Miles brothers steering toward another state title

PUEBLO, Colorado - The Grand Valley Cardinals 2008 Wrestling squad sent a large team to the Colorado state tournament and won the Class 2A state championship and two individual state titles by Cody and Tyler Miles. The brothers are two competitors who not only spar with each other, but who also tackle opponents many times their own weight - Corriente steers.

With high school wrestling titles already under their belts, the Miles brothers are now aiming for more titles in the Colorado State High School Rodeo Association's steer wrestling event, which pits cowboys against 400- to 600-pound steers.

Cody, a senior, won the steer wrestling Saturday and Sunday at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo, during the Pueblo Outlaws high school rodeo. He currently tops the statewide standings in that event and is looking for a nationals berth in 2008.

Cody saw a split for first, second, third and ninth-place finishes in the four rounds of bull riding; fourth and sixth-place finishes in calf roping; two fourths and a fifth-place finish in the saddle bronc riding. He still leads the all-around race; is the current leader in the steer wrestling (where he has accumulated the maximum of 100 possible points); and is second in bull riding, fifth in saddle bronc riding and sixth in calf roping.

Not to be outdone, Tyler, a junior, placed third and fifth in steer wrestling. In the state standings, Tyler is fourth in steer wrestling, seventh in saddle bronc riding, 23rd in bull riding and 26th in calf roping.

On Sunday, Tyler joined Cody and the pair teamed up for eighth place in Sunday's team roping event and the duo is now sitting in fourth in team roping standings.

Moving up in the girls all-around standings, Rifle's C.J. Vondette crept up another slot to fifth place. She took the pole bending win on Saturday and finished third in the barrel race that day as well. Vondette currently leads the state in the barrel racing and is in second position in pole bending behind Platteville's Tally Owens, the 2006-07 state champion in the event.

Shawnee Broughton, a rookie, earned a fourth-place finish in the girls cutting event. Broughton currently sits seventh in that event. Broughton also competed in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping at the Pueblo rodeo.

The CSHSRA and Wrangler Junior High Divisions next head to the Adams County Fairgrounds in Brighton Saturday and Sunday for two separate rodeos. For more information go to http://www.CSHSRA.org or http://www.CWJHD.8k.com.