Balentine And Loos Win High School Series Tournament At Harris Chain

January 23, 2022
High School Fishing Archive

LEESBURG, Fla. — Bryce Balentine and Dalton Loos of the Central Florida Youth Anglers employed a balanced game plan based on quantity and quality to win the Bassmaster High School Series tournament at Harris Chain of Lakes with a limit catch of 25 pounds, 6 ounces. Edging the second-place Sale Creek Anglers team of BJ Collins and Banks Shaw by a margin of 2-7, Balentine and Loos earned $770 each and a spot in the 2022 Bassmaster High School Series National Championship. (Dates and location TBA). Shaw and former partner Gage King won the 2021 National Championship. 

The winners spent their day in Lake Griffin and fished a 100-yard area of offshore grass in 9 to 10 feet. They chose their spot based on its seclusion and familiarity.

“We just wanted to get away from the crowd,” Loos said. “We’ve had history out there, so we went ahead and ran it.”

Balentine and Loos started their day fishing 1/2-ounce black/blue Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammers with green pumpkin swimbait trailers. Later in the day, they switched to a slow dragging presentation with Zoom Old Monster worms in the redbug and junebug colors Texas rigged on 5/0 hooks with 1/8-ounce weights. The ChatterBaits earned Balentine and Loos a limit by midday. Then when the emerging sun warmed the lake, those big worms allowed them to make significant upgrades. 

“When those fish are all lock-jawed, you put that big bait in front of them, they can’t resist it,” Balentine said.

Balentine, who placed third at last year’s event with Carson Russell, said it felt good to close out the win by fishing the same way he did in 2021. 

“I just stuck with my gut and did what I know,” he said. “This is the biggest tournament I’ve won. It means a lot. It’s awesome. I have jitters, I’m still shaking.”

Loos said their win was especially meaningful, following a very difficult practice. “I fished a whole day and caught no fish.”

Collins and Shaw also targeted Lake Griffin’s offshore grass and boated a limit of 22-15. They caught all of their fish on 3/4-ounce white and chartreuse Strike King spinnerbaits with large willow-leaf blades.

“We stuck with a spinnerbait all day because we knew we could get five of the right bites doing that,” Shaw said. “We actually ended up catching a lot of fish. We didn’t lose any fish, we didn’t miss any fish, we caught everything that bit.”

Collins said he and Shaw had fished their area in previous visits to the Harris Chain, so they felt comfortable that they knew how the fish would position. Shaw noted they consistently caught better fish by monitoring their Humminbird 360 to detect key features.

“It was definitely the grass that was a little bit higher,” Shaw said. “The grass could be 4 feet high right here and 5 feet high right there. We just used 360 and Garmin LiveScope to find those sweet spots that nobody else saw.”

Peyton Sorrow of the Eagle Eye Anglers fished alone and finished third with 16-11.

Seventh-place Benjamin Hester and Mason Caldwell of Rhea County High School won the big fish award for their 9-7.

