Page 46 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch August 16, 2013 Sports In The News 2013 White Marlin Open In The Books By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR OCEAN CITY – The 40th Annual White Marlin Open last week lived up to the hype as usual with a flurry of big whites caught midweek, including the eventual winner, an 83pounder caught by angler Tom Jones of the “Kingfisher” oddly on the “Odinspear” and a massive bigeye tuna weighed late on the tournament’s last day on Friday. The tournament got off to a rather slow start with no qualifying white marlin weighed on the first day. On Tuesday, however, the crew on the “Billfisher” broke the ice with a 77-pounder that temporarily took the top spot on the white marlin leaderboard. On Wednesday, a stir was created when two 77-pounders were weighed within a short period of time to create an unprecedented three-way tie in the signature white marlin division. Before the big crowd that had gathered at host Harbour Island could wrap their heads around the possibility of a three-way tie for the first time ever in tournament history, the crew from the “Kingfisher,” who were fishing on the “Odinspear” after their own vessel experienced problems, rolled into the scale with another big white marlin to weigh. When the “Kingfisher” crew’s white marlin was raised at the scale, it registered 83 pounds, knocking the three competitors tied at 77 pounds down the leaderboard. Angler Tom Jones and the “Kingfisher” then had to sweat out the remaining two days of the tournament to see if their 83-pounder would stand up and claim the WMO’s top prize. On Thursday, 191 of the tournament’s 262 participating boats were out in the canyons in search of a white marlin to unseat Jones and the “Kingfisher,” but only one real challenger was brought to the scale, remarkably another 77-pounder caught by angler Richard Kornahrens on the “Lights Out.” With just 39 boats fishing on Friday, the WMO’s last day, no real threat challenged the “Kingfisher,” which held on to claim the tournament’s top prize. When all was said and done, Jones and the “Kingfisher” crew took first in the white marlin division and earned over $1.2 million in prize money. Because no qualifying blue marlin were weighed, that division’s prize money rolled into the white marlin pot and escalated the earnings for the top finishers. While the “Kingfisher” crew, fishing aboard the “Odinspear,” took the top prize with an 83-pounder, three boats tied for second in the white marlin division with 77-pounders. Angler Debbie McCann on the “Sea Mistress,” along with angler Larry McKinley on the “