SPORTS

High School Rodeo: Castlewood's Wittnebel sisters, Sisseton's Johnson brothers qualify for nationals

Roger Merriam
Watertown Public Opinion

FORT PIERRE ­— Two sets of area siblings recorded national-qualifying performances June 14-18 during the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals.

Sisters Kylie and Addyson Wittnebel of Castlewood and brothers Tate and Tyan Johnson of Sisseton each secured spots in the National High School Rodeo Finals July 17-23 in Gillette, Wyo.

Kylie (left) and Addyson Wittnebel of Castlewood have qualified to compete in the National High School Rodeo Finals July 17-23 at Gillette, Wyo. Kylie finished third and Addyson fourth in pole bending at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals last week in Fort Pierre.

The top four overall finishers in each event qualify for nationals.

The Wittnebels each qualified in pole bending. 

Addyson finished ninth in the first go (21.447 seconds), third in the second go (20.929) and fourth in the short go (20.91)  at the state finals. She ended up third in average (63.297) and fourth in season points (54).

Tate Johnson of Sisseton has qualified to compete in the National High School Rodeo Finals July 17-23 at Gillette, Wyo. Tate and his brother Tyan qualified at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals last week in Fort Pierre, finishing as the top team in season points for team roping.

Kylie took seventh in the second go (21.036) and third in the short go (20.72) to finish fourth in average (63.86) and third in season points (54). 

Addyson also earned the $1,000 National High School Rodeo Association Merit Scholarship and the $500 South Dakota High School Rodeo Association East Region Scholarship Award.

The Johnsons qualified in team roping, winning the first go (7.15) and also taking third in the second go (8.27) and second in the short go (11.08). They finished first in average (26.5) and first in season points (79).

Tyan Johnson of Sisseton has qualified to compete in the National High School Rodeo Finals July 17-23 at Gillette, Wyo. Tyan and his brother Tate qualified at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals last week in Fort Pierre, finishing as the top team in season points for team roping.

Other area cowgirls and cowgirls who recorded top 10 finishes in the state finals rodeo and in season points included:

• Devon Moore (Clear Lake) — Moore tied for seventh in first go (54.0 score) and took second in the short go (66.0) of bareback riding. He finished seventh in average (120.0) and seventh in season points (55.5).

• Sidney Johnson (Sisseton) — Johnson took fifth in the first go (2.78 seconds) and third in the short go (3.05) of breakaway roping, finishing seventh in average (106.37) and eighth in season points (35).

• Seth Gaikowski (Waubay) — Gaikowski finished fourth in the second go (10.89) and first in the short go (9.84) of tie-down calf roping, finishing eighth in average (120.73) and sixth in season points (46).

Gaikowski and partner Conner Herren of Crooks also took second in first go (9.25) of team roping, finishing seventh in average (122.34) and fifth in season points (50).

• Jace Tekrony (Clear Lake) — Tekrony took seventh in the first go (11.6 seconds) of tie-down calf roping, ended up 10th in average (127.78) and ninth in season points (37).