MANY, La. — Caleb Gatwood and Cayden Soberoski came to the Bassmaster High School Series Central Open looking to qualify for a spot in the Bassmaster High School National Championship tournament in August. The young duo from Oak Grove (Miss.) High School did that and more on Monday — they also won the Bassmaster High School Central Open tournament on Toledo Bend Reservoir. And they did so in truly unique fashion, by only bringing three bass to the scales. However, two of those three fish were the hogs Toledo Bend is known for producing. Gatwood caught a 6-pound, 8-ounce lunker, and he followed it up with another that weighed 6-5.
Soberoski hooked his team’s final fish of the day; a small one that only weighed 1-7, but it could be considered the most important fish of all. Had he not boated that bass, the Mississippi teenagers still would have qualified for nationals, but they wouldn’t have clinched the Central Open. Their 14-pound, 4-ounce total was enough to win first place in the tournament, and also $1,000 for the Oak Grove High School team. In all, 98 teams of anglers from 10 different states took part in the competition. The Top 10 teams earned spots in the national championship on Kentucky Lake in early August, and the Top 13 duos won money for their prep squads.
“We were hoping we’d get a top position, but with only three fish, I was nervous,” Gatwood, a 17-year old incoming senior, said. “It’s a high school tournament, so you don’t expect 25-pound bags everywhere, but you’d think you’d see one. I was thinking we had a shot (to win,) but it was slim.”
The Mississippi-based squad got off to a hot start early on Toledo Bend. Between 8:30-9:15 a.m., Gatwood hooked his two big fish on a shaky head jig with a long magnum finesse worm on it. He was fishing in about 30 feet of water off points, and casting toward an underwater hump in about 25 feet. Then things went quiet for the boys, as the sun beat down relentlessly in the Louisiana afternoon. They caught a fish that was a throwback, but in the final 15 minutes, Soberoski boated the 1-7 bass that made all the difference.
“I finally caught a fish, and it was the fish that kept us in first place,” Soberoski said. “Normally I fish decent in deep water, but I had a tough day. I was fishing a Carolina rig, but wasn’t getting much action at all.”
Gatwood and Soberoski weighed in relatively early on Monday at Cypress Bend Park, and after assuming the hot seat, they stayed there until the very end. With many teams weighing behind them, they chatted nervously at times and stared intently at other anglers’ bags as they were brought to the stage. It was only when the last pair of anglers brought just over 3 pounds to the scales that Gatwood and Soberoski knew they had won the Central Open.
Now, they turn their attention to Kentucky Lake. Soberoski, a 16-year old rising junior at Oak Grove (which is located just outside of Hattiesburg, Miss.,) said he’s never been to nationals, and is relishing the chance.
“I’m stoked,” he said. “I know it’s going to be fun.”
“This is really nice,” Gatwood said. “Winning here is great, but I want one in Kentucky too.”
The Top 10 teams after Gatwood and Soberoski were second, Dailus Richardson and Trevor McKinney of Benton (Ill.) High School, 13-13; third (tie) Will Moffett and Kyle McCormick of Franklin County (Miss.), and Hunter Muncrief and Landen McCary of West Sabine Bass Club (Texas), 12-9; fifth, Ben Abraham, Alexandria (La.) Senior High School 12-5; sixth, Grant Bourque and Ethan Smart of Ascension (La.) Anglers, 12-2; seventh, Kole Greer and Kyler Radford of North DeSoto (La.) High School, 11-14; eighth, Stephen Whitlow and Jared Young of Sarasota (Fla.) High School, 11-14; ninth, Wesley Holt and Colby Miller of Oak Hill (La.) High School, 10-13; 10th, Kyle Everett and Dustin Wellman of DeRidder (La.) High School, 10-11.
Richardson and McKinney — both members of the 2016 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team — had already qualified for the national championship, as had the 11th place team of Laura Ann Foshee and Reid Connor of Gardendale (Ala.) High. That meant the last qualifying spot for nationals was awarded to Noah Sowell and Charles Lee Proctor of Hemphill (Texas) High, who placed 12th at Toledo Bend with a four-fish catch of 9-14. Bourque landed the big bass of the tournament with a 6-15 largemouth.
