Higgins Lake, MI – August 30, 2025

Saturday – Schmitt & Ryner Dominate with a Power Performance

On Day 1, Charles Schmitt (Detroit Catholic Central) and Andrew Ryner set the tone early, weighing a monster 15.91 lbs to grab the top spot. Their consistency and big-fish edge (3.63 kicker) gave them just enough cushion to hold off a red-hot field.

Chasing them closely, Cole Boersen & AJ Reardon (Grand Haven) bagged 14.38 lbs, while Trenton Nyland & Tyler Smith (Zeeland) weren’t far behind with 14.03 lbs. The top four teams all cleared 13 lbs, making Saturday a tight heavyweight brawl.

Carson Tithof & Maverick Hardebeck (Grand Haven) rounded out the Top 5 with 12.75 lbs, proving Higgins’ smallmouth schools were ready to feed.

Quick Stat: Eight teams bagged full limits, and every single fish caught on Saturday was released alive – a 100% release rate, a testament to the anglers’ care on the water.

Sunday – Boersen & Reardon Close It Out in Style

Day 2 brought tougher bites, but Cole Boersen & AJ Reardon showed championship poise. After their runner-up finish on Saturday, the Grand Haven duo stormed into the winner’s circle with a 16.01 lb bag, anchored by a 5.02 lb bruiser, the heaviest bass of the weekend.

Luke Hendrick & Sullivan Mohlman (NW Jackson) stayed hot, backing up their Saturday top-5 with 13.47 lbs to lock in another podium spot. Meanwhile, Zeeland’s Trenton Nyland & Tyler Smith proved their consistency, weighing 11.76 lbs for third.

Detroit Catholic Central’s Anthony Oliver & Donnie Periard and Huron Valley’s Mitch Porter & Ben Rickard rounded out the Top 5 with solid double-digit limits.

But Sunday told a different story overall: only five teams managed limits, and 10 teams zeroed. The clear-water smallmouth proved fickle under weekend pressure.

Quick Stat: 67 fish hit the scales Sunday, averaging 2.24 lbs apiece. Nearly 99% were released alive.

Weekend Takeaways

Boersen & Reardon left no doubt, showing grit with back-to-back Top 2 finishes and sealing the Sunday crown.

Higgins Lake once again lived up to its reputation – clear water, tough bites, and big payoffs for anglers who cracked the code.

This weekend proved one thing: in the High School Team Trail, consistency and adaptability are king. As the season builds toward championships, these young anglers are sharpening their skills under pressure – and Higgins Lake delivered a stage worthy of the spotlight.

Overall AOY Honors went to Luke Hendrick & Sullivan Mohlman (NW Jackson) whose consistency in all 8 tournaments netted them 736 points!

Congratulations to the following teams that qualified for 2026 National B.A.S.S. High School Championship:
Hendrick/Mohlman (NW Jackson) – via State Championship
Barriger/Nick Mclaughlin (Meridian) via State Championship
Titof/M. Hardebeck (Grand Haven) via Saturday HSTT
Boersen/Reardon (Grand Haven) via Saturday HSTT
T. Nyland/Smith (Zeeland) via Sunday HSTT
OlivierPeriard (Detroit CC) via Sunday HSTT

All results can be found right here under Weighbook (Results) and Rule/Results tabs.

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