GROVE, Okla. (Oct. 22, 2018) – The Oklahoma Student Angler Federation duo of Owen Williams, Afton, Oklahoma, and Easton Hitt, Bella Vista, Arkansas, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 14 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Grand Lake Open.
A field of 68 teams competed in the no-entry-fee tournament, which launched from Grove City Ramp at Wolf Creek Park. In FLW/TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
According to the post-tournament report, Williams and Hitt caught their fish flipping ledges and docks on the lower end of the lake using green-pumpkin-colored, football-headed jigs.
The top six teams on Grand Lake that advanced to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship were:
1st: Oklahoma Student Angler Federation – Owen Williams, Afton, Okla., and Easton Hitt, Bella Vista, Ark. five bass, 14-5
2nd: Ketchum High School, Ketchum, Okla. – Austin Chandler and Ty Bishop, both of Ketchum, Okla., five bass, 12-7, $600
3rd: Vinita High School, Vinita, Okla. – Tyler Lake and Jesse Woodward, both of Vinita, Okla., five bass, 10-12
4th: Rogers County Bass Anglers – James Cagle and Jordan Gotcher, both of Claremore, Okla., five bass, 10-8
5th: Mannford High School, Mannford, Okla. – Charley Williams and Joseph Case, both of Mannford, Okla., five bass, 9-1
6th: Jenks High School, Jenks, Okla. – Jake Peck, Tulsa, Okla., and Garrison Snedon, Jenks, Okla., four bass, 8-7
Rounding out the top 10 teams were:
7th: Deer Creek High School, Oklahoma County, Okla. – Lane Whitsell and Davis Greaud, both of Edmond, Okla., five bass, 8-6
8th: Branson High School, Branson, Mo. – Skyler McGrath, Branson, Mo., and Keegan Barber, Reed Spring, Mo., two bass, 7-10
9th: Broken Arrow High School, Broken Arrow, Okla. – Michael Reiss and Max Klein, both of Broken Arrow, Okla., four bass, 7-9
10th: Rogers County Bass Anglers – Dakota Page, Catoosa, Okla., and Bryce Page, Claremore, Okla., three bass, 7-2, $200