STANDINGS BOATER DAY 1
Toledo Bend Reservoir - Cypress Bend Park - Many, LA
6/20/2016 - 6/20/2016
Bassmaster High School Series Central
Today's Activity
# Fish Lbs - Oz
Accumulative
Name # Live # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz
1 Caleb Gatwood - Cayden Soberoski Oak Grove High School 3 3 14- 4 3 3 14- 4
2 Dailus Richardson - Trevor McKinney Benton High School 5 5 13-13 5 5 13-13
3 Will Moffett - Kyle McCormick Franklin County High School 5 5 12- 9 5 5 12- 9
3 Hunter Muncrief - Landen McCary West Sabine Bass Club 5 5 12- 9 5 5 12- 9
5 Ben Abraham - Alexandria Senior High School 5 5 12- 5 5 5 12- 5
6 Grant Bourque - Ethan Smart Ascension Anglers 4 4 12- 2 4 4 12- 2
7 Kole Greer - Kyler Radford North Desoto High School 5 4 11-14 5 4 11-14
8 Stephen Whitlow - Jared Young Sarasota High School 4 2 11-14 4 2 11-14
9 Wesley Holt - Colby Miller Oak Hill High School 5 5 10-13 5 5 10-13
10 Kyle Everett - Dustin Wellman DeRidder High School 4 4 10-11 4 4 10-11
11 Laura Ann Foshee - Reid Connor Gardendale High School 5 4 10- 2 5 4 10- 2
12 Noah Sowell - Charles Lee Proctor Hemphill High School 4 4 9-14 4 4 9-14
13 Christopher Keeble - Micah Bryant Lenoir City High School Bass Club 3 3 9- 6 3 3 9- 6
14 Jonathan Suttle - Gavin Deshotels Sulphur High School 5 5 9- 0 5 5 9- 0
15 Tyler Songy - Spencer Mullen Archbishop Rummel HS 5 5 8- 8 5 5 8- 8
16 River Lee - Colby Vinyard Rains High School 4 4 8- 8 4 4 8- 8
17 Logan Shelton - Peyton Trimm Northside High School 5 5 8- 7 5 5 8- 7
18 Christopher Capdeboscq - Dillon Wilson Northlake Christian 5 5 8- 0 5 5 8- 0
19 Logan Chaney - Matthew Myers David Thibodaux Bass Team 5 5 7-14 5 5 7-14
20 Thomas Wiggins - Cody Hamous Natchitoches Central High School 4 4 7-11 4 4 7-11
21 Dane Humbles - Graham Pearson Alexandria Senior High School 4 4 7- 9 4 4 7- 9
22 Stevie Stephens - Josh Carpenter Petal High School Bassmasters 2 2 7- 6 2 2 7- 6
23 Hadden Lummus - Reese McGraw Hemphill High School 3 3 7- 4 3 3 7- 4
24 Nathan Mitchell - Hayden Simon Sam Houston High School 4 4 6-10 4 4 6-10
25 Darren Lowe - Richard Bennett Hemphill High School 2 1 6- 8 2 1 6- 8
26 Bryden Herring - Spencer Higginbotham Franklin County High School 3 2 5-14 3 2 5-14
27 Kaleb Sessions - Kameron Johnson Brandon High School 3 3 5-12 3 3 5-12
28 Eric Noyes - Mason Mitchell Broken Arrow Fishing Team 1 1 5- 7 1 1 5- 7
29 Joseph Bruener - Hunter Curry Douglass HS Fishing Team 3 3 5- 5 3 3 5- 5
30 Tony Falcinelli - Bret Sorrells Denton High School 2 2 5- 5 2 2 5- 5
31 Dayton Hawkins - Dalton Adams Sanger High School Bass Team 1 1 5- 4 1 1 5- 4
32 Samuel Bergeron - Andres Barletta Ascension Anglers 3 3 5- 3 3 3 5- 3
33 Chase Hopkins - William Dewil Hornbeck High School 2 2 5- 1 2 2 5- 1
34 Hunter Courvelle - Alex Erickson Sam Houston High School 3 3 4-15 3 3 4-15
34 Tucker Roe - Taylor Coutee Natchitoches Central High School 3 3 4-15 3 3 4-15
36 Dylan McDowell - Dawson McDowell Jena High School 2 2 4-13 2 2 4-13
37 Trevor Hadden - Jared Abbott Central High School 3 3 4-10 3 3 4-10
37 Dayten Schureman - Tommy Sendek Arizona BN HS Club 3 3 4-10 3 3 4-10
39 Griffin Gatwood - Layne Jacobs Oak Grove High School 2 2 4-10 2 2 4-10
40 Alec Louque - Sully Laiche Lutcher High School 3 3 4- 9 3 3 4- 9
41 Tyler Pate - Andrew Vosbury North DeSoto High School 2 2 4- 6 2 2 4- 6
42 Christian Mathews - Cole Ward North DeSoto High School 2 2 4- 0 2 2 4- 0
43 Karli Carpenter - Cade Crow Livingston Parish Bassmasters 2 2 3-13 2 2 3-13
44 Mason Ferachi - Evan Ruiz Walker High School 2 2 3-12 2 2 3-12
45 Nicholas Wiggins - Wes Rollo Natchitoches Central High School 2 2 3- 9 2 2 3- 9
46 Connor Nimrod - Dylan Nimrod Desoto Bass Team 2 2 3- 8 2 2 3- 8
47 Taylor Corley - Ashley Waugh Hemphill High School 2 2 3- 6 2 2 3- 6
48 Ethan Cruze - Carlo Castiglione Sam Houston High School 2 2 3- 3 2 2 3- 3
49 Ashley Batey - Kyle Little Pineville High School 2 2 2-14 2 2 2-14
50 Will May - John Ladd Herrin HS Fishing Tigers 2 2 2-13 2 2 2-13
51 Daulton Waldrop - Hayden Jarrett D'Iberville HS Warrior 1 1 2- 8 1 1 2- 8
52 Taylor Cobb - Mathew Fruge North Desoto High School 2 2 2- 4 2 2 2- 4
53 Jonathon Wilburn - Connor Jones Guntersville High School 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 4
