Illinois’ Kaneland High School Wins MLF High School Fishing Open on Lake Erie

SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 12, 2022) – The Kaneland High School team of Jake Mantovani of Naperville, Illinois, and Carter Pjesky of Sugar Grove, Illinois, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at Lake Erie.

A field of 40 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from the Shelby Street Public Boat Launch in Sandusky. In MLF and The Bass Federation (TBF) High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

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

1st: Kaneland High School, Maple Park, Ill. – Jake Mantovani, Naperville, Ill., and Carter Pjesky of Sugar Grove, Ill., five bass, 16-2
2nd: Nordonia High School, Northfield, Ohio – Tyler Lewis, Macedonia, Ohio, and Brody Thompson, Rogers, Ohio, five bass, 15-4
3rd: Black Swamp Bass Club, Ohio – Kyle Johnson, Helena, Ohio, and Carson Kellogg, Junction City, Ohio, five bass, 14-10
4th: Jackson Bass Fishing, Jackson, Mich. – Ryan Hamlin and Jack Swihart, both of Jackson, Mich., five bass, 14-4

Rounding out the top 10 teams were:

5^th: Black Swamp Bass Club, Ohio – Mackenzie Muntz, Helena, Ohio, and Gavin Sanderson, Tiffin, Ohio, five bass, 14-2
6^th: Hopewell-Loudon High School, Bascom, Ohio – Mathew Flores, Fostoria, Ohio, and Caine McDonald, Tiffin, Ohio, five bass, 13-14
7^th: Perry High School, Perry, Ohio – Tommy Angelucci, Concord, Ohio, and Julia Miller, Perry, Ohio, five bass, 13-11
8^th: Hartleys Hawgs Bass Club, Ohio – Ryan Pardi, Worthington, Ohio, and Mason Smith, Ashville, Ohio, five bass, 13-9
9^th: Wheelersburg High School, Wheelersburg, Ohio – Braxton Howard and Matthew Strickland, both of Portsmouth, Ohio, five bass, 12-14
10^th: Northwest Ohio Junior Bassmasters – Tristan Dix, Defiance, Ohio, and Daniel Ruhe, Maumee, Ohio, five bass, 12-9

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

The MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at Lake Erie was hosted by City of Sandusky. The next event for High School Fishing anglers will be the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open on Lake of the Ozarks, Oct. 15 in Osage Beach, Missouri.

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 percent 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 in La Crosse on the Mississippi River, June 20-24, 2023, and is also hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau

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.