Decatur team places in top twenty
More than 110 high school teams from across the country were on Chickamauga Lake Saturday, competing in the inaugural Bass Pro Shops’ Battle of Chickamauga Classic. Teams came from as far as Indiana and Michigan to compete in the event, but local teams ruled the roost.
Elijah Cartwright and Jacob Thomas of Soddy Daisy High School won with a huge 5-bass limit weighing 32.59 lbs. The pair won scholarships , cash, and prizes totaling more than $2,700. They also won the custom championship “Battle of Chickamauga” title belt to keep until next year’s event.
AJ Barnes and Gavin Ainslie of Chattanooga Central placed second with a five bass limit weighing 29.54 pounds. The pair also had big fish of the tournament weighing a whopping 10.01 pounds.
The Decatur Heritage Christian Academy’s team of Brianna Tucker and Mitchell Gowen were 16th out of 110 High School Teams with 13.64 lbs. – (4 Fish). The high school team could not boat their fifth fish which would have moved them up significantly in the final standings.
Dayton officials have confirmed that there will definitely be another “Battle of Chickamauga” high school tournament in 2016. They say sponsors are already lining up to get on board.
This event adds to an already impressive resume of bass tournaments that have been hosted by Dayton, Tenn. and FishDayton.com (hotlink: FishDayton.com), including the first ever 2014 Bassmaster BASSfest.