2022 Bassmaster High School at Harris Chain of Lakes presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 1/23-1/23
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Bryce Balentine - Dalton Loos                Central Florida Youth Anglers         0
  Day 1: 5   25-06   Total:   5  25-06
2.  BJ Collins - Banks Shaw                      Sale Creek Anglers                    0
  Day 1: 5   22-15   Total:   5  22-15
3.  Peyton Sorrow -                              The Eagle Eye Anglers                 0
  Day 1: 5   16-11   Total:   5  16-11
4.  Kody Glass - Merrick Diaz                    Strawberry Crest High School          0
  Day 1: 5   16-00   Total:   5  16-00
5.  Mason Snider - Dalton Benson                 Mount Juliet Fishing                  0
  Day 1: 5   15-10   Total:   5  15-10
6.  Hunter Daniels - Joshua King                 Okeechobee High School                0
  Day 1: 5   14-15   Total:   5  14-15
7.  Benjamin Hester - Mason Caldwell             Rhea County High School               0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   Total:   5  14-13
8.  Kane Weekley - Trent Handley                 LaBelle High School                   0
  Day 1: 5   14-12   Total:   5  14-12
9.  Aaron Yavorsky - Jett Stanley                Tampa Bay Junior High School          0
  Day 1: 4   14-07   Total:   4  14-07
10. Chance Bryars - Noah Bryars                  Baldwin County High School            0
  Day 1: 5   13-14   Total:   5  13-14
11. Kasen Pemberton - Samuel Godwin              Sneads High School                    0
  Day 1: 5   13-05   Total:   5  13-05
12. Kaden Snavely - Logan Cardwell               Central Florida Youth Anglers (3      0
  Day 1: 5   13-04   Total:   5  13-04
13. Landon Rollison - Michael Hackle             dixie county high school              0
  Day 1: 5   13-03   Total:   5  13-03
14. Presley Lannom - Morgan Lannom               Mt Juliet Fishing                     0
  Day 1: 5   12-12   Total:   5  12-12
15. Anna Swisher - Ty Jackson                    Columbia High School                  0
  Day 1: 5   12-08   Total:   5  12-08
16. Brennan Starr - Jace Lacoss                  Nassau Christian Bass Club            0
  Day 1: 5   12-03   Total:   5  12-03
17. Konner West - Aiden Howard                   upstate high school anglers           0
  Day 1: 5   12-01   Total:   5  12-01
18. Cody Morgan - Brant Langley                  Marion County junior bassmasters      0
  Day 1: 4   11-11   Total:   4  11-11
19. Easton Drennon - Aaron Lane                  Mt. Juliet Fishing                    0
  Day 1: 5   11-07   Total:   5  11-07
20. Tucker Cook - Cooper Wilson                  Mount juliet                          0
  Day 1: 4   11-07   Total:   4  11-07
21. Logan Mcmasters - Colton Mcpeak              Okeechobee High School                0
  Day 1: 5   11-06   Total:   5  11-06
22. Alexander Tyler - Briley West                McKeel Junior Fishing Team            0
  Day 1: 5   11-02   Total:   5  11-02
23. Dawson Ettinger - Camren Teuton              Clay County High School BassMast      0
  Day 1: 5   10-13   Total:   5  10-13
24. Jeremy Monda - Will Boyd Jr                  Quincy Jr. Bassmasters (308)          0
  Day 1: 5   10-05   Total:   5  10-05
25. Kayden Waller - Luke Malik                   Mt. Juliet high school                0
  Day 1: 3   10-05   Total:   3  10-05
26. Drew Pitts - Luke Romesburg                  Steinbrenner High                     0
  Day 1: 5   10-03   Total:   5  10-03
27. Clayburn Reed - Gabe Richardson              Pasco High School                     0
  Day 1: 3   10-00   Total:   3  10-00
28. Braylan Tyler - Dakota Jones                 Franklin County High School           0
  Day 1: 5   09-15   Total:   5  09-15
29. Miles Smith - Casen Rogers                   Central Lafourche High School         0
  Day 1: 4   09-15   Total:   4  09-15
30. Drew Bradstreet - Kamden Bradstreet          Seminole Junior Anglers               0
  Day 1: 5   09-13   Total:   5  09-13
31. Brett Mouw - Danny Schlenbecker              The Hill Toppers                      0
  Day 1: 4   09-12   Total:   4  09-12
32. William Cothran - Taedem Ashworth            Mt. Pleasant High School              0
  Day 1: 2   09-12   Total:   2  09-12
33. Lainie Holbert - Sarah Swindle               Riverside Bass Team                   0
  Day 1: 4   09-04   Total:   4  09-04
34. Braxton Johnson - Braxton Williams           Columbia High School (439)            0
  Day 1: 3   09-04   Total:   3  09-04
35. Joe Vaulton - Walker LaRue                   Alcoa High School (644)               0
  Day 1: 5   09-01   Total:   5  09-01
