Fast Break
Soccer
Whits, CCS, Cougars in playoffs
The men’s soccer teams at Whitworth University and Community Colleges of Spokane and the women’s soccer team at Washington State have qualified for post-season play and will host playoff matches later this week.
Northwest Conference champion Whitworth (14-2-3) will entertain Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Conference runner-up Augsburg (11-3-6) in the opening round of the NCAA Division III tournament on Thursday at 1 p.m. at Whitworth Soccer Field.
CCS (12-5-1) will host a first-round NWAACC playoff game against Edmonds Community College (6-1-1) on Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Spokane Falls Community College.
The Cougars (10-5-5), in the NCAA tournament for the first time in six seasons, will play Texas (12-3-4) on Friday at 5 p.m. in Portland, Ore.
Meanwhile, Whitworth’s women (15-4-1) were denied an NCAA Division III playoff berth, despite being ranked 12th nationally, and finished second in the NWC to Puget Sound, which is seeded No. 2 in the tournament and received a first-round bye.
Rodeo
Durfey wins in Canada
Missouri tie-down calf roper Tyson Durfey, who calls Colbert home, won his second championship in three years at the Canadian Finals Rodeo that wrapped up Sunday in Edmonton, Alberta.
Durfey, who is headed to his second National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas next month, placed four times in the six go-rounds, spread over five days.
Despite the hot CFR, winning the first round and $6,916 and placing second in the second round, Matt Shiozawa of Chubbock, Idaho, was in the lead by winning three straight go-rounds. Durfey pulled it out by placing fourth in the last two go-rounds while Shiozawa was out of the money.
“It’s just a great experience,” Durfey told ProRodeo.com. “Winning another title ranks as one of the highest points of my career … ever.”
Durfey, 23, finished the Canadian season with $59,069.
“In Vegas, those guys rope tough, so you have to be ready, physically and mentally,” Durfey said. “There’s a lot of money to be won there, and I want to get my share.”