“Quality Carp Management” Team Wins SIC Foundation’s Bowfishing Tournament
–Participants bring in over 2,200 pounds of invasive fish–
Late Saturday evening, July 21, in Rosiclare, 10 teams headed out into the murky waters of the Ohio River for an overnight bowfishing expedition to compete for prize money and bragging rights for the best bowfishing team.
The four-person team of Reese Johnson (Grand Rivers, Kentucky), Michael Johnson (Grand Rivers, Kentucky), Brian Willingham (Orland Park, Illinois), and Kyle Heaverin (Brandenburg, Kentucky) arrowed 430 pounds of invasive fish over the weekend to win the third annual Southeastern Illinois College Foundation Big 20 Bowfishing tournament. This team calls themselves “Quality Carp Management.” They received $500 for their win.
The three-man team of Cole Whitehead (Albion), Wayne Swim (Greenup), and Chaney Crowell took home the second-place team finish with 405 pounds of fish. They received $250 for their accomplishment.
Big Fish honors went to the Sturgis, Kentucky, team of Klint Snyder, Shannon Snyder, and Seth Snyder for a fish weighing in at 31 pounds. $225 was awarded for the Big Fish. This team that calls themselves “Mad Chaos” also placed third in the tournament with 318 pounds of fish. This earned them a free entry to the upcoming Rosiclare Fire Department Tournament.
The SIC Foundation co-sponsored the tournament alongside the college’s national championship archery team. David Burton, Mitchell Conkle, and the Bowfishing Association of America (BAA) provided valuable assistance in conducting the event. Relay for Life volunteers set up concessions at the tournament to provide food for the spectators and participants. Money raised at the food stand went to Relay for Life.
“There’s nothing like spending a summer night on the Ohio shooting fish that are bigger than you are! These teams are passionate about their bow fishing and know that it is for a good cause in more than one way. Not only are the participants helping eliminate invasive species, they are also raising money for student scholarships,” said Alli Armstrong, tournament coordinator and head coach of the SIC Falcon Archers.
At the close of the tournament, over 150 fish had been weighed totaling 2,213 pounds. These fish are characterized as invasive to the Ohio River and other bodies of fresh water throughout the Midwest. Teams representing Kentucky and Illinois participated in the tournament to do their part in eliminating as many as possible.
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