JEFFERSON, TEXAS, (May 14, 2018) – Arkansas’ Bentonville High School duo of Josh Gray and Jackson O’Shea brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 11 ounces to win the FLW High School Fishing Lake O’ the Pines tournament in Jefferson, Texas. The win advanced the team to the 2018 High School Fishing National championship, held June 26-30, on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama.
According to post-tournament reports, the duo caught their limit flipping hyrdrilla mats north of the Highway 155 bridge with a green-pumpkin-colored Yamamoto Senko.
A field of 48 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from the Lakeside Recreation Area in Jefferson. In FLW/TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top four teams on Lake O’ the Pines that advanced to the 2018 High School Fishing National Championship were:
1st: Bentonville High School, Bentonville, Ark. – Josh Gray and Jackson O’Shea, both of Little Flock, Ark., five-bass, 16-11
2nd: Harleton High School, Harleton, Texas – Landon Degner, Diana, Texas, and Jacob Holder, Marshall, Texas, five bass, 15-10
3rd: Parkway High School, Bossier City, La. – Taylor Williams and Nick Cannon, both of Bossier City, La., five bass, 14-9
4th: Choctaw High School, Choctaw, Okla. – Samuel Kramer and Loghan Stevens, both of Choctaw, Okla., five bass, 13-14
Rounding out the top 10 teams were:
5th: Atlanta High School, Atlanta, Texas – Clayton Primrose, Queen City, Texas, and Garon Dupree, Bevins, Texas., five bass, 13-13
6th: Rockwall-Heath High School, Heath, Texas – Hunter Alexander and Ben Cully, both of Rockwall, Texas, five bass, 13-8
7th: Hallsville High School, Harrison County, Texas – Neal Covington and Ty Kennedy, both of Gilmer, Texas, five bass, 13-4
8th: Calvary Baptist Academy, Shreveport, La. – Tyler Richardson, Shreveport, La., and Thatcher Ellender, Bossier City, La., five bass 13-1
9th: West Sabine High School, Pineland, Texas – Hunter Muncrief, Pineland, Texas, and Landen McCary, Bronson, Texas, five bass, 13-0
10th: Hallsville High School, Harrison County, Texas – Dylan Cunningham, Longview, Texas, and Taven Jackel, Marshall, Texas, five bass, 12-14