36. Tanner Seabolt - Emmett Sumner               Okeechobee Brahmans                   0
  Day 1: 5   09-00   Total:   5  09-00
37. Makenzie Bailey - Dalton Bailey              Winter Springs High School            0
  Day 1: 5   08-15   Total:   5  08-15
38. Levi Thibodaux - Jace Andras                 Lafourche Bassmaster                  0
  Day 1: 3   08-13   Total:   3  08-13
39. Nathan Reynolds -                            Backwoods Bassin                      0
  Day 1: 4   08-11   Total:   4  08-11
40. Hudson Choquette - Cal McInnis               Headland High School                  0
  Day 1: 5   08-09   Total:   5  08-09
41. Mateo Gaylord - Kayden DePeal                Tavares HS                            0
  Day 1: 5   08-06   Total:   5  08-06
41. Andon Goins -                                Rhea County High School               0
  Day 1: 5   08-06   Total:   5  08-06
43. Remington Potter - Caden Branch              LC Anglers                            0
  Day 1: 4   08-04   Total:   4  08-04
44. Derek Davis - Connor Jaco                    Mt.Pleasant Bass Team                 0
  Day 1: 3   08-00   Total:   3  08-00
45. Dylan Holcomb - Grayson Faircloth            Liberty County Anglers                0
  Day 1: 3   07-14   Total:   3  07-14
46. Conner Frederick - Timothy Finley            Nassau Christian Bass Club            0
  Day 1: 3   07-12   Total:   3  07-12
47. Luke Lowery - Connor Rumohr                  Howell High School                    0
  Day 1: 5   07-10   Total:   5  07-10
48. Chase Bryan - Wyatt Bryan                    Saraland High School                  0
  Day 1: 3   07-09   Total:   3  07-09
49. Jake Ellis - Tyler Goethals                  Central Florida Youth Anglers Hi      0
  Day 1: 4   07-03   Total:   4  07-03
50. Brodie Stuart - Brock Johnson                Oak Grove High School                 0
  Day 1: 3   07-00   Total:   3  07-00
51. Annie Lassiter - Jameson Pursley             warren county pioneer anglers         0
  Day 1: 5   06-13   Total:   5  06-13
51. Brendin Simich - Sam Dameron                 Oak Mountain High School              0
  Day 1: 5   06-13   Total:   5  06-13
53. Will Hughes - Corbin Olsson                  East Grand Rapids                     0
  Day 1: 5   06-12   Total:   5  06-12
54. Carter Nutt - John Nutt                      Sale Creek                            0
  Day 1: 5   06-10   Total:   5  06-10
55. Asher Peters - James Quinlivan               Headland High School                  0
  Day 1: 3   06-10   Total:   3  06-10
56. Thomas Wright - Carter Burdette              Seminole Junior High School Angl      0
  Day 1: 3   06-09   Total:   3  06-09
57. Evan Newell - Michael Teate                  Mid Florida Youth Anglers             0
  Day 1: 5   06-08   Total:   5  06-08
58. Kai Barnett - Justin Straate                 Shelby County High School             0
  Day 1: 5   06-06   Total:   5  06-06
59. Colton Walker - Declan Hurst                 Capital City Basshunters              0
  Day 1: 4   06-04   Total:   4  06-04
60. Charles Tillberg - Tyger Whitman             steinbrenner                          0
  Day 1: 4   06-03   Total:   4  06-03
61. Sailor Whitehead - Luke Bramhall             Rileys. Catch                         0
  Day 1: 4   06-02   Total:   4  06-02
62. Logan Withrow - Braden Crumley               Chilhowee Bassmasters                 0
  Day 1: 2   05-13   Total:   2  05-13
63. Carson Aarup - Kyle Smith                    Downeast Fishing                      0
  Day 1: 5   05-11   Total:   5  05-11
64. Trey Woliver - Brandon Ward                  Heritage High School                  0
  Day 1: 3   05-11   Total:   3  05-11
65. Carson Falk - Eli Mcdaniel                   Capital City Bass Hunters             0
  Day 1: 3   05-10   Total:   3  05-10
66. Cole Edwards - Seth Stubblefield             DAR High School                       0
  Day 1: 5   05-09   Total:   5  05-09
67. Jack Hay - Jakob Stamper                     howell high school                    0
  Day 1: 3   05-06   Total:   3  05-06
68. Laindree Richardson - Gannon Stork           Benton High School                    0
  Day 1: 2   05-06   Total:   2  05-06
69. Drew Walters - Jacob Gilliard                Apopka High School                    0
  Day 1: 3   05-05   Total:   3  05-05
70. Cooper Hughes - Raymond Sanderfer            West port high school                 0
  Day 1: 2   05-04   Total:   2  05-04
71. Jace Akers - Cody Mullis                     Palatka High School                   0
  Day 1: 3   05-03   Total:   3  05-03
72. Kaitlyn Johnson - Amber Rourks               Columbia High School                  0
