EATONTON — Ware County High School will have at least two teams at the GHSA state bass fishing tournament the first Saturday in May.
The two-person teams of Evan Geiger and Mason Tyre and Cody Gay and Clary Kinnon earned their spots during the season- opening qualifier held February 8 on Lake Oconee.
The event was the first of the year. Winter Storm Enzo cancelled the January 25 tourney scheduled for Lake Seminole. Due to the cancellation, GHSA qualified the top eight two-man teams into the finals who were registered to participate at Lake Seminole.
Two more qualifiers remain with the next scheduled for March 8 at Clarks Hill and the finale April 5 at West Point.
There were 247 registered boats with 494 registered student anglers vying at Lake Oconee. Coffee High’s Hoyt English and Jake Grantham captured the event totaling 17 lbs., 10 oz., with their limit of five bass. Thirty-six teams finished with 10 lbs., 2 oz. or better with a total of 1,225 lbs., 15 oz., for the 612 bass caught.
A total of 183 teams landed at least one fish with 64 teams being blanked.
Geiger and Mason placed 23rd in the field with five bass weighing 10 lb.s, 15 oz. The Gay-McKninnon tandem placed 37th with five fish weighting 9 lbs., 13 oz.
Grant Geiger and Colt Cox were 44th with a weight of 9 lbs., 8 oz. for their five bass. Brody Jeffers and Sage Delk finished 82nd with a weight of 6 lbs., 15 oz., for four fish. Kolton Taft and Andrew Wilson placed 85th with 6 lbs., 11 oz., for four fish.
Brantley County’s team of Benjamin Carter and Carter Steed also qualified for the state finals finishing 25th with five bass weighing 10 lbs., 11 oz.
Hayden Hickox and Brysen Chancey placed 62nd with 8 lbs., 1 oz. for four fish. Randy Johns and Payton Hanchey finished 77th with 7 lbs., 4 oz. for four fish.
Ryder Todd and Memphis Stewart was 127th with 4 lbs., 10 oz. for two bass. Eli Crawford and Koby McLeod placed 183rd with one fish weighing 14 ounces.
