On October 5th, 2024, seniors Kason Blood and his partner Brody Kingsbury traveled up to Lake Champlain to compete in the Vermont VPA state championship. This was a bittersweet experience for Blood since he was instrumental in Blue Mountain starting a bass fishing team. Blood states “I had to propose this idea to the athletic leadership council and then take this idea to the school board and have them approve it.” He came up with the idea after his sophomore year when he wasn’t participating in any fall sports. “I figured this would be a good idea to stay competitive and busy during the fall,” says Blood.

This was Blood’s second and last time competing in the championship. He says that the experience was bittersweet, and if the team continues after he graduates, he will be very happy. Blood emphasizes, “I think this is a great opportunity for kids to learn something new and spend time out on the water.” Blue Mountain’s Athletic Director, Todd Powers, states “I think that there has been a ton of interest in bass fishing.” In Powers’ eyes, the team will continue to grow in years to come.

The results of the VPA tournament were Mount Abraham taking the title with a full bag (six fish) of 23.84 pounds. Blue Mountain’s varsity boat came in fourth with a full bag (six fish) of one largemouth and five smallmouth bass weighing in at 20.1 pounds. The VPA has been hosting the tournaments for seven years, and each year there has been a different winner.