54 Garrett Brown - Brandon Craig North DeSoto High School 1 1 2- 0 1 1 2- 0
55 Braden Blanchard - Cade Fortenberry Ascension Anglers 1 1 1-13 1 1 1-13
55 John Trammel - Justin Garsee Hemphill High School 1 1 1-13 1 1 1-13
57 Bryce Bullock - Blake Bullock Oak Grove High School 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-12
58 Gabe Dumatrait - Dylan Friloux Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10
59 Cason Lewis - Grant Cooper Pineville High School 1 1 1- 9 1 1 1- 9
59 Colin Rabalais - Saint Michaels 1 1 1- 9 1 1 1- 9
61 Kyle McAllen - Dawson Cranford North DeSoto High School 1 1 1- 5 1 1 1- 5
62 Annabelle Guins - Hayden Williams Sam Houston High School 1 1 1- 3 1 1 1- 3
63 Jack Alexander - Jake Hollingsworth Oak Grove High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Logan Anderson - Dustin Howell Natchitoches Central High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Zach Anderson - Peyton Burford North DeSoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Levi Areno - Casey Trosclair Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Greyson Benoit - Saige Hessifer Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Jacob Boyer - John Paul Allen Oak Grove High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Brock Bradley - Conner Peveto Sulpher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Colby Breaux - Noah Trahan Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Ethan Brooks - Lain Letchworth Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Blake Broome - Dawson Lomax Oak Grove High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 DJ Conder - Max Thomas Broken Arrow Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Grant Debetaz - David Thibodaux Bass Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 John Edwards - Luke Herring North DeSoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Jeremy Evans - Saint Michaels 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Hunter Gould - Hayden Gould Sulpher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Ronan Graham - Phelan Graham Sanger High School Bass Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Jackson Hall - Devin Bushland Arlington Martin High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Chase Hiesler - Cullman High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Ethan Howe - Maguire Parker North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Lane Kennedy - Logan Burke Hallsville High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Pierce LaFleur - Christian Holt South Beauregard HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Jacob Lovelady - Zachary Faircloth North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Ian Madere - Jordan Davenport East Baton Rouge Bassmasters 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Ryan Malone - Drake Young Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Keigan Maturin - Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Caleb Mayers - Dane Balfantz Ascension Anglers 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Gavin McAllister - Brandon Louviere Lutcher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Jason McMillan - Kyle Lott Walker High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Erin Meeks - Sydney Peterson North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Cole Moore - Tristen Nicholas Anacoco High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Ryan Neal - Travis Kring Anacoco High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Hunter Owens - Timothy Giddens Natchitoches Central High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Devin Prine - Blaine Marks Buna High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Houston Smith - Cole Smith Parklane Academy 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Christian Stampley - Payton Mays Sulpher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
63 Brett Wray - Kasey Anderson North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
Name City,State Lbs-Oz
BIG BASS
Day
1 Grant Bourque - Ethan SmartPrairieville, LA 6-15
Day # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
TOTALS
# Fish
1 175 169 378-12 12
Today's Activity
# Fish Lbs - Oz
Accumulative
Name # Live # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz