SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 12, 2022) – The Kaneland High School team of Jake Mantovani of Naperville, Illinois, and Carter Pjesky of Sugar Grove, Illinois, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Open tournament at Lake Erie.
A field of 40 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from the Shelby Street Public Boat Launch in Sandusky. In MLF and The Bass Federation (TBF) High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top four teams that advanced to the 2023 High School Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Kaneland High School, Maple Park, Ill. – Jake Mantovani, Naperville, Ill., and Carter Pjesky of Sugar Grove, Ill., five bass, 16-2
2nd: Nordonia High School, Northfield, Ohio – Tyler Lewis, Macedonia, Ohio, and Brody Thompson, Rogers, Ohio, five bass, 15-4
3rd: Black Swamp Bass Club, Ohio – Kyle Johnson, Helena, Ohio, and Carson Kellogg, Junction City, Ohio, five bass, 14-10
4th: Jackson Bass Fishing, Jackson, Mich. – Ryan Hamlin and Jack Swihart, both of Jackson, Mich., five bass, 14-4
Rounding out the top 10 teams were:
5th: Black Swamp Bass Club, Ohio – Mackenzie Muntz, Helena, Ohio, and Gavin Sanderson, Tiffin, Ohio, five bass, 14-2
6th: Hopewell-Loudon High School, Bascom, Ohio – Mathew Flores, Fostoria, Ohio, and Caine McDonald, Tiffin, Ohio, five bass, 13-14
7th: Perry High School, Perry, Ohio – Tommy Angelucci, Concord, Ohio, and Julia Miller, Perry, Ohio, five bass, 13-11
8th: Hartleys Hawgs Bass Club, Ohio – Ryan Pardi, Worthington, Ohio, and Mason Smith, Ashville, Ohio, five bass, 13-9
9th: Wheelersburg High School, Wheelersburg, Ohio – Braxton Howard and Matthew Strickland, both of Portsmouth, Ohio, five bass, 12-14
10th: Northwest Ohio Junior Bassmasters – Tristan Dix, Defiance, Ohio, and Daniel Ruhe, Maumee, Ohio, five bass, 12-9
Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com