Illinois High School Association hosts bass fishing state finals in Zion

Zion Benton Township High School's proximity to Lake Michigan in northern Lake County may have helped its bass fishermen Saturday.

The Z-Bs narrowly placed second in the nation's first bass fishing state finals, mounted by the Illinois High School Association.

Frankfurt Community High School, from downstate West Frankfurt, edged Zion Benton to take the title, while St. Charles North High School placed third, after winning the shortened first day of competition on Friday.

Kyle Williams, a senior from downstate Riverton High School, pulled in the biggest fish of both days, with a largemouth bass that weighed 5 lbs. 20 oz, setting a state and national record for a high school student, said Matt Troha, assistant executive director of the IHSA.

"For our first year out, we thought it was a success," Troha said. "We learned a lot, and Day 2 already went smother than Day 1. We were learning on the fly."

The competition took place on Carlyle Lake, the state's largest inland lake, located 50 miles east of St. Louis in southwestern Illinois.

There, boaters found the set-up much like professional fishing tournaments, with a grandstand, main stage and computerized weigh-ins, as well as an announcer calling each team as they processed in their boats through the channel and out onto the lake.

Suburban teams unfamiliar with the 26,000-acre lake researched its land forms and conditions. However, in the end, Mother Nature provided a curve ball. Friday's dramatic storms dropped close to 3 inches of rain on the area, causing the lake to rise.

"That changed everything," said Paul Zafiropoulos, coach of the team from Maine West High School in Des Plaines, which ultimately finished 13th. "With the lake so high, the fish weren't behaving like we thought they would."

Likewise, anglers from Conant High School in Hoffman Estates found their lack of experience on the lake hurt them, and they ended the day without catching any fish big enough to count.

"Fish had to be at least 12 inches, and the ones we caught were 11 inches, so we just barely missed," said senior Matt Sells of Elk Grove Village. "But it was still fun. I've always fished for fun, but actually competing while you were fishing, was awesome."

The Illinois High School Association started the state series this year, drawing nearly 200 schools to participate going into sectionals held in April. That's twice as many as officials had cautiously hoped for when designing the competition.

Conversations to declare bass fishing a state-sanctioned sport started years ago, as Illinois High School Association officials pondered other activities, including cheerleading, boys bowling and journalism.

They hoped to create additional state championships in the interest of getting more students involved, said Dave Gannawa, IHSA assistant executive director, who added that officials from Alabama and Missouri were on hand to see the prototype tournament play out.