1-2-3, Joliet Catholic, Antioch and Stevenson earn first all-Chicago-area medalists in high school bass fishing

CARLYLE — Football players Brett Mouw and Logan Kinsella in Joliet Catholic’s Boat 1 led the gridiron powerhouse to its first state championship in bass fishing Saturday at Carlyle Lake. Or on Friday, depending how you look at it.

For the 11th time in the 13 years of the state finals, weather delayed, postponed or shortened the event. Day 1 on Friday was stopped early at 1 p.m. because of wind. On Saturday, the Illinois High School Association attempted to wait out two rounds of storms, then canceled Day 2 late morning, making Day 1 results final.

So the Hilltoppers won with a Day 1 limit of five largemouth bass weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces.

Their title capped the first time Chicago-area teams won all three trophies with Antioch’s Tucker Siminak and Christian Filipek (other limit, 8-8) and Stevenson’s Boat 1 of Matthew Qaulich and Liam Plautz (4 fish, 7-13) finishing second and third, respectively. Qaulich also caught the big bass of 3 pounds, 5 ounces.

Antioch, third last year when Siminak teamed with now-graduated Kyle Anderson, have a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes. Siminak, who signed with McKendree University, had his third top-10 finish at state. He was a freshman in the famous boat crash during high seas in 2019.

West Aurora (3, 5-14) took fourth to give the Chicago area the top four positions. St. Charles North at 8th (4, 5-8) gave the Chicago-area half the top-10 finishes.

(I plan a broader look at what the 13th state championship in bass fishing means on Saturday, May 28, in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday.)

Dale Bowman