GADSDEN, Ala. - In his first time fishing outside the state of Oklahoma, Royce Dennington outfished 53 other amateur anglers with a catch of 43 pounds of bass to win the BASS Federation Nation National Championship on Alabama's Lake Neely Henry.
The 39-year-old science teacher at Barnsdall (Okla.) High School beat South Carolina Federation Nation representative Brent Long by a mere 2 ounces. Dennington brought 14 pounds, 14 ounces to the scales on Friday, just enough to nudge Long from the leader's spot he had attained on Friday.
With the victory, Dennington earned one of six Federation Nation berths in the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, a spot in the Bassmaster Elite Series, $15,000 in cash, a fully rigged Triton boat valued at $50,000, and a guaranteed spot in the Bassmaster Open division of his choice.
"I wasn't even worried about winning this tournament," an elated Dennington said. "I just wanted to make the Classic. But this (first-place finish) is a nice surprise. This is just incredible."
Dennington earned his win by working a brown custom-made jig in 16 to 18 feet of water, focusing on just a few spots all three days of the championship event.
Although Long, 36, missed out on the victory by 2 ounces, he was not overly disappointed: He still qualified for his first Bassmaster Classic via his top finish in the Southern Division.
Finishing third in the three-day Federation Nation event was Texan Jimmy Johnson (39-7). He was followed by Japan's Shigeru Tsukiyama (38-1) and Maryland's Kevin Waterman (34-11).
Four other Federation Nation anglers will join Dennington and Long at the Classic because they also were victorious within their regional division. Tsukiyama of Tokyo was first in the Western Division; Waterman of La Plata., Md., emerged as the winner in the Mid-Atlantic Division; Chris Novack of Willington, Conn., was first in the Eastern Division; and Terry McWilliams of Greenfield, Ind., won in the Northern Division.
"I have been trying to get to the Classic through the Federation Nation since 1990," said McWilliams, who, like his fellow qualifiers, had to fish many tournaments to reach the Classic level of competition. "This is just a dream come true and I can't wait to get to the Classic."
The same day the six BASS Federation Nation anglers learned they'd be fishing the Classic, 12 aspiring young anglers earned the right to compete in the CastingKids National Championship, to be held concurrently with the Feb 23-25 Classic in Birmingham, Ala.
In the 7-10 age group, the six anglers who came out on top in their respective divisions were Dylan Monson (Northern) from Parkston, S.D.; April Floyd (Southern) from Okeechobee, Fla.; Sierra Voisin (Eastern) from Teeswater, Ontario; Douglas Neary (Mid-Atlantic) from Crofton, Md.; David Ashton (Western) from Boise, Idaho; and Shea Baumgartner (Central) from North Platte, Neb.
Six anglers also qualified from the 11-14 age group. They were Nicholas Neidige (Northern) from Seymour, Ind.; Jonathan Fleckenstein (Southern) from Sharpsburg, Ga.; Shauni Voisin (Eastern) from Teeswater, Ontario; Ryan Bush (Mid-Atlantic) from Big Stone Gap, Va.; Jeri Clark from Richland, Wash.; and Hunter King from North Platte, Neb.
2007 Federation Nation Championship 1/17-1/19
Neely Henry Lake, Gadsden AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Royce Dennington Barnsdall, OK 4 43-00 0
2. Brent Long Catawba, NC 5 42-14 0
3. Jimmy Johnson Ganado, TX 5 39-07 0
4. Shigeru Tsukiyama Tokyo JAPAN 5 38-01 0
5. Kevin Waterman Laplata, MD 4 34-11 0
6. David Kromm Kennewick, WA 5 33-00 0
7. Bryan Thrift Shelby, NC 5 32-10 0
8. Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 5 30-08 0
9. Jim Lambert Pittsburg, PA 5 30-04 0
10. Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 4 29-12 0
11. Mike Mattis Hudson, WI 5 29-09 0
12. Ivan Morris Virginia Beach, VA 1 27-01 0
13. Tim Runions New Tazewell, TN 5 26-00 0
14. Hoyt Akins Alexander, AR 2 25-09 0
15. Chris Novack Willington, CT 5 24-04 0
16. Jeff Brown Brandon, SD 4 23-11 0
16. Anre' De Villiers Goodwood SOUTH AFRICA 5 23-11 0
16. Mike Edrington Olathe, KS 2 23-11 0
19. David Junk Quincy, IL 3 23-10 0
20. Marco Rodriguez Nyssa, OR 4 23-04 0
21. Luke Payne Warsaw, MO 5 22-14 0
22. Scott Nadeau Springvale, ME 1 22-10 0
