CAM students Owen & Brentyn Hoover and Atlantic’s Joaquin & Jake Walies have qualified to fish for a High School National Championship at the 14^th Annual at Bass Federation’s (TBF) Student Angler Federation (SAF) Championships in Lacrosse, Wisconsin June 20-24. In the Junior division Atlantic Trojans Grayson Molgaard and Owen Miller are moving on to compete at the TBF Junior World Championships to be held on Sonner Lake in Oklahoma July 26-29.

The high school student anglers earned their spot by competing in the third annual TBF/SAF Iowa State Championship held Saturday, May 20 for the first time ever on the Okoboji Chain of Lakes. High skies, sunshine and a light variable wind welcomed 43 two-person teams in the High School Division (grades 9-12) as they left the Emerson Bay Boat Ramp area at 6:30 a.m.

According to Bob Harris, SWIFT coach, the bite was tough in the morning after Friday’s cold front, but as the day progressed, the bite improved. “Many of the teams caught up to 25-30 bass throughout the tournament as they worked to upgrade the weight of their five best bass.”

Each team worked to figure out the best pattern for the area they were fishing for. 32 teams brought five-bass limits to the stage at the 2:30 p.m. afternoon weigh-in. A total of 190 bass were weighed in and safely released back into the lake.

Leading the way with a five-fish weight of 18.06 pounds was the team of Ways Raasch and Will Neville of team OABICG Falcons. They also brought in the tournament’s big fish with a 5.01 pounder.

Second place went to Noah Franken and Jay Van Zee of team Unity Christian with a five-fish limit of 17.06 pounds. Meanwhile, Emmett King and AJ Draper of Panorama High School Panthers took third place with a five-fish limit weight of 16.07 pounds. Fourth place with a five-fish weight of 15.15 pounds went to Henry Rosener and Clay Price of the Johnston Fishing Club Dragons. Harris says, “It was really a tight competition with the top five teams separated by a mere three pounds.”

Results for the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team High School Team

#5-Owen Hoover and Brentyn Hoover with a five-fish limit weight of 15.02 pounds.
#9 Tegan Steinkuehler and Brock Lemrick with a five-fish limit weight of 13.11 pounds.
#12 Joaquin and Jake Wailes with a five-fish limit weight of 13.06 pounds.
#18 Cameron Hoden and Wyatt Conrad with a five-fish limit weight of 10.14 pounds.
#20 Carey Mitchel and Tyson Partlow with a five-fish limit weight of 10.06 pounds.
#20 Cody Swank and Gavin Dougherty with a five-fish limit weight of 10.06 pounds.
#25 Grady Joens and Lucas Bose with a five-fish limit weight of 9.15 pounds
#29 Jarrett Hansen and Christian Thompson with a five-fish limit weight of 8.10 pounds.
#30 Hunter Quist and Braxton Hass with a five-fish limit weight of 8.10 pounds.
#35 Colton and Collin Rudy with a five-fish limit weight of 7.03 pounds.
#36 Jordon Robinson and Nathan Bentler with a five-fish limit weight of 6.15 pounds.
#37 Eli Becerra and Mason Mcintosh with a four-fish limit weight of 6.14 pounds.
#39 Hannah Thomas and Kai Carritt with a five-fish limit weight of 4.10 pounds.
#40 Caden Forristall and Taven Moore with a two-fish limit weight of 4.09 pounds.
#42 Isaac and Kyler Chapman.

Along with the SAF Iowa High School State Championship, the Junior Division State Championship (grades 3-8) was also on the line with a total of 12 two-person teams competing. Once again, it became a shoot-out and close weights with nine of the teams bringing 5-fish limits to the scales. The team of Ethan Timmerman and Ty Timmerman of the Cedar Falls Tigers ran away with the title with a five-fish limit weight of 16.02 pounds. Second place with a 5-fish weight of 12.13 pounds went to the team of Ryder Lane and Wyatt Reed from the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team. Meanwhile, the team of Jared Kettman and Jonah Leonard of the Cedar Falls Tigers with a five-fish weight of 11.13 pounds. They also brought the big fish of the day to the scales, a 4.10 pounder.

Results for the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team High School Team

#6-Grayson Molgaard and Owen Miller with a five-fish limit weight of 10.12 pounds.
#7 Letty McSorely and Brendan Wilke with a five-fish limit weight of 10.10 pounds.
#8 Colton Anderson and Hoden DeVore with a five-fish limit weight of 9.15 pounds.
#11 Quinlan McKee and Charlee Marquis with a one-fish limit weight of 3.06 pounds.
#13Colton Frieze and Caden Frieze

Harris adds, “I was extremely proud of our SWIFT. They worked together to figure out what they needed to do to catch these fish. Congratulations to all these teams.”

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