divino, 0-0-0.00
Amadeu Campos Silva, 0-0-0.00
Kache Moosman, 0-0-0.00
JC Mortensen, 0-0-0.00
Braden Richardson, 0-0-0.00

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