HENDERSON, N.C. (May 11, 2009) - James Blankenship of Lexington, N.C., and Maurice Freeze of Concord, N.C., tied at the Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division bass fishing tournament on Kerr Lake Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 2 ounces. The tie earned Blankenship and Freeze $2,972 each and placed them one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Rounding out the top five boaters are William Blanton of Fayetteville, N.C. (five bass, 13-8, $1,322); Bobby Zerbe of Charlotte, N.C. (five bass, 12-4, $925) and Randy Childers of Anderson, S.C. (five bass, 12-1, $793).
Blanton and Greg Rikard of Leesville, S.C., split the Boater Division Big Bass award, each earning $267.50 for a pair of 4-pound, 5-ounce bass.
Arthur Ferguson of Lexington, N.C., earned $1,981 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are John Wilson of Hazelwood, N.C. (four bass, 11-6, $991); Michael Miller of High Point, N.C. (five bass, 10-2, $662); Brian Smith of Winston Salem, N.C. (five bass, 9-14, $462); and Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C. (five bass, 9-6, $396).
Ferguson earned $267 as the co-angler Big Bass winner with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.
The next North Carolina Division event will be held on High Rock Lake in Salisbury, N.C., June 27.