Kentucky’s Wayne County High School Wins Lake Guntersville

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – The Wayne County High School team of Elijah Adkins and Austin Criswell, both of Monticello, Kentucky, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open on Lake Guntersville.

A field of 85 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from Lake Guntersville State Park in Guntersville. In MLF and The Bass Federation High School Fishing competition, the top 10% of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top eight teams that advanced to the 2022 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1. Wayne County High School, Monticello, Ky. – Elijah Adkins and Austin Criswell, both of Monticello, Ky., five bass, 20-12
2. Alcoa High School, Alcoa, Tenn. – Walker Larue, Alcoa, Tenn., and Joe Vaulton, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 19-8
3. Fenton Community Bass Club, Fenton, Mich. – Mitchell Straffon and Henri Sturm, both of Fenton, Mich., five bass, 19-4
4. Oneonta City School, Oneonta, Ala. – Luke Coleman and Bobby McCray, both of Pinson, Ala., five bass, 19-0
5. Rhea County High School, Evensville, Tenn. – Riley Faulkner, Jacksboro, Tenn., and Blake Wheat, Evensville, Tenn., five bass, 18-2
6. Pickens Anglers High School Fishing Club, Reform, Ala. – Daniel Birmingham, Reform, Ala., and Kaden Posey, Gordo, Ala., four bass, 17-14
7. Bibb County High School, Centreville, Ala. – Evan Dunn, Centreville, Ala., and A.J. McGee, Brierfield, Ala., five bass, 17-3
8. Bullitt East High School, Mount Washington, Ky. – Tyler Leachman, Mount Washington, Ky., and Ethan Martin, Shepherdsville, Ky., five bass, 16-1

Rounding out the top 10 teams were:

• 9th: Edinburg Community USD, Edinburg, Ill. – Lane Argo and Levi Kohl, both of Edinburg, Ill., five bass, 15-10
• 10th: Carlson Marauders Fishing Team, Gibraltar, Mich. – Tristan Fawley, Gibraltar, Mich., and Van Price, Rockwood, Mich., five bass, 15-7

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open on Lake Guntersville was hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports. The next event for High School Fishing anglers will be the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, March 12 in Brookeland, Texas.

MLF High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10% of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, will advance to the 2022 High School Fishing National Championship. The 2022 MLF High School Fishing National Championship will be held on Pickwick and Wilson Lakes in Florence, Alabama, June 22-25, and is hosted by the Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The High School Fishing National Champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.