Hartman leads National Guard TBF Junior World Championship

Eighty anglers fishing for a share of $42,000 in scholarships and Berkley product grants

PITTSBURGH – Matt Hartman of Fredericksburg, Pa., leads the 15 to 18 age bracket and Kendall Seitz of Hickory, N.C. leads the 11 to 14 age bracket in the National Guard TBF Junior World Championship after one day of competition on the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh. Held in conjunction with the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol, the National Guard Junior World Championship will award $42,000 in scholarships and Berkley youth-program product grants to the top six competitors in the 11 to 14 age bracket and top six competitors in the 15 to 18 age bracket.

Hartman, from The Bass Federation’s Mid-Atlantic division, is leading the 15 to 18 age group with three bass weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces.

The other anglers in the 15 to 18 age group who will continue competition Sunday are Tyler Kleeb of Lincoln, Neb. (two fish, 2-15); Patrick Infurna of Fairhaven, Vt. (four fish, 3-12); Cody Harris of Grant Blanc, Mich. (two fish, 2-9); Dayton Jones of Hopkinsville, Ky. (two fish, 2-6) and Zack Messer of Aiken, S.C. (three fish, 3-5).

Seitz represents the TBF’s Southern division leads in the 11 to 14 age bracket with two bass weighing 3 pounds, 2 ounces.

The other anglers in the 11 to 14 age group who will continue competition Sunday are Matt Hasenfratz of Ponca City, Okla. (one fish, 1-7); Andrew Roberts of Plattsburgh, N.Y. (one fish, 1-12); Ian Alston of Windsor Mill, Md. (one fish, 2-7); and Daryk Eckert of Stockport, Ohio (three fish, 2-12).

The junior anglers are paired with an FLW Outdoors Pro for competition on the Allegheny River. There are three anglers to a boat: a junior angler from each age group plus an FLW Tour pro who assists the junior anglers but does not fish. The two junior anglers share control of the boat for the day but compete in their respective age groups. Weights will be zeroed Saturday as the top six anglers in the 11 to 14 age bracket and the top six anglers in the 15 to 18 age bracket continue competition, with the winners determined by the heaviest catch from that day.

Takeoff will be held at Kittanning Riverfront Park located at 138 Allegheny Ave. in Kittanning, Pa., beginning at 7 Saturday morning and the weigh-in is 1 p.m. at Kittanning Riverfront Park.

Designed to highlight the best up-and-coming bass fishing talent in the country, the National Guard Junior World Championship also provides national recognition for the positive activities pursued by America’s youth.

First-place finishers in each age bracket will receive a $5,000 scholarship in addition to a $200 Walmart gift card courtesy of Goodwill.Second-place finishers will receive $3,000 scholarships plus a $150 Evinrude certificate. Third-place finishers will receive $2,500 scholarships plus a $100 Cabelas gift card. Fourth-place finishers will receive $2,000 scholarships. Fifth-place finishers will receive $1,500 scholarships.. Sixth-place finishers will receive $1,000 scholarships.

Additionally, FLW Outdoors, on behalf of the Berkley, will award $1,000 in Berkley product to each of the state TBF chapters represented by the six finalists in each age bracket. This money, totaling $12,000, will benefit each chapter’s youth program.

For more information about TBF Junior Angler programs, contact your state’s TBF chapter. A list of chapters can be found at www.bassfederation.com. For more information about FLW Outdoors, the Forrest Wood Cup and the National Guard Junior World Championship, visit www.flwoutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. A complete list of youth anglers competing in the Junior World Championship is posted at www.flwoutdoors.com.