Mississippi Teenagers Win Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open Bass Tournament

Caleb Gatwood and Cayden Soberoski of Oak Grove High School in Mississippi catch 14 pounds, 4 ounces to win the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open on Toledo Bend Reservoir out of Many, La., Monday.

June 20, 2016

Mississippi Teenagers Win Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open Bass Tournament

MANY, La. — Caleb Gatwood and Cayden Soberoski came to the Costa Bassmaster High School Series Central Open looking to qualify for a spot in the Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship tournament in August.

The young duo from Oak Grove (Miss.) High School did that and more on Monday on Toledo Bend Reservoir — they also won the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open.

And they did so in truly unique fashion, by only bringing three bass to the scales. However, two of those three fish were the hogs Toledo Bend is known for producing. Gatwood caught a 6-pound, 8-ounce lunker, and he followed it up with another that weighed 6-5.

Soberoski hooked his team’s final fish of the day; a small one that only weighed 1-7, but it could be considered the most important fish of all. Had he not boated that bass, the Mississippi teenagers still would have qualified for nationals, but they wouldn’t have clinched the Central Open.

Their 14-pound, 4-ounce total was enough to win first place in the tournament, and also $1,000 for the Oak Grove High School team. In all, 98 teams of anglers from 10 different states took part in the competition. The Top 10 teams earned spots in the national championship on Kentucky Lake in early August, and the Top 13 duos won money for their prep squads.

“We were hoping we’d get a top position, but with only three fish, I was nervous,” Gatwood, a 17-year old incoming senior, said. “It’s a high school tournament, so you don’t expect 25-pound bags everywhere, but you’d think you’d see one. I was thinking we had a shot (to win,) but it was slim.”

The Mississippi-based squad got off to a hot start early on Toledo Bend. Between 8:30-9:15 a.m., Gatwood hooked his two big fish on a shaky head jig with a long magnum finesse worm on it. He was fishing in about 30 feet of water off points, and casting toward an underwater hump in about 25 feet.

Then things went quiet for the boys, as the sun beat down relentlessly in the Louisiana afternoon. They caught a fish that was a throwback, but in the final 15 minutes, Soberoski boated the 1-7 bass that made all the difference.

“I finally caught a fish, and it was the fish that kept us in first place,” Soberoski said. “Normally I fish decent in deep water, but I had a tough day. I was fishing a Carolina rig, but wasn’t getting much action at all.”

Gatwood and Soberoski weighed in relatively early on Monday at Cypress Bend Park, and after assuming the hot seat, they stayed there until the very end. With many teams weighing behind them, they chatted nervously at times and stared intently at other anglers’ bags as they were brought to the stage.

It was only when the last pair of anglers brought just over 3 pounds to the scales that Gatwood and Soberoski knew they had won the Central Open.

Now, they turn their attention to Kentucky Lake. Soberoski, a 16-year old rising junior at Oak Grove (which is located just outside of Hattiesburg, Miss.,) said he’s never been to nationals, and is relishing the chance.

“I’m stoked,” he said. “I know it’s going to be fun.”

“This is really nice,” Gatwood said. “Winning here is great, but I want one in Kentucky too.”

The Top 10 teams after Gatwood and Soberoski were second, Dailus Richardson and Trevor McKinney of Benton (Ill.) High School, 13-13; third (tie) Will Moffett and Kyle McCormick of Franklin County (Miss.), and Hunter Muncrief and Landen McCary of West Sabine Bass Club (Texas), 12-9; fifth, Ben Abraham, Alexandria (La.) Senior High School 12-5; sixth, Grant Bourque and Ethan Smart of Ascension (La.) Anglers, 12-2; seventh, Kole Greer and Kyler Radford of North DeSoto (La.) High School, 11-14; eighth, Stephen Whitlow and Jared Young of Sarasota (Fla.) High School, 11-14; ninth, Wesley Holt and Colby Miller of Oak Hill (La.) High School, 10-13; 10th, Kyle Everett and Dustin Wellman of DeRidder (La.) High School, 10-11.

Richardson and McKinney — both members of the 2016 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team — had already qualified for the national championship, as had the 11th place team of Laura Ann Foshee and Reid Connor of Gardendale (Ala.) High. That meant the last qualifying spot for nationals was awarded to Noah Sowell and Charles Lee Proctor of Hemphill (Texas) High, who placed 12th at Toledo Bend with a four-fish catch of 9-14.

Bourque landed the big bass of the tournament with a 6-15 largemouth.