  Day 1: 2   05-03   Total:   2  05-03
73. Austin Young - Jared Bullock                 Highlands County Anglers              0
  Day 1: 3   05-02   Total:   3  05-02
74. Caleb Hammock - Carter Herndon Stalvey       plant city bassmasters                0
  Day 1: 4   05-00   Total:   4  05-00
75. Jacob Hodge - Henry Garett                   Greenbrier Fishing Team               0
  Day 1: 3   04-12   Total:   3  04-12
76. Nick Claussen -                              Central Florida Youth Anglers Hi      0
  Day 1: 2   04-12   Total:   2  04-12
76. Langston Martin - Coleman Mezick             Lee County Anglers                    0
  Day 1: 2   04-12   Total:   2  04-12
78. Carter Pjesky - JD McBroom                   Kaneland High School                  0
  Day 1: 3   04-11   Total:   3  04-11
79. Cayman Scott - Cooper Shaffett               Central High School                   0
  Day 1: 3   04-10   Total:   3  04-10
80. Tyson Verkaik - Claude Loftin                Marion County High School Bassma      0
  Day 1: 1   04-06   Total:   1  04-06
81. Chase Woodham - Carson Deloney               Rehobeth High School                  0
  Day 1: 3   04-03   Total:   3  04-03
82. Owen Hershberger - Wyatt Giddens             Sebring High School                   0
  Day 1: 3   03-15   Total:   3  03-15
83. Jacob Anderson - Zander Marroquin            Hendry County Bass Masters            0
  Day 1: 2   03-12   Total:   2  03-12
84. Hunter Turner - Felix Flores                 LaBelle High School                   0
  Day 1: 2   03-10   Total:   2  03-10
85. Cayden Redd - Jack Helms                     Rehobeth High School                  0
  Day 1: 3   03-08   Total:   3  03-08
86. Charlie Mathis - Sheltin Varnon              Dixie county high school              0
  Day 1: 2   03-08   Total:   2  03-08
86. Cassie Mcnutt - Mason Melton                 Mt Juliet High School                 0
  Day 1: 2   03-08   Total:   2  03-08
88. Jaxon Melancon - Fletcher Brasington         Headland High School                  0
  Day 1: 1   03-05   Total:   1  03-05
89. Talan Leith - Bryson Glover                  Chapman High School                   0
  Day 1: 1   03-00   Total:   1  03-00
90. Brody Shepherd - Parker Myers                Rehobeth High School                  0
  Day 1: 2   02-15   Total:   2  02-15
90. Braden Watson - Logan Deloney                Rehobeth High School                  0
  Day 1: 2   02-15   Total:   2  02-15
92. Austin Mairena - Dylan Quilatan              Seminole County High School Angl      0
  Day 1: 1   02-15   Total:   1  02-15
93. Brantley Tate - Tyler Covington              Walker High School                    0
  Day 1: 2   02-12   Total:   2  02-12
94. Will Travis - Colton Teffer                  Rhea County High                      0
  Day 1: 1   02-11   Total:   1  02-11
95. Wayland Adkisson - Clayton George            BGA High School                       0
  Day 1: 2   02-10   Total:   2  02-10
96. Drake Middleton -                            Riverside high school                 0
  Day 1: 1   02-09   Total:   1  02-09
97. Barrett Choquette - Hayden Buchanan          Headland High School                  0
  Day 1: 1   02-05   Total:   1  02-05
98. Jabe Herring - Zibe McKenzie                 Dixie County High School              0
  Day 1: 2   02-03   Total:   2  02-03
99. Austin Benson - Brendan Brown                Mount Juliet                          0
  Day 1: 1   01-13   Total:   1  01-13
100. Evan Powell - Kolby Angell                   Iowa youth fishing league             0
  Day 1: 2   01-10   Total:   2  01-10
101. Max Himmel - Tyler Morris                    Catholic High School of Baton Ro      0
  Day 1: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
101. Cade Walock - Brady Smith                    Central High School                   0
  Day 1: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
103. Briar Dodson - Chris Fallon                  Gardendale High                       0
  Day 1: 1   01-08   Total:   1  01-08
104. Nathan Bennett - Johnathan Clark             Seminole Junior Anglers               0
  Day 1: 1   01-06   Total:   1  01-06
104. Ben Puckett - Jesse Klutts                   Henry County High School (236)        0
  Day 1: 1   01-06   Total:   1  01-06
106. Brentlea Rodgers - Logan Evans               Soddy Daisy High School (552)         0
  Day 1: 1   00-13   Total:   1  00-13
