2007 IHSA SEMIFINALS: MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE WINS IN A SQUEAKER

Murfreesboro, TN - Going into the final class of the day at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum six of the seven teams qualified for Semifinals had a chance to advance to IHSA Nationals; Only one of those seven had already clinched a trip to the Big E in Springfield. The final class was team open western horsemanship, and Amy Snoderly's blue ribbon in the division moved host Middle Tennessee State into first place for the day. Surprisingly, Snoderly's blue ribbon was the only team first for the champion Blue Raiders. After having won the first two team classes of the day (via Rebecca Hart in intermediate and Whitney Agee in Reining), West Texas A & M eventually fell into reserve, only falling out of first after the final class by a 28-27 margin.

The competition evolved into a battle for third place. Though MTSU could have been caught and defeated in a tiebreaker going into the last class, the teams then occupying third through sixth were very close. Black Hawk had a respectible 17-14 lead on both Berry and Cazenovia Colleges while Saint Andrews Presbyterian College held 13 points. Caley Coffey of Black Hawk, who had already qualified individually for Nationals in both reining and rail, was second to Snoderly in team open western. This kept Black Hawk in front of the rest of the pack for third place. The previous team class had actually been huge for Black Hawk, as Andrea Spencer had won team advanced western to move them into third. Others to win team classes were Brielle Juhan of Berry College (team beginner) and Megan Moehling of Cazenovia College (team novice).

Riders from Zone 2, Region 2 faired well individually in the blue ribbon department. Meghan Dauler of Cazenovia won individual open reining to start the day while Robin Wheeler of the State University of New York at Oswego was a winner in individual beginner western. Also winning individual undergraduate blue ribbons were Jessica Lynch of Black Hawk (open), Ashley Buchanan of Appalachian State (novice; Buchanan is also the first ASU rider ever to reach the second round of western playoffs), Denise Wright of Berry College (advanced) and Sarah McKee of the host Blue Raiders (intermediate).

The Semifinal in Murfreesboro was the only such show of three held simultaniously around the country to include alumni divisions. MTSU graduate Jessica Schultz was third in alumni reining and second in alumni rail at 2006 IHSA Nationals. Schultz will have another chance to win both, as she was the blue ribbon winner in each alumni division at today's show.

Middle Tennessee State Head Coach Anne Brzezicki pointed out before the show that all three teams which are currently scheduled to host 2008 Semifinals had full teams competing in today's show at the Miller Coliseum. Cazenovia, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College and West Texas A & M will likely be hosting the second annual Semifinals next season.

--Steve Maxwell

Class-by-Class Results from IHSA Semifinals in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on March 24th, 2007. Riders who placed fourth or higher in the individual classes advanced to IHSA Nationals May 3rd through 6th in Springfield, Massachusetts:

Individual Open Reining: 1. Meghan Dauler, Cazenovia College. 2. Caley Coffey, Black Hawk College. 3. Perry DiCiccio, Cazenovia College. 4. Andrea Young, West Virginia University. 5. Jessica Lynch, Black Hawk College. 6. Whitney Agee, West Texas A & M University. 7. Lauren Brown, Berry College. 8. Hannah Slatten, Oklahoma Panhandle State University. 9. Sarah Welteroth, Susquehanna University. 10. Casey Bennington, Berry College.

Individual Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Ashley Buchanan, Appalachian State University. 2. Chelsea Caron, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Rachel Olson, Black Hawk College. 4. Lacie Smith, Cazenovia College. 5. Leigh Ann Skurupey, Laramie County Community College. 6. Kacey Burke, State University of New York at Oswego. 7. Katherine Rickert, Middle Tennessee State University. 8. Leanne Thompson, Kansas State University. 9. Kandi Evans, Laramie County Community College. 10. Kaley Jones, California University of Pennsylvania.

Team Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Rebecca Hart, West Texas A & M University. 2. Matt McMurtrey, Middle Tennessee State University. 3. Ashley Clutter, West Virginia University. 4. Heather Lauter, Black Hawk College. 5. Alison White, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 6. Jennifer Hamrick, Berry College. 7. Amber Reynolds, Cazenovia College.

Individual Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Jessica Lynch, Black Hawk College. 2. Meghan Dauler, Cazenovia College. 3. Caley Coffey, Black Hawk College. 4. Katie Mix, Alfred University. 5. Cynthia Charleville, Murray State University. 6. Robin Morris, Texas Tech University. 7. Gwen Titus, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 8. Amy Thompson, West Texas A & M University. 9. Sarah Woody, Martin Community College. 10. Lauren Brown, Berry College.

