Coached by Ron Champion, Richmond Hill High School anglers Branton Champion and Jackson Behringer teamed up to finish fifth out of 200 entries at the first Georgia High School Association regional qualifying fishing tournament of 2022 earlier in January at Lake Seminole, earning them a trip to the May 14 state championship tournament.

 “It was brutal cold and these two young men worked their tails off to bring back some hardware,” Coach Champion said.

 “Thursday and Friday was our practice days and it was cold and rainy both days. But we found fish and was able to establish a pattern that we thought would hold up and boy did it ever.” 

The two teen anglers finished with 11.6 pounds worth of fish, and Branton took the tourney’s big fish with a 6 pound, four ounce largemouth bass. 

“Going in our goal was to qualify for State and anything else was a bonus,” Champion said. “We spent two days practicing in the cold rain and it was not easy. But after the final fish were weighed yesterday and these boys realized what they just accomplished, the excitement set in and it was all smiles and hugs and high fives all the way home. Heck of a way to start out our new fishing program at RHHS.”

 Photos provided.