23. Dean Morris Tavares, FL 1 22-09 0
24. Gary Yexley Wilsonville, OR 4 22-00 0
25. Mike McDonald Llanda Bulawayo ZIMBABW 2 21-13 0
26. Pat Klausen Lincoln, NE 5 20-09 0
27. Bryan McNeal Enon, OH 3 20-05 0
28. Jim Severson Breezy Point, MN 4 20-02 0
29. Curtis Spindler Missoula, MT 3 19-14 0
29. Justin Nichols Tuscaloosa, AL 3 19-14 0
31. Martin De Kock Crammond SAMOA 4 18-01 0
32. Sean Alvarez Rutland, VT 0 17-06 0
33. Robert Laufenberg Dover, NJ 1 17-03 0
34. Joel St. Germain Cumberland, RI 3 16-10 0
35. Scott Lakey Augusta, MI 2 16-01 0
36. Bruce Shockley Hammond, LA 1 14-08 0
37. Les Underwood Louisville, KY 5 14-07 0
37. Alan Fluharty Fairmont, WV 2 14-07 0
39. David Porter Zephyrhills, FL 1 13-15 0
40. Ed Peterson Auburn, CA 2 13-01 0
41. Greg Pink Montrose, UT 3 12-13 0
42. Ken Larrabee Phoenix, AZ 3 11-05 0
43. Mark Rorke St Cathrines ONTARIO CA 0 11-02 0
44. Roberto Rondinini ITALY 1 09-09 0
45. John Gardner Durango, CO 3 09-05 0
46. Stephen Siddoway Teton, ID 1 09-01 0
47. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 1 06-15 0
48. Mark Adams Edgewood, NM 2 06-13 0
49. Eric Femiak Taunton, MA 2 06-07 0
50. Brian Morin Manchester, NH 2 05-15 0
51. Edgar Romero MEXICO 1 04-02 0
52. Marks Wilkinson Pearlington, MS 1 03-12 0
53. Pete Cherkas Des Moines, IA 1 02-05 0
54. Joseph Matt Syracuse, NY 0 01-08 0
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 20 168 384-07
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20 168 384-07
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
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State Lbs-Oz
1 Southern 69-08
2 Western 65-08
3 Central 66-09
4 Mid-Atlantic 48-00
5 Northern 53-11
6 Eastern 22-14
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
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Northern
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 4 29-12 0
2 Mike Mattis Hudson, WI 5 29-09 0
3 Jeff Brown Brandon, SD 4 23-11 0
4 David Junk Quincy, IL 3 23-10 0
5 Bryan McNeal Enon, OH 3 20-05 0
6 Jim Severson Breezy Point, MN 4 20-02 0
7 Scott Lakey Augusta, MI 2 16-01 0
8 Roberto Rondinini ITALY 1 09-09 0
9 Pete Cherkas Des Moines, IA 1 02-05 0
Central
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Royce Dennington Barnsdall, OK 4 43-00 0
2 Jimmy Johnson Ganado, TX 5 39-07 0
3 Hoyt Akins Alexander, AR 2 25-09 0
4 Mike Edrington Olathe, KS 2 23-11 0
5 Luke Payne Warsaw, MO 5 22-14 0
6 Pat Klausen Lincoln, NE 5 20-09 0
7 Bruce Shockley Hammond, LA 1 14-08 0
8 Edgar Romero MEXICO 1 04-02 0
9 Marks Wilkinson Pearlington, MS 1 03-12 0
Western
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Shigeru Tsukiyama Tokyo JAPAN 5 38-01 0
2 David Kromm Kennewick, WA 5 33-00 0
3 Marco Rodriguez Nyssa, OR 4 23-04 0
4 Gary Yexley Wilsonville, OR 4 22-00 0
5 Curtis Spindler Missoula, MT 3 19-14 0
6 Ed Peterson Auburn, CA 2 13-01 0
7 Greg Pink Montrose, UT 3 12-13 0
8 Ken Larrabee Phoenix, AZ 3 11-05 0
9 John Gardner Durango, CO 3 09-05 0
10 Stephen Siddoway Teton, ID 1 09-01 0
11 Mark Adams Edgewood, NM 2 06-13 0
Eastern
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Novack Willington, CT 5 24-04 0
2 Scott Nadeau Springvale, ME 1 22-10 0
3 Sean Alvarez Rutland, VT 0 17-06 0
4 Joel St. Germain Cumberland, RI 3 16-10 0
5 Mark Rorke St Cathrines ONTARIO CA 0 11-02 0
6 Eric Femiak Taunton, MA 2 06-07 0
7 Brian Morin Manchester, NH 2 05-15 0
8 Joseph Matt Syracuse, NY 0 01-08 0
Southern
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brent Long Catawba, NC 5 42-14 0
2 Bryan Thrift Shelby, NC 5 32-10 0
3 Tim Runions New Tazewell, TN 5 26-00 0
4 Anre' De Villiers Goodwood SOUTH AFRICA 5 23-11 0
5 Dean Morris Tavares, FL 1 22-09 0
6 Justin Nichols Tuscaloosa, AL 3 19-14 0
7 Martin De Kock Crammond SAMOA 4 18-01 0
8 Les Underwood Louisville, KY 5 14-07 0
9 David Porter Zephyrhills, FL 1 13-15 0
10 Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 1 06-15 0
Mid-Atlantic
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Waterman Laplata, MD 4 34-11 0
2 Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 5 30-08 0
3 Jim Lambert Pittsburg, PA 5 30-04 0
4 Ivan Morris Virginia Beach, VA 1 27-01 0
5 Mike McDonald Llanda Bulawayo ZIMBABW 2 21-13 0
6 Robert Laufenberg Dover, NJ 1 17-03 0
7 Alan Fluharty Fairmont, WV 2 14-07 0