PRO   DIV 1   DIV 2   DIV 3   DIV 4   DIV 5   DIV 6   DIV 7   DIV 8   DIV 9   DIV 10   DIV 11   DIV12

JOE BELL WINS DIVISION 4’S OPEN CLASS WITH AN 86.94 AGGREGATE!
By Jack Holmes

The name on his boat tells it all. Play’n To Win, and win he did, taking the number one slot in Georgia’s Division 4. Joe Bell and teammates Richard Tuten and Michael Whitt caught their biggest king in the season opener at Sapelo, a 39.28. They then moved to Two-Way and caught a 27.34. St. Mary’s saw their final king get added to their three-fish aggregate, it was a 20.32. 86.94 is what it took to get the free ride to the Nationals. This is a marked improvement over the ’04 season where his team only weighed two fish and did not qualify. Bell fishes a Yamaha powered Privateer and was also our Top Senior Angler for the Division.
Mr. Consistency, Kenny Crawford, put together a three-fish aggregate of 84.61, earned second in the Division, and got a great sponsor, Bell South. How great is that? Crawford and teammates Doreen Fletcher, Bill and Chris Bazemore and Bill Walsh who fish a Yamaha powered Contender, started scaling kings at Halfmoon, a 27.78. Then they bagged a 27.58 in St. Mary’s, ending with a 29.25 in Golden Isles. He finished fourteenth place in ’04 with a two-fish aggregate of just 52.95. But remember, Kenny also fishes Division 5 where he should finish in the top 20 there also. He’s already picked up $50,000 winning the GJKMT’s VIP event. Another stellar performance from Mr. Consistency!
There is no award I could give to Todd Veal that would explain how much he is admired. He is the true family man, who does everything with his wife and sons, usually giving the spotlight and accolades to them. Todd, wife Kelly and kids Dillon and Rhett, plus Mitch Matthews and Tom Whittingslow took third in the standings with a three-fish aggregate of 84.04. Dillon and Rhett are our Top Juniors for the Division again, winning it also in ’04. Kelly was our runner-up in the Ladies Division. They caught a 28.82 at Halfmoon, a 23.81 at Two-Way, and ended in Golden Isles with a 31.41. The team fishes a Yamaha powered Contender.
Jerry Gregory Jr. only had one fish on the plus side of the standings last season. Not this year, he and Robert Barnette, William Reynolds Jr. and James Rogers, fishing the Yamaha powered Contender, Double J, have put together a season anyone would be proud to have, an 82.61 fourth place finish and he’s qualified to go to the big show. A 27.77 at Sapelo, a 27.58 in St. Mary’s, ending with a 29.45 in Golden Isles rounded out their aggregate. I think they’ve more than proved the Double J is a team to be reckoned with.
Jimmy Roberts’ To Da Hub had an off-season also last year but bounced right back this season. Mitchell Cason, Alan Daniels and Joe Greenwood put the Yamaha powered Mako into fifth thanks to a nice 33.60 at Halfmoon, a 19.33 at Two-Way, and ended with a 31.41 in Golden Isles. That’s 82.33 points. I know what they’re thinking. If we would have just caught a high twenties instead of that nineteen we would be winners. Don’t fret, you are winners. I’ve seen thousands of teams fish with us since ’91 and when I say you’ve got it, you can take it to the bank. Congratulations!
Stanley Kane’s Team Key Largo earned sixth overall in the Open Class. He fishes a Key Largo with Jason Christner and Lee Bennett Jr. This season they had a pair of 26’s and a 28 for 80.42 points. He finished sixth last season in the Class of 23’ so I would have to say that this is one good consistent team. The team fished their first Nationals in ‘04 and finished in the top 33% of the Class. I would say that this is one team we need to keep our eye on. They could win it all this year and give us another Georgia champion.
Over Time’s Rodney James just missed qualifying last year by two slots. Not this year, he’s seventh. He and Lee Boatright, John James and Brian Rowe caught a 22.70, a 24.84 and a nice 31.41. That’s the way to do it. Put the past season behind you and go for the gusto. That’s the mark of true winners!
I don’t believe there has ever been a year Pete Owens and his Jet Lag team of Jason Varnadoe, Josh Owens and Will Owens hasn’t qualified. This season they finished eighth with 77.43 points. In my opinion Owens has proven over and over again his team is the one to beat in Division 4. It’s time to show you are at the top of your game by winning the Nationals. I believe you can do it!
Todd Boyer and his Tie One On team of Christopher Hurst, Glynn Hendricks and Rusty Fillingim only scaled one fish last season but proved they could get the job done by scaling three fish and scoring 77.33 points this season. That’s good for ninth. The Yamaha powered Contender team’s biggest fish was a 32-pounder. You’ve made the grade guys, are you ready for level number two? I’ll bet you are!
Rounding out the top ten in this year’s open class is Jimmy, Mamie, and Wes Mason’s Gone Wishin. They will also get a free ticket to the Nationals because they were the top Mercury powered boat in the Division. Mason had 75.95 points. Good job Jimmy!
This class is laced with veterans and those with just a couple of seasons under their belts. Not a bad combination. Georgia has more than it’s share of Champions over the years. Is there another one on the horizon? The talent and determination is there, smart execution can make it happen.