Carolina Cowboys: 175.5 / Kansas City Outlaws: 88.25
LAS VEGAS – Reigning PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) delivered a clutch ride on the game’s final out, and the No. 3 Carolina Cowboys defeated the No. 7 Kansas City Outlaws by one ride score to punch their ticket to the second round of the first-ever PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series Championship inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
After a scoreless first and second, both teams remained on the hunt for their first score, with Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) on deck for the Outlaws and Boudreaux Campbell (Crockett, Texas) up for the Cowboys. After Hevalow bucked off in the opening out of the frame, Campbell was awarded a re-ride following his trip with WSM’s Time In A Bottle (WSM’s Auctioneers/Clay Struve/Dakota Rodeo/Chad Berger). Cowboys Head Coach Jerome Davis assigned the re-ride to WIngson Henrique da Silva (Navirai, Brazil) to be attempted before the start of the fifth.
In the top of the penultimate round of outs, Rafael Henrique dos Santos (Sebastianopolis, Brazil) could not right the tide for Kansas City, brought down by Otis (M Rafter E/High View Cattle) in 4.21 seconds. Determined to strike first, the Cowboys’ Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) went to work against Cold Chill (D&H Cattle Co./Futrell). Fresh off his event win the day prior at the PBR Challenger Series Championship, Batista continued his momentum, reaching the whistle for a crucial 86.75 points.
Silva then had the chance to clinch the victory early for the Cowboys when he matched up with re-ride bull Mike’s Effect (Blake Sharp/Michael Floyd/High Voltage Cattle) but was bested in a close 6.09 seconds, setting up a high-pressure fifth for both teams. In a must-ride position, Kansas City closer and reigning PBR Rookie of the Year Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) remained poised as he settled in atop UTZ BesTex Solutions Red Clark (Blake Sharp/Chris Utz/Garrett Carey/Henry Wilson). Erupting from the chutes, Mitchell rose to the occasion for his team, conquering the powerful animal athlete for a much-needed 88.25 points to give Kansas City a 1.5-point lead.
In the final do-or-die out of the game, reigning PBR World Champion and Carolina closer Swearingen faced a familiar opponent in Lone Survivor (Blake Sharp/CB & Traci Lee). During the 2022 PBR World Finals in May, Swearingen rode the bull for a commanding 91.5 points en route to claiming the season’s coveted gold buckle. Swearingen delivered his second score aboard Lone Survivor, marked a game-best 88.75 points to deliver the Carolina Cowboys the win by 87.25 points, 175.5-88.25.
The Carolina Cowboys advanced to Round 2 of the 2022 PBR Team Series Championship, where they will play the No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom, who advanced via the Last Chance Game, on Saturday, November 5. Keen to keep their bid for the first PBR Team Series Championship alive, the Outlaws returned to the locker room to refocus ahead of the Last Chance Game.
When competition continues on Saturday, November 8, the following teams will face off:
No. 1 Austin Gamblers vs. No. 8 Nashville Stampede
No. 2 Texas Rattlers vs. No. 5 Arizona Ridge Riders
No. 3 Oklahoma Freedom vs. No. 4 Carolina Cowboys
Last Chance Game (Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser)
The 2022 PBR Team Series Championship continues Saturday, November 5, at 7:45 p.m. PT.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Team Series action from Las Vegas. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.