Individual Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Robin Wheeler, State University of New York at Oswego. 2. Elaine Gray, Middle Tennessee State University. 3. Emily Wolfe, Kansas State University. 4. Brittany Burns, Cazenovia College. 5. Jessica Jones, Texas Tech University. 6. Briana Boyd, Bethany College. 7. Beth Javins, West Virginia University. 8. Michelle Klausner, Black Hawk College. 9. Keira Wood, Laramie County Community College. 10. Rys Davis, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College.

Team Open Reining: 1. Whitney Agee, West Texas A & M University. 2. Amy Snoderly, Middle Tennessee State University. 3. Meghan Dauler, Cazenovia College. 4. Casey Bennington, Berry College. 5. Jessica Lynch, Black Hawk College. 6. Gwen Titus, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 7. Andrea Young, West Virginia University.

Team Novice Western Horsemanship: 1. Megan Moehling, Cazenovia College. 2. Christine Compton, West Texas A & M University. 3. Sarah McKee, Middle Tennessee State University. 4. Kristin Farmer, Berry College. 5. Maggie Moore, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 6. Rebecca Smith, Black Hawk College. 7. Rebecca Crown, West Virginia University.

Individual Alumni Western Horsemanship: 1. Jessica Schultz, Middle Tennessee State University. 2. Cody Burris, University of Wyoming. 3. Chrystal Coffelt, Kutztown University. 4. Missy Eveling, Missouri State University. 5. Leah Moyer, Kutztown University.

Individual Intermediate Western Horsemanship: 1. Sarah McKee, Middle Tennessee State University. 2. Allison Griest, Texas Tech University. 3. Megan Moehling, Cazenovia College. 4. Christine Thompson, West Texas A & M University. 5. Erin Paulsen, Kansas State University. 6. Sarah Coomes, Kansas State University. 7. Kristin Farmer, Berry College. 8. Maggie Moore, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 9. Avi Ivaguirre, Berry College. 10. Amanda Pierson, Kutztown University.

Individual Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Denise Wright, Berry College. 2. Jackie Johnson, Black Hawk College. 3. Shannon Lee, West Texas A & M University. 4. Renea Burks, West Virginia University. 5. Alicia Daugherty, Texas Tech University. 6. Anna Quinn, Cazenovia College. 7. Ashley Lancaster, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 8. Crystal Sampson, Missouri State University. 9. Jessie Keck, State University of New York at Oswego. 10. Susan Guider, Judson College.

Individual Alumni Reining: 1. Jessica Schultz, Middle Tennessee State University. 2. Saylise Schraeder, Bloomsburg University. 3. Leah Moyer, Kutztown University.

Team Beginner Western Horsemanship: 1. Brielle Juhan, Berry College. 2. Crystal Hall, Middle Tennessee State University. 3. Ashley Zimmerman, Black Hawk College. 4. K. Lesemann, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 5. Jennifer Keefe, Cazenovia College. 6. Amanda Hes, West Texas A & M University. 7. Kellan Williams, West Virginia University.

Team Advanced Western Horsemanship: 1. Andrea Spencer, Black Hawk College. 2. Chelsea Caron, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 3. Eva Leatherman, West Virginia University. 4. Courtney Douglas, West Texas A & M University. 5. Whitney Herron, Middle Tennessee State University. 6. Lacie Smith, Cazenovia College. 7. Brittany Hannah, Berry College.

Team Open Western Horsemanship: 1. Amy Snoderly, Middle Tennessee State University. 2. Caley Coffey, Black Hawk College. 3. Whitney Fouts, West Texas A & M University. 4. Gwen Titus, Saint Andrews Presbyterian College. 5. Lauren Brown, Berry College. 6. Renea Burks, West Virginia University. 7. Perry DiCiccio, Cazenovia College.

Final Western Team Totals, with the top three advancing to IHSA Nationals May 3rd though 6th in Springfield, Massachusetts: Middle Tennessee State University 28 (High Point Team); West Texas A & M University (Reserve) 27; Black Hawk College 22; Berry College 16; Saint Andrews Presbyterian College 16, Cazenovia College 14 and West Virginia University 9.

(Special Thanks to Sarah McKee for providing us with the results)