Bass Fishing Recap

The bass fishing team completed its 2021-22 season in the Georgia Bass Nation state tournament on June 3-4. The team consistently saw a handful of anglers near the top of the pack in each tournament throughout the season.

The middle school duo of DJ Broome and Jack Thomson placed 11th overall in the junior state tournament, and usually were found among the top-20 in every tournament this year. Meanwhile, freshmen Haygen James and Koen Eller, who placed 44th overall at the state tournament, also found success in nearly every tournament. Broome and Thomson qualified for state in the junior tournament after being ranked seventh among all middle school teams. Their point total of 1,376 throughout the regular season was not far off the top team’s score of 1,482. In the Junior State Classic, the duo reeled in 17.06 pounds, and went up against 44 total teams.

James and Eller posted a point total of 1,084 during the regular season, ranking them 41st in the state heading into the State Classic. There, the freshmen hauled in 15.02 pounds over the two-day event. Other anglers on the roster in 2021-22 included George Ketch and Austin Zigler.

It was more of the same for Casey Barron’s ESports teams. Much like it has been the last couple of years, the League of Legends team, TFS Mushrooms, made Tallulah Falls one of the top programs in the state.

In a season that spans fall and spring, the Mushrooms — consisting of Nana Amankwah, Junyi “Rick” He, Yuyue “David” Hu, Jingan “Jerry” Sang, Jingyi “Jason” Sang, Daniel Shin, and William Xu — compiled an overall record of 28-7. In the fall, the team was 16-5, ranked fifth in the state, and made the Elite 8. In the spring season, the Mushrooms were 12-2, ranked fourth, and again advanced to the Elite 8.

ESPORTS

The Rocket League team, Tallulah Falls Indians, went 5-3 in the fall and made the playoffs. They followed that up with a 6-8 spring. The fall also saw the ESports program add a Madden team (Jesse Reames) and a FIFA team (Gareth Mickels). Reames was 8-6 and ranked 15th in the state, making the playoffs. Mickels went 3-6.

The Mushrooms nearly had to forfeit their season when several members were planning to head home overseas early. However, a hang- up in those plans allowed the team to finish what they started. That group ends a three-year run that includes three Elite 8 runs and a Final Four.

ROCKET LEAGUE

Eli Damron, SO Adam Kennedy, JR Ezekiel Phillips, SO Jackson Shadburn , SO

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

Nana Amankwah, JR Junyi “Rick” He, SR Yuyue “David” Hu, JR Jingan “Jerry” Sang, SR Jingyi “Jason” Sang, SR Daniel Shin, JR William Xu, FR Wyatt York (MGR), JR

FIFA & MADDEN

Gareth Mickels, SR Jesse Reames, SR