The JHS bass fishing team has had a busy, successful 2023 fall season. With top five finishes and the team breaking personal records, they continue to learn at every chance and carry over that new-found information to the future. Ranked 12th in the state of Illinois in the ICASSTT team of the year standings, anglers only strive to improve at every tournament.
Each year there are 15 tournaments that can lead teams to qualify for the ICASSTT “Clash” state championship. As of right now, the team has two pairs of students on pace to participate in the “Clash” championship. These two teams are senior Cannon Suter and junior Case Hembrough, as well as sophomore Adrian Evans and freshman Nolan Baker.
When asked, the head coach of the team Mr. Perkins said that some of the most memorable moments of this season have been Adrian and Nolan earning a 5th place finish at Lake Jacksonville, along with Cannon and Case securing a 4th and 3rd place finish at Lake Springfield and Lake Kincaid.
A lake that the team has had a very good reputation with is Lake Sangchris, leading the team to many wins and second place finishes over the last five years. This lake has had a lot of good turnout. The team can also be seen as very competitive at Lake Springfield. When asked about the requirements for success, Mr. Perkins answered, “Winning is based on skill. Anglers and coaches need to know where the fish will be at that moment in time, and they have to be able to present baits that will cause the fish to bite. Luck does not play into it.”
Although the bass team doesn’t feel as though they get enough recognition through the school announcements, they have plenty of support from their surrounding community. Each member of the team is very fortunate to have so many individuals that help make their team so competitive.