STANDINGS BOATER DAY 1Toledo Bend Reservoir – Cypress Bend Park – Many, LA6/20/2016 – 6/20/2016Costa Bassmaster High School Series Central

Today’s Activity# Fish Lbs – OzAccumulativeName # Live # Fish # Live Lbs – Oz1 Caleb Gatwood – Cayden Soberoski Oak Grove High School 3 3 14- 4 3 3 14- 42 Dailus Richardson – Trevor McKinney Benton High School 5 5 13-13 5 5 13-133 Will Moffett – Kyle McCormick Franklin County High School 5 5 12- 9 5 5 12- 93 Hunter Muncrief – Landen McCary West Sabine Bass Club 5 5 12- 9 5 5 12- 95 Ben Abraham – Alexandria Senior High School 5 5 12- 5 5 5 12- 56 Grant Bourque – Ethan Smart Ascension Anglers 4 4 12- 2 4 4 12- 27 Kole Greer – Kyler Radford North Desoto High School 5 4 11-14 5 4 11-148 Stephen Whitlow – Jared Young Sarasota High School 4 2 11-14 4 2 11-149 Wesley Holt – Colby Miller Oak Hill High School 5 5 10-13 5 5 10-1310 Kyle Everett – Dustin Wellman DeRidder High School 4 4 10-11 4 4 10-1111 Laura Ann Foshee – Reid Connor Gardendale High School 5 4 10- 2 5 4 10- 212 Noah Sowell – Charles Lee Proctor Hemphill High School 4 4 9-14 4 4 9-1413 Christopher Keeble – Micah Bryant Lenoir City High School Bass Club 3 3 9- 6 3 3 9- 614 Jonathan Suttle – Gavin Deshotels Sulphur High School 5 5 9- 0 5 5 9- 015 Tyler Songy – Spencer Mullen Archbishop Rummel HS 5 5 8- 8 5 5 8- 816 River Lee – Colby Vinyard Rains High School 4 4 8- 8 4 4 8- 817 Logan Shelton – Peyton Trimm Northside High School 5 5 8- 7 5 5 8- 718 Christopher Capdeboscq – Dillon Wilson Northlake Christian 5 5 8- 0 5 5 8- 019 Logan Chaney – Matthew Myers David Thibodaux Bass Team 5 5 7-14 5 5 7-1420 Thomas Wiggins – Cody Hamous Natchitoches Central High School 4 4 7-11 4 4 7-1121 Dane Humbles – Graham Pearson Alexandria Senior High School 4 4 7- 9 4 4 7- 922 Stevie Stephens – Josh Carpenter Petal High School Bassmasters 2 2 7- 6 2 2 7- 623 Hadden Lummus – Reese McGraw Hemphill High School 3 3 7- 4 3 3 7- 424 Nathan Mitchell – Hayden Simon Sam Houston High School 4 4 6-10 4 4 6-1025 Darren Lowe – Richard Bennett Hemphill High School 2 1 6- 8 2 1 6- 826 Bryden Herring – Spencer Higginbotham Franklin County High School 3 2 5-14 3 2 5-1427 Kaleb Sessions – Kameron Johnson Brandon High School 3 3 5-12 3 3 5-1228 Eric Noyes – Mason Mitchell Broken Arrow Fishing Team 1 1 5- 7 1 1 5- 729 Joseph Bruener – Hunter Curry Douglass HS Fishing Team 3 3 5- 5 3 3 5- 530 Tony Falcinelli – Bret Sorrells Denton High School 2 2 5- 5 2 2 5- 531 Dayton Hawkins – Dalton Adams Sanger High School Bass Team 1 1 5- 4 1 1 5- 432 Samuel Bergeron – Andres Barletta Ascension Anglers 3 3 5- 3 3 3 5- 333 Chase Hopkins – William Dewil Hornbeck High School 2 2 5- 1 2 2 5- 134 Hunter Courvelle – Alex Erickson Sam Houston High School 3 3 4-15 3 3 4-1534 Tucker Roe – Taylor Coutee Natchitoches Central High School 3 3 4-15 3 3 4-1536 Dylan McDowell – Dawson McDowell Jena High School 2 2 4-13 2 2 4-1337 Trevor Hadden – Jared Abbott Central High School 3 3 4-10 3 3 4-1037 Dayten Schureman – Tommy Sendek Arizona BN HS Club 3 3 4-10 3 3 4-1039 Griffin Gatwood – Layne Jacobs Oak Grove High School 2 2 4-10 2 2 4-1040 Alec Louque – Sully Laiche Lutcher High School 3 3 4- 9 3 3 4- 941 Tyler Pate – Andrew Vosbury North DeSoto High School 2 2 4- 6 2 2 4- 642 Christian Mathews – Cole Ward North DeSoto High School 2 2 4- 0 2 2 4- 043 Karli Carpenter – Cade Crow Livingston Parish Bassmasters 2 2 3-13 2 2 3-1344 Mason Ferachi – Evan Ruiz Walker High School 2 2 3-12 2 2 3-1245 Nicholas Wiggins – Wes Rollo Natchitoches Central High School 2 2 3- 9 2 2 3- 946 Connor Nimrod – Dylan Nimrod Desoto Bass Team 2 2 3- 8 2 2 3- 847 Taylor Corley – Ashley Waugh Hemphill High School 2 2 3- 6 2 2 3- 648 Ethan Cruze – Carlo Castiglione Sam Houston High School 2 2 3- 3 2 2 3- 349 Ashley Batey – Kyle Little Pineville High School 2 2 2-14 2 2 2-1450 Will May – John Ladd Herrin HS Fishing Tigers 2 2 2-13 2 2 2-1351 Daulton Waldrop – Hayden Jarrett D’Iberville HS Warrior 1 1 2- 8 1 1 2- 852 Taylor Cobb – Mathew Fruge North Desoto High School 2 2 2- 4 2 2 2- 453 Jonathon Wilburn – Connor Jones Guntersville High School 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 454 Garrett Brown – Brandon Craig North DeSoto High School 1 1 2- 0 1 1 2- 055 