GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (May 2, 2023) – The Pike County High School team of Joe Haren of Molena, Georgia, and Cohen Smith of Williamson, Georgia, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.

A field of 70 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which was hosted Marshall County Tourism & Sports. In MLF High School Fishing competition, the top 10% of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top seven teams that advanced to the 2023 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1st: Pike County High School, Zebulon, Ga. – Joe Haren and Cohen Smith, five bass, 20-3
2nd: Albert P Brewer High School, Somerville, Ala. – Murphy Childer and Ryder Colee, five bass, 18-3
3rd: South Forsyth High School, Cumming, Ga.  – Fisher Edwards and Christian Wehman, five bass, 17-6
4th: Trion High School, Trion, Ga. – Rayne Melton and Ethan Willingham, five bass, 16-12
5th: Alabama Bass Academy – Fisher Anaya and Lake Johnson, five bass, 15-12
6th: Kaneland High School, Maple Park, Ill. – J.D. McBroom and Carter Pjesky, five bass, 15-8

Rounding out the top 10 teams were:

7th: North Paulding High School, Dallas, Ga. – Caden O’Neal and Matthew Wright, five bass, 15-6
8th: Alabama Bass Academy – Caleb Edwards and Jackson Rollins, five bass, 15-3
9th: Salem Community High School, Salem, Ill. – Seth Bailey and Brogan Gregg, five bass, 14-15
10th: American Christian Academy – Cole McAusland and Lawson Sudduth, five bass, 14-12

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

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 2023 High School Fishing National Championship. The 2023 MLF High School Fishing National Championship will be held on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, June 20-24, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

The High School Fishing National Champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2023 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, 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.