The following Patrick County High School fishing teams have qualified for the Virginia High School BASS State tournament at Buggs Island in April: for the Senior Division, ages 15-18: Hylton Scott and Travis Walker, Logan Reynolds and Tyler Craver, Jacob Lovell and Blake Pike, Dillon Bryant and Dustin Lawless and Trent Lawson and Jo Knorr;
For the Junior Division, ages 11-14: Caleb Murphy and Terian Hairston, Nash Thompson and Gavin McGhee, Gavin Hazelwood and Isaiah Nickelston, Emily Barley and Noah Shoaf, Toby Hooker and Zach Heath.
In order to qualify for the state tournament the teams had to either finish in the top five of one of the three Junior state qualifiers that they competed in during the season or earn enough points from all three qualifiers to be in the top 15 teams in the southern division.
The PCHS fishing team currently has 12 senior division teams and five Junior Division teams. The Southern Division of the BASS High school Junior Division consists of teams from Bassett, Magna Vista, Carlilse and Jefferson Forest. There are 30 total teams in the senior division and seven total teams in the Junior Division.
Hylton Scott and Travis Walker were also recognized with honorable mention awards by the Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.
Patrick County High School officials congratulate all of these fishing team members and are very proud of all of the anglers. Special congratulations go to the 20 anglers that will be representing Patrick County at the State Tournament on April 29 and 30 at Buggs Island.
The state tournament is a two-day tournament that takes the total fish caught over the two days at each weigh in. The top two teams at the end of the two days will qualify for the national BASS high school tournament that will take the top two high school teams from every state in the U.S. to compete for the title of national champion.
