CASPER, Wyoming — Coming into the 2017 College National Finals Rodeo, Poplarville-bred Marcus Theriot attempted a repeat of his previous victory as the CNFR’s All-around cowboy champion. Last year he effectively amassed 510 points to single-handedly lead East Mississippi Community College to a fifth-place national finish.

Theriot entered Saturday’s championship round leading all cowboys in the All-around men’s standings with 165 points.

However, this year’s national title slipped out of Theriot’s reach after a costly miscommunication with CNFR judges in the tie down roping championship round.

According to an EMCC release, as the Poplarville native mounted his horse, preparing to defend his national championship in his dominant event, his calf was prematurely released out of the chute. After deliberation, the judges ruled that Theriot had allegedly nodded to signal he was ready, unable to record a score for the run.

Because of this, Theriot had to settle with a third-place national finish in his quest for back-to-back national titles, earning 90 points for his ninth-place finish in the tie down roping event with a total 29.2 seconds.

He also accrued 75 points after winning the second round of team roping with a time of 5.4 seconds, paired with UT Martin’s Douglas Rich.

Despite not winning the individual national title, Theriot’s efforts helped EMCC earn a top 10 national finish for the second consecutive year as the Lions recorded 425 points to land seventh-place and first among the 11 teams representing the Ozark Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, the release states.