Sixty-nine outstanding high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2017 class of Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.
“From the very beginning, a guiding principle of B.A.S.S. has been to introduce youngsters to the sport of fishing, and the resumes of the young people nominated for All-State and All-American honors proves that these efforts are paying off,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “High School fishing programs are great incentives for getting students and their parents out of doors and on the water.”
To be considered for the All-State Fishing Team, a student must have been nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students currently enrolled in grades 10-12 with a current-year grade point average of 2.5 or higher are eligible.
B.A.S.S. received more than 380 nominations from across the nation, a 75 percent increase over the number nominated in the first two years of the program. From these, judges selected 69 student anglers from 40 states to make the All-State Fishing Teams.
“Our All-State team is such a strong group of young anglers who have tremendous fishing accomplishments, as well as extensive community service and academic achievements,” said Hank Weldon, senior manager of the B.A.S.S. High School program. “We are extremely proud to recognize these student anglers, and we congratulate them on their success on and off the water.”
A second panel of judges will review nominations of the 69 All-State team members and select the 12 members of the 2017 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. As in all-state judging, criteria include success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities.
The 12 finalists will compete in a one-day Bassmaster All-American High School Bass Tournament held during the 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department event, a fan-favorite festival that will be held May 17-21 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir out of Lufkin, Texas.
Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and “coaches” of the student anglers in the tournament. The high school standouts will be honored on the main Texas Fest stage at the weigh-in. All will be profiled in Bassmaster Magazine, read monthly by 4.4 million people, as well as on Bassmaster.com.
“Because of the tremendous increase in nominations this year, and because the All-State anglers in many states were decided by razor-thin margins, B.A.S.S. decided to recognize an additional group of outstanding students with honorable mention awards,” said Helen White, High School All-American program manager. “These student anglers illustrated strong tournament success rates as well as solid community service and academic achievement.”
Below is the list of the 69 All-State anglers, in order by state:
Alabama Logan Parks, Auburn Briana Tucker, Moulton Lucas Lindsay, Auburn — Honorable Mention Ryan Sweeney, Springville — Honorable Mention
Arizona Steven Mack, Queen Creek Taj White, Glendale Tommy Sendek, Tucson — Honorable Mention
Arkansas Reese Jones, Rogers Bryer Pennington, Prescott
California Luke Johns, Folsom Brian Lopez, Yuba City
Colorado Eric “Jordan” Evans, Colorado Springs
Connecticut Noah Winslow, Naugatuck
Delaware Jackson Staib, Wilmington
Florida Colin Blanton, Winter Springs Cole Thompson, St. Cloud Jacob Eaton, Fort Myers — Honorable Mention Parker Klump, North Fort Myers — Honorable Mention
Georgia Jake Blumling, Evans Cy Casey, Evans Taylor Cox, Carrollton — Honorable Mention Cal Culpepper, Hamilton — Honorable Mention Garrett Hayes, Chatsworth — Honorable Mention Emil Wagner, Marietta — Honorable Mention
Illinois Tyler Lubbat, Wheeling Alex Wojtowicz, Shorewood Nathan Doty, Decatur — Honorable Mention Adam Hingson, Atwood — Honorable Mention
Indiana Blake Albertson, Bloomington Beau Ashcraft, Lafayette Adam Puckett, Bloomington — Honorable Mention
Iowa Sam Louw, Story City Kaleb Tweite, Riceville Kyler Bauer, Riceville — Honorable Mention Isaiah Minton, Marion — Honorable Mention
Kansas Hunter French, Buhler Zach Vielhauer, Shawnee Brock Bila, Overland Park — Honorable Mention Thomas Heinen, Topeka — Honorable Mention
Kentucky Dustin Jones, Stanford Kyle Roy, Jamestown Morgan Miracle, Lancaster — Honorable Mention
Louisiana Cade Fortenberry, Prairieville Colby Miller, Elmer Annabelle Guins, Lake Charles — Honorable Mention Wes Rollo, Natchitoches — Honorable Mention
Maine Reid Lavigne, Biddeford
Maryland Jospeh McClosky, Swanton Tyler Wallace, New Market
Massachusetts Evan Bramhill, Northborough Teddy Peznola, Leominster
Michigan Keegan Findley, Grand Haven Gunner Wilson, Fenton Matthew Davis, Coloma — Honorable Mention
Minnesota Reid Saarela, Lakeville Matt Stearns, Lakeville Solomon Glenn, Lakeville — Honorable Mention
Mississippi Russell Brown, Hattiesburg James Willoughby, Gulfport
Missouri Dalton Combs, Ozark Tristin Williams, Grain Valley Grant Nisbet, St. Louis — Honorable Mention
Nebraska Draven Ray, Plattsmouth
New Hampshire Jeremy Bates, Chichester Craig Beucler, Sandown
New Jersey Joe Buthusiem, Collingswood Vincent Pustizzi, Pittsgrove
New Mexico Alex Rigg, Las Cruces
New York Matthew Arndt, North Syracuse Perry Marvin, Peru Brandon Biby, New York City — Honorable Mention
North Carolina Christopher Guest, Shelby Alden Patterson, Mebane Titus Ward, Statesville — Honorable Mention
Ohio Colten Didion, Westerville Connor Aten, Macedonia
Oklahoma Taylor Hamburger, Tulsa Garrett McCrackin, Jennings Kaden Knoch, Harrah — Honorable Mention
Pennsylvania Austin Gaab, Montoursville
Rhode Island Tyler Conde, Chepachet Jordon Leahy, Lincoln
South Carolina Caleb Blackwood, Rock Hill Oakley Connor, Travelers Rest Drake Boyd, Abbeville — Honorable Mention Andrew Mitchell, Donalds — Honorable Mention
Tennessee Kyle Ingleburger, Winchester Kyle Palmer, Estill Springs Hunter Conatser, Jamestown — Honorable Mention Landry Cooper, Vonore — Honorable Mention Cameron Kirkland, Knoxville — Honorable Mention Samuel Vandagriff, McMinnville — Honorable Mention
Texas Jared Gobel, Lumberton Trace O'Dell, Buna Hunter Martindale, Jasper — Honorable Mention Hunter Muncrief, Pineland — Honorable Mention
Virginia Trent Carr, Rhoadesville Gavin Haley Locust Grove Hylton Scott, Stuart — Honorable Mention Travis Walker, Stuart — Honorable Mention
West Virginia Grace Caldwell, Berkeley Springs Landon Harrington, Berkeley Springs
Wisconsin Bailey Bleser, Burlington Bradley Gumtow, Neenah Colton Haney, Baldwin — Honorable Mention