Braden Blanchard – Cade Fortenberry Ascension Anglers 1 1 1-13 1 1 1-1355 John Trammel – Justin Garsee Hemphill High School 1 1 1-13 1 1 1-1357 Bryce Bullock – Blake Bullock Oak Grove High School 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-1258 Gabe Dumatrait – Dylan Friloux Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-1059 Cason Lewis – Grant Cooper Pineville High School 1 1 1- 9 1 1 1- 959 Colin Rabalais – Saint Michaels 1 1 1- 9 1 1 1- 961 Kyle McAllen – Dawson Cranford North DeSoto High School 1 1 1- 5 1 1 1- 562 Annabelle Guins – Hayden Williams Sam Houston High School 1 1 1- 3 1 1 1- 363 Jack Alexander – Jake Hollingsworth Oak Grove High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Logan Anderson – Dustin Howell Natchitoches Central High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Zach Anderson – Peyton Burford North DeSoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Levi Areno – Casey Trosclair Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Greyson Benoit – Saige Hessifer Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Jacob Boyer – John Paul Allen Oak Grove High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Brock Bradley – Conner Peveto Sulpher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Colby Breaux – Noah Trahan Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Ethan Brooks – Lain Letchworth Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Blake Broome – Dawson Lomax Oak Grove High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 DJ Conder – Max Thomas Broken Arrow Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Grant Debetaz – David Thibodaux Bass Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 John Edwards – Luke Herring North DeSoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Jeremy Evans – Saint Michaels 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Hunter Gould – Hayden Gould Sulpher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Ronan Graham – Phelan Graham Sanger High School Bass Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Jackson Hall – Devin Bushland Arlington Martin High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Chase Hiesler – Cullman High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Ethan Howe – Maguire Parker North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Lane Kennedy – Logan Burke Hallsville High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Pierce LaFleur – Christian Holt South Beauregard HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Jacob Lovelady – Zachary Faircloth North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Ian Madere – Jordan Davenport East Baton Rouge Bassmasters 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Ryan Malone – Drake Young Sulphur High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Keigan Maturin – Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Caleb Mayers – Dane Balfantz Ascension Anglers 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Gavin McAllister – Brandon Louviere Lutcher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Jason McMillan – Kyle Lott Walker High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Erin Meeks – Sydney Peterson North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Cole Moore – Tristen Nicholas Anacoco High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Ryan Neal – Travis Kring Anacoco High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Hunter Owens – Timothy Giddens Natchitoches Central High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Devin Prine – Blaine Marks Buna High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Houston Smith – Cole Smith Parklane Academy 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Christian Stampley – Payton Mays Sulpher High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 063 Brett Wray – Kasey Anderson North Desoto High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0Name City,State Lbs-OzBIG BASSDay1 Grant Bourque – Ethan SmartPrairieville, LA 6-15Day # Live Lbs-Oz # LimitsTOTALS# Fish1 175 169 378-12 12Today’s Activity# Fish Lbs – OzAccumulativeName # Live # Fish # Live Lbs – Oz

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