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Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette Joey Nania, of Liberty Lake, Wash., holds up his winning fish for the 11-14 age group in the Junior Bassmaster. Nania fished with professional angler Kevin VanDam. Click photo for larger image.  Click links to listen toMP3 audio clips  Emcee Keith Alan announces Joey Nania as the 2005 11-14 Junior Bassmaster World Champion.
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The 5-pound, 4-ounce largemouth he had cranked through the weeds in a foot of water Sunday -- to the astonishment and envy of the 46 BASS pros fishing around him -- did a disappearing act overnight. The 16-year-old Arizona boy brought a comparative "dink" to the scale yesterday at the Junior Bassmaster competition on the Allegheny River at Kittanning's John P. Murtha Park.
Pfundheller, who is the Arizona state CastingKids champ, placed third out of 46 youths in the 15-18 age group, with a 1-pound, 1-ounce bass, a good weight considering how tough the fishing was in 90 degree heat and stifling humidity.
Just eight kids in that group weighed fish, including Scott Gettings, 17, of West Warwick, R.I., whose two bass, 2-pound, 13-ounce total won him a title and the top prize -- a Triton boat and a $5,000 college scholarship. Among the 41 kids ages 11-14, Joey Nania came in first, with a 1-pound, 4-ounce smallmouth. One of just six boys in his age group to weigh fish, he, too, received a boat and a $5,000 scholarship.
"I caught it in the last five minutes of the tournament," said Nania, who fished with Brittany Brown, 17, of Brandon, S.D., and Kevin VanDam, one of the top BASS pros of all time.
Nania, of Liberty Lake, Wash., was next to last at the weigh-in, which last two hours, as the kids and their pro partners were called to the stage in teams.
His father hugged him, as BASS staff hustled him away for photographs.
"We had a blast," said VanDam, of Kalamazoo, Mich. "I just wish it had been an easier fishery for them."
Among the 87 kids, just over 16 pounds of bass were collectively weighed.
One youth from each age group was paired with a pro in his boat for the competition, which included a practice day Sunday.
Though the pros could give advice and weigh fish on Sunday, their only role yesterday was to drive the boat.
"If they see a kid overwhelmed by the moment ... let's say it's Rick Clunn, the greatest angler to ever walk the face of the earth ... and the kid freezes and he's not enjoying himself, Rick, or whatever pro it is, can help them a little just to calm them down," said Stacy Twiggs, BASS national youth program manager.
"The tournament is an education tool, but it's also about having fun."
Murtha Park was crammed with proud parents, grandparents and BASS Federation youth directors, who had traveled from every state except Nevada, North Dakota, Alaska, Louisiana and Hawaii to watch the children compete.
Qualifying for the junior world championship represents years of effort some parents liken to Little League and gymnastics.
Kids through fifth place earn scholarship money, and the state and the BASS chapters sponsoring the winners also are awarded up to $1,500 each. Most of the children are avid competitors in Bassmaster clubs and some are sponsored.
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Curt Chandler, Post-Gazette Scott Gettings of West Warwick, RI, holds the two bass that propelled him to the top of the field at the Junior Bassmaster Championship yesterday. Click photo for larger image. Click links to listen to MP3 audio clips Emcee Keith Alan announces Scott Gettings as the 2005 15-18 Junior Bassmaster World Champion.
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Adam Grube, 12, of Rimersburg, fished for Pennsylvania through the Clarion County Bassmasters and weighed a 12-ounce bass.
They and another boy fishing for the Clarion County Bassmasters, Chad Dolby, 17, of Lucinda, got a big cheer from a large hometown crowd as each took the stage. Though Dolby got "skunked" -- he weighed no fish -- he handled his disappointment like a pro.
"Everyone said it would be tough and it was," said Dolby, whose professional partner was Bradley Stringer, of Huntington, Texas. "I've fished this part of the river before. When I practiced, I had a lot of little ones. I knew it would be hard. But fishing with Bradley was awesome. He was pumped. I was pumped. I already have my sights set on next year."
Some kids, such as Graylon Wright, 12, of Williamsport, Md., live close enough that they pre-fished the river earlier this summer.
"He wasn't aggressive, but he picked great spots," said Ed Cowan, of Greeley, Pa., Wright's pro partner. "He knew where he wanted to fish and he was flat-out right."
Other kids, who traveled a greater distance, were seeing the river for the first time, and had done their "pre-fishing" on the Internet.
"It's amazing how good they are and how much they know," said Kevin VanDam of his young partner. "He had the whole place mapped and researched. That kind of tool wasn't available to me when I was growing up."
Gettings, on the other hand, said he did little online preparation for what would turn out to be the most important win of his young career.
"Yesterday's practice -- that was it," said Gettings, who fished a 4-inch black and blue Senko, and staked out his spot Sunday. His pro partner was veteran Classic angler Jimmy Mize, of Ben Lomond, Ark. "I was a little nervous. My dream was always to get to fish with a pro."
For Gettings' mother Debbie Clemente, the anxiety and excitement only built. When it was clear he'd won, she burst into tears.
"He's such a great kid and I'm not saying that because he's my son," said Clemente. "Scott traded in his leather coat and bought tackle with it. He works full time. He's going to college. He's done all this on his own.
"But he's got a great attitude. He's a fighter. He really deserved to win."