ProRodeo Sports News, June 29, 2018

COLLEGE NATIONAL FINALS

Double Champ BY TRACY RENCK T his wasn’t the finishWill Centoni wanted in the short round, but the result was the achievement he desired. The talented cowboy fromHollister, Calif., failed to ride a bull or a saddle bronc horse in the final round, but he still couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when he left the 2018 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., June 10-16. Centoni, a junior fromCuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif., captured the men’s all-around and bull riding national titles. “It was huge for me to win these titles, especially because of the amount of competition that was there,” said Centoni, 21. “This means a lot to me. I don’t know that it has sunk in. Everybody has been congratulating me, and it has been cool.” Oklahoma Panhandle State in Goodwell claimed the men’s team title, and McNeese State in Lake Charles, La., captured the women’s team crown. To garner the prestigious all-around crown, Centoni competed in three events – bull riding, team roping (header) and saddle bronc riding – at his second CNFR. He earned 645 points across the three events to win the all- around championship at the Casper Events Center. “I put most of my focus into saddle bronc riding, and that’s the event I did the worst in,” said Centoni, who’s qualified for the CNFR in 2016-18.

Bull rider Will Centoni, of

Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif., competed during the 2018 College National Finals Rodeo earlier this month in Casper, Wyo. Centoni won the bull riding crown with 155 points on two head. Dan Hubbell photo

Centoni captures all-around, bull riding crowns

“Fortunately, I did well in bull riding and team roping, and that helped me reach that great accomplishment of being the all-around champ.” Centoni was crowned the bull riding champ with 155 points on two head – no bull rider made a qualified ride in the finals. Centoni and his team roping partner,

Wyatt Adams, of Clovis Community College in Fresno, Calif., placed second in the average with a 54.6-second time on four head. Centoni also placed seventh in the saddle bronc riding average with 226 points on three head. “I just tried to keep my composure and stay consistent and get everything ridden and get everything caught,” Centoni said. “Things went pretty well until the short round, but at least I got the two titles.” Although Centoni does have college eligibility remaining, he’s unsure if he will continue to college rodeo. He has been competing on his PRCA permit since December 2015 and has won $16,129 – $12,973 in bull riding and $3,155 in saddle bronc riding. “I didn’t really have a plan going into this year,” Centoni said. “I got an (associate degree in liberal arts) and I wasn’t going to go back in the second semester. I decided to go back to college because if I didn’t college rodeo I would have to buy my (PRCA) card, and it would have spent my rookie year. Now, I’m planning to start my rookie year in 2019.”

ProRodeo Sports News 6/29/2018

ProRodeo.com

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