Josh Queen
Blythe Landing – Lake Norman, North Carolina
The TBF Southern Division Championship Presented by All Pro Rods is in the books and the host state of North Carolina won its first Divisional Championship title in more than a decade! They bested the rest of the field by a 34 pounds 2 ounce margin of victory and a total team weight of 247-03.
Fishing a “home” lake is tough, seldom does a home lake angler win an event, its almost like a jinx. Today the 12 man team representing the North Carolina TBF Federation proved that they had what it took to take the All-Pro Rods cup away form the State of Alabama who has held it for the last two years in a row.
” I am so proud of our guys.” Said North Carolina State President Phillip Sain, “We have been close before, and finished second at last years Southern Division Championship, so my guys were hungry for the win. They worked hard together to get the job done.”
Last year Tennessee finished 3rd right behind North Carolina 2nd place finish. This year they finished right behind North Carolina again….holding down the second place spot with 213.01. Georgia got off to a slow start on day 1, built momenteum on day 2, and made a serious push on day 3 to wind up in the third place spot finishing with 204-11. South Carolina, Alabama, Florida and Kentucky rounded out the standings.
In the individual standings it was Joshua Queen from Lincolnton, North Carolina who walked away with the Castrol Maximum Performer Award and the Division Champions title. He has earned his way to the 2009 TBF Federation National Championship, Presented by the National Guard with a three day total of 32-10. Queen will fish the event as a the boater from North Carolina.
The other anglers earning bearths in the 2009 Championship are:
Ronald Tuck, Rockwell, North Carolina – Non-Boater
Daniel Ellis – Gleason, TN – Boater
Rick Kelly – Union City, TN- Non-Boater
Justin Lanier – Macon, GA – Boater
Woody Parks – Lincolnton, GA, Non-Boater
Robert Rikard – Lexington, Sc – Boater
Craig Fredrychowski – Lexington, SC – Non-Boater (Reigning 2008 Non-Boater National Champion)
Russell Burroughs – Jacksonville, AL. – Boater
Kenny Pannell – Springfield, AL – Non-Boater
Chris Crossan – Naples, FL. – Boater
Leon Roy V – Tallahassee, FL. – Non-Boater
And Michael Boggs will represent Kentucky as their Boater
Also today The North Carolina Junior State Championship followed the adults out and weighed in on the big stage. The kids had a super time …it was all smiles around the weigh in as Don Willis and David Blanton earn thier slots in the August TBF National Guard Junior World Championship to be held Aug. 14-17 on South Carolina’s Lake Montecello, in conjuction with the 2 million dollar Forrest Wood Cup.
