EMCC’s Carson Powell earns steer wrestling win at PRCC rodeo to maintain Ozark Region points lead

POPLARVILLE – East Mississippi Community College's Carson Powell maintained his first-place lead among the Ozark Region's steer wrestling standings by claiming his second event win of the 2025-26 rodeo season this past weekend at the Pearl River Community College Rodeo. The three-day event concluded with Saturday's championship round held at the Pearl River County Fairgrounds.

Powell, a native of Benton, Ark., recorded a pair of 4.7-second runs during PRCC's rodeo to collect 165 points and increase his region-best total to 605 points in steer wrestling competition this season. He previously claimed the steer wrestling and tie-down roping event titles to open the current campaign at the MVC Viking Stampede Rodeo, hosted by Missouri Valley College, back in September of last year.

This past weekend in Poplarville, Powell also paired with teammate Hayden Barnett (Calhoun City, MS) to earn 60 team roping points apiece.

As a team on the men's side, the EMCC Lions placed fifth with 315 total points while finishing just 40 points out of third place.

Rounding out EMCC's team scoring in the PRCC-hosted event, Ryder Griffith (Danville, AL) paired with UT Martin's Cooper Stone to earn 90 points each during a third-place finish in the team roping competition.

For the EMCC women, Alyssa Llewellyn (Wibaux, MT) advanced to Saturday's breakaway roping finals but did not score.

Head coach Morgan Goodrich's East Mississippi rodeo teams are scheduled to compete at next month's 58^th Annual UT Martin Spring College Rodeo. The three-day event (April 9-11) will take place at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex in Martin, Tenn.