107. Kyle Beasley -                               George Jenkins HS                     0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Tyler Boston - Devin Gonzalez                Columbia High School                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Bryce Dimauro - Justin Lawrence              Seminole Junior Anglers               0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Wyatt Drawdy - Tyson Griffin                 plant city bassmasters                0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Latt Durrance - Zack Zainitzer               Okeechobee  High School               0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Rylan Green - Alex Bradley                   Chapman High School                   0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Mason Grose - Sailor McKinney                Nicholas County High School           0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Bryson Hatcher - Harlyn Nelson               Wb                                    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Jason Haynes - Isaac Dorland                 Marion County Youth Bassmasters       0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Nolan Holloway - Jackson Fanning             Morgan county high school             0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Eddie Hook - Evan Naile                      South Lake High School                0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Ben Howard - Jason Burchfield                Southwestern High School              0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Caleb Jackson - Evrett Hunter                Nassau Christian Bass Club            0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Mo Katz - Conner Fair                        Headland Bass Team                    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Ryder Krueger - Carson Yero                  parrish community high school         0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Tyler Loudon - Dylan Kreps                   Johnston High School                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Jack Myers - Joseph Cotromano                 Nassau Christian                     0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Riley North - Karson Peterman                Rehobeth High School                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Jace Patton - Spencer White                  Rhea Eagle Anglers                    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Jack Peeler - Cole Davis                     Tampa Bay Junior Bass Club (338)      0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Bracky Pfeuffer - Logan Tennant              Tampa Bay Highschool                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Ryan Quinn - Gary Ray                        Auburndale High School                0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Cole Rountree - Cooper Bishman               Central Florida Youth Anglers (6      0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Gabriel Sanders - Colby Sloan                Chilhowee Bassmasters                 0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Chance Shelby -                              Live Oak High School                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Houston Snell - Logan Kirkland               Rehobeth High School                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Parker Stalvey - Jacob Deel                  Clay High School                      0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Conner Swindle - Max Lofton                  Clewiston High school                 0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Lane Vitelli - Quentin Silas                 Plant City High School (495)          0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Robert Warwick - Honor Parker Flanders       Palatka  High School                  0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Cambre Webb - Dakota Skipper                 Silliman Fishing                      0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Tanner Wolf - Kyle Grieshaber                Central Florida youth anglers (4      0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
107. Aaron Woodard - Levi Reynolds                Auburndale High school                0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
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BIG BASS OF TOURN
     Benjamin Hester          Spring City, TN     09-07          $0.00
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Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        39       364       803-14
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          39       364       803-14