[UPDATED]
Tyler Lubbat, an All-American , became the first Chicago-area high school bass fisherman to qualify for state in bass fishing all four years of high school. He’s one of a very few statewide to quality all four years.
[UPDATED] Lubbat just messaged that he is All-American again this year and will not be able to attend state because it conflicts with All-American fishing stuff in Texas during the state finals on May 18-19 at Carlyle Lake. [UPDATED]
This will be the 10th state finals held by the Illinois High School Association.
In 2017, Lubbat notched another piece of history when he paced the Bison as Buffalo Grove became the first Chicago-area team to win state in bass fishing.
Well, on Monday, Lubbat led the Bison to the title at the Chain O’Lakes sectional with 11 pounds. Crystal Lake Central was second with 9.74.
Lubbat’s dad, Cris, was again the boat captain–an adult captain drives the boat for IHSA bass fishing events–for his son and teammates Tyler Frank and Jakub Szydlowski.
HEIDECKE:That brings us to this year’s All-American, Alec Berens, who led Minooka Boat 1 to the title at Heidecke Lake. He and sophomore Wyatt Pazdro weighed in 9 pounds, 2 ounces, to edge Plainfield South by three ounces.
Here’s the deal. Berens has All-American fishing stuff in Texas to do over the scheduled date for the state finals on May 18-19 at Carlyle Lake. So Pazdro does not know who will be fishing with him. Last year, Berens and Pazdro finished eighth at state.
Lubbat in 2017 was able to fish the All-American events and win the IHSA state championship because the state finals were pushed back a month by weather and high water.
SKOKIE LAGOONS: Taft solidified its place as the strongest team from the Chicago Public League as Matt Maggiore and Joel Kyriazes weighed in 10-15 to beat Glenbrook South by more than two pounds.
SHABBONA LAKE: The area’s highest bag (15-11) was brought in by St. Charles’ Boat 1 of Reece Rother, Alex Richmond and Ryan Nord, coached by Dave Fuerst. Rochelle was second with 14-13. St Charles North also qualified its other boat, by a tiebreaker for big fish over Marmion. Both schools had big bags of 13-14.
And here is a big bass worth noting: Austin Strite of Oregon, which finished sixth, caught the big bass of 5.65 pounds.
CHAIN O’LAKES NORTH: Joey Bissing and Jackson Paden led Libertyville to the title with the area’s second heaviest winning bag of 14.24. But Antioch, now coached by Brad Rubin who had made Zion-Benton a state power, wasn’t far back with 13.58.
BUSSE MAIN: West Chicago won with 9-3, beating Streamwood by more than two pounds. But coach Marty Baker and his Streamwood team solidified their position as one of the area’s top teams by reaching state for eighth time. Tony Garibay’s 3-10 largemouth anchored Streamwood Boat 2, which is the alternate.
DES PLAINES RIVER: Hunter Dauparas led Providence to repeat as sectional champs. It was a Catholic League sweep with Brother Rice and Marist also advancing. I was at this one. Click here for my story/column earlier.
BUSSE SOUTH: Nazareth Academy–Tomas Matual, Aidan Kolb, Matthew Peso, Marty McNamara–beat Wheaton North, 11-15 to 10-10.
LAKE HOLIDAY: Naperville Central (12.05) and Naperville North (10.31) were 1-2. It was North’s third straight state trip and sixth time to state.
BRAIDWOOD: Momence–Alex Bales, Alton Bales, Zane Metz–won the sectional on the cooling lake south of Joliet with the area’s third heaviest winning bag of 12 pounds.
