Staff report

APEX — Hayden Hammond and Hunter Alexander, local middle school anglers who fish for the China Grove Middle/Carson High School’s team, won first place in the North Carolina Bassmaster Junior High School State Championship tournament on Jordan Lake last Saturday.

Hammond and Alexander weighed in with a five-fish limit at 14.20 pounds. Both boys weighed in a “big fish” at 4.7 and 4.2 pounds, respectively.

With the first-place finish, the two secured a spot in the National Bassmaster Junior Championship in Huntingdon, Tenn., in August. It will be the boys’ second trip to the nationals, hoping to use their experience from the first time to land a top finish this year.
Jake Ross and Garrett Christy, also from China Grove Middle/Carson High School fishing team, finished in second place in the same tournament. Ross and Christy secured the only other middle school spot from North Carolina for the nationals in Tennessee.

For more information, see North Carolina BASS Nation and Riley’s Catch, both on Facebook.