Oliverio-Green withdraw from competition, Worman-Beja move into Redfish Series lead

Chivases move into top five

Due to a disqualification of day two's leading team late Friday night, Rick Worman (left) and Alon Beja now lead the FLW Redfish Series event in Titusville going into the final day with a two-day total of 25-13. Photo by Rob Newell. Anglers: Alon Beja, Rick Worman.

March 24, 2007 • Rob Newell • Archives

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, the redfish team of John Oliverio of Brandon, Fla., and Howie Green of Bushnell, Fla., who led the FLW Redfish Series going into Saturday’s finals, officially withdrew from competition as of Friday night because of a rule infraction.

Due to FLW Outdoors’ overall policy of not releasing rule infractions by anglers, Oliverio and Green’s exact rule breach has not been provided.

However, Redfish Series Tournament Director Dan Grimes did say the team stepped forward and made him aware of their situation.

“John Oliverio and Howie Green called me Friday night after reviewing the Redfish Series rules and told me they were worried they may have violated our rules with actions done before the tournament began,” Grimes said. “I explained that their actions did constitute an infraction and they graciously bowed out of the event.”

Grimes added that Oliverio and Green are welcome to compete in future Redfish Series events.

As a result, Oliverio and Green lost all of their accumulated weight for the event and now local anglers Rick Worman and Alon Beja lead the event going into the last day with a two-day total of 25 pounds, 13 ounces.

Also, the young brothers of Cody and Kyle Chivas of Belleair Bluffs, Fla., in sixth yesterday, moved up into the top five.

The Chivases had already arrived home late Friday night when they got the call saying they had moved into the top five and that they could compete on Saturday.

The brothers then got back into their truck and drove back across the state last night and arrived for competition in the wee hours of the morning.

The final day’s weigh-in of the top five redfish teams will take place at the Titusville Wal-Mart Saturday afternoon beginning at 4:30.

Saturday’s conditions

Sunrise: 7:23 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 66 degrees

Expected high temperature: 81 degrees

Water temperature: 60 to 65 degrees

Forecasted winds: ENE at 10 to 20 mph

Day’s outlook: warm and breezy