Lane Roettele accomplished one of his goals this season.
Now he has his sights set on another goal.
The Warner senior-to-be qualified for the South Dakota High School Rodeo Finals on June 19-23 in Belle Fourche. He finished fourth in the average in the bull riding at the East Region Rodeo in Watertown this past Saturday and Sunday. He won the bull riding in Sunday's go-round with a 66.
For his efforts, Roettele is the Aberdeen American News Athlete of the Week.
It is Roettele's first time qualifying for the state high school finals rodeo.
"That was my number one goal, just to make it to the state high school finals for this year," Roettele said.
His freshman season he got kicked in the face during a practice rodeo and had to sit out the rest of the season.
"That was really frustrating because I had to have a surgery and I broke my top jaw," he said. "The first thing I was told when I woke up from surgery was there is no more bull riding for the rest of the summer, and that was in May when it happened."
He was out until August and said he rode only five bulls that year. Last season was another frustrating season for Roettele.
"Last year was just a rough year coming back from the injury," the 17-year-old said. "I wasn't completely confident. I basically fell off everything I got on."
He prepared during the off-season to make sure he would be ready for this season. He went to a bull riding school, learned new drills and techniques and rode his bucking barrel during the winter to get ready for the season.
"I had more confidence coming into it," he said. "I was better prepared for what I was matched up against."
Roettele admits that the season did not start out as well as he would have hoped, but he did enough at regions to qualify for state.
"That was my number-one goal," he said. "The next one is make it to 4-H finals, and then go to nationals for high-school rodeo."
If Roettele finishes in the top four at the state finals, he will advance to nationals. The National High School Rodeo Finals is July 14-20 in Rock Springs, Wyo.
"I'm pretty jacked up about it now, since it is my first time making it out there," he said about state. "I plan on taking it like any other rodeo and try my heart out, because I really want to make it to nationals and represent South Dakota."
After he graduates, Roettele plans on attending the Mitchell Technical Institute to ride bulls for the rodeo team.
Personal
Family: Parents, Stacey Schmidt and Troy Roettele; step-brother, Taylor Schmidt (12).
Favorite athlete: Bull riders Lane Frost and Justin McBride.
Other sports: Football and wrestling.
Best athletic memory:"Winning the short round at NBRT finals in 2010."