By:Patrick Hall Tuesday, 14 February, 2006

The Pratt Community College Rodeo Team is poised to have its "best ever" season according to Head Coach Doug Janke. Currently ranked fifth among the Central Plains Region's twenty four teams, and with more than half a dozen cowboys and cowgirls ranked in the top twelve, Janke's team has a good chance of making good on his prediction.

Leading the way for the men's team are six cowboys in the top twelve of sixty regionally ranked steer wrestlers. And literally at the head of that group is the Central Plains Student Director, Jacob Ritz, a sophomore from Kent City, Michigan. Ritz has both the experience and the success to warrant consideration as a national contender. Currently ranked sixth, Ritz finished second in the region last year. Another strong national contender is teammate Chancey Boeser, a sophomore from Stapleton, NE. Both Ritz and Boeser can be seen featured on the cover of the February issue of "Collegiate Arena," the official paper of the NIRA.

Complementing the two sophomores are four freshman steer wrestlers also ranked in the top twelve. Will Tetrick (Kingman) is ranked fifth headed into the spring season. Tyler Ricke (Attica) is ranked 10th, and Gabe Burrows (Hugoton) and Grant Heller (Sylvan Grove) are tied at twelve.

A couple of bull riders made a strong fall showing as well, and enter the spring season ranked in the top ten. Brett Zaboktsky (SO, Washington, KS) is currently ranked second, and Steve Flitz (FR, Hillsboro, IL) is ranked sixth.

Rounding out the impressive fall season is Trista Ardery, a sophomore barrel racer from Greensburg. Trista enters the spring ranked fifth.