Joliet-area schools fared well in last weekend’s IHSA bass fishing sectionals, with several earning berths in the state tournament May 20-21 at Carlyle Lake.
Minooka #2 was the champion in the sectional at Heidecke Lake with a total of 4 pounds 12 ounces. Newark #1 was second at 4 pounds 3 ounces and Morris #1 took third with 3 pounds 4 ounces. The top three finishers advance to state, with the fourth-place team at each sectional, in this case Minooka #1 at 2 pounds 15 ounces, being named a state alternate.
The Minooka #2 team consisted of coach Stan Tischer, driver Joe Tischer and team members Mitch DeGraaf, Brent Beckwith, A.J. Wojtowicz and Raven Pointer.
Morris #1 is coached by driver Ray Odom, with Eli Gile, Scott Hornsby, Jeffrey Johnson and John Smyk the team members. Gile caught the largest bass of the tournament, a 2-pound 4-ouncer.
Coal City #1 finished fifth, Seneca #1 sixth, Seneca #2 seventh, Morris #2 eighth and Coal City #2 ninth in the 14-team field.
At the Braidwood Lake Sectional, Reed-Custer took the top spot at 12 pounds 2 ounces, followed by Joliet Central #1 at 11 pounds 8 ounces and Joliet Central #2 with 10 pounds 3 ounces.
Gardner-South Wilmington #1 was fifth, Dwight #1 seventh, Reed-Custer #2 11th and Dwight #2 14th in the 15-team sectional.
Erik Frederiksen is the Reed-Custer coach and Brett Wysock was the driver for Jessica Beyer, Coty Mixner and Austin Willis.
Terry Piazza coaches Joliet Central #1 and #2. Tony Cook was the driver for Sean Cook and Tommy Zobel for Joliet Central #1. For Joliet Central #2, Tom Zobel drove, with John Murphy, Nathan Ballard and Aidan Walsh the team members.
Plainfield Central #1 finished third in the Lake Holiday Sectional to advance to state. Sandwich #1 won there with 16 pounds, 7.4 ounces, followed by Naperville North #1 with 12 pounds 6.8 ounces and Plainfield Central #1 with 8 pounds 10.8 ounces.
The Plainfield Central #1 coach is John Smith. Jim Oesterle was the driver, with Travis Oesterle and David Patush the team members. Plainfield South #2 finished seventh, Plainfield North #2 eighth and Plainfield North #1 11th.
In the Des Plaines River-Big Basin Marina Sectional, Providence was ninth with 1 pound 8.5 ounces. Andrew won with 7 pounds 5.8 ounces.