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MARKHAM'S MOSSY OAK IS DIVISION 8'S CLASS OF 23' WINNER!

by Jack Holmes

David Markham fished the Mellow Yellow to a third place finish in the Division last year. He got a new McKee Craft and a new sponsor, Mossy Oak, had the boat wrapped, and went on to win the Division this year. Pretty impressive! Markham, Drew Dean, Joe Larrison and Eric Schwab scaled a 38.46 at the opening tournament, then weighed a 34.50 in Port A, and came back with a 50.22 in the Texas King Mackerel Association event. If your sponsors aren't impressed, I am! You did what you needed to do and a 123.18 aggregate is nothing to sneeze at. Now come win the Nationals!

Team Millennium was the highest scoring Texas team at the Nationals last year and I won't bet against them doing the same thing this year. The Wagen family, Jason, Jody and Jeffery, could only manage an 11th place finish in the Division last year but came back strong this year, picking up second. They just keep getting better and better. The Yamaha powered Pro Sport team scaled a 33.40 and 29.70 before the season's final event where they put a 50.74 slab on the scale. It was the biggest king in the Class weighed this season. A 113.84 aggregate was absolutely superb!

Darrin Taylor's Insta Gator, a 23' Yamaha powered Triton, picked up third on the strength of a 95.77 three-fish aggregate. The team of David Marshall, Doug Sweeney and John Saik started the season off with a nice 44.99, then scaled a pair of 25-pounders. They finished sixth last year with just two fish, moved up this year, and certainly have to be considered one of the best in Class. They'll win it all soon!

Who's Your Daddy repeated their '04 performance, fourth both years. Mark and Kelly Holland, David Moffett and Craig Rucka couldn't find that one big fish that would have put them on top this season and it takes one. They had a consistent 89.11 aggregate but are capable of better. The Yamaha powered Contender team is fun, exciting and knowledgeable. A Nationals title contender? Absolutely!

Team Sponge weighed one king last season and look at them now, fifth in Class with 82.42 points. An 18.26 in the last event, which was cut short by a day because of Hurricane Katrina, did the team in. Jerry Karnes, Greg Thomas and Andrew Coker still can be very proud of their efforts. I fully expect them to be banging on the top of the board next season.

Johnny Benkenstein's Johnny B team kind of fell apart after a couple of tremendous seasons, but he's coming back and will be on the top once again. Sixth this year with 81.51 points. John fished the year with his son John Jr. and Andrew Romano on their Yamaha powered Contender. This team is capable of winning any event they enter!

Sea Pig is the top Mercury powered boat in the Division, earning seventh this year with 75.38 points and is going to the Nationals on Mercury. The Packs, William, Robyne and Douglas, came on the scene this season and made their presence felt and I don't believe we've heard the last of them.

The George family, Ken, Sherry, Jenna, Amanda, Erin and Amy, yes they're all girls, are coming to the big dance thanks to a first-year eighth place finish. This is a delightful family who loves to fish together and know what they're doing. The Mercury powered Sea Craft team scored 75.16 points. I just haven't figured out how George copes with all those females. This team should be sponsored big time. They generate excitement!

Ninth place fell to Louis Dehaes' Mercury powered Fountain, Fubar, with 71.46 points. This will be their first year to qualify and their consistency shows they can fish. Kelly Dehaes, Donna Richey and Charles Richey Jr. make up the team.

Tenth goes to the Wyke's Frayed Knot, Richard Jr., Richard and Scott. This too is a first time qualifier team who scored 59.58 points. Great job, now go get ready for the big show!

The Wagens showed the fishing fraternity that Texans could earn their piece of the pie in the Nationals. I know a title can be brought back home, if you want it fight for it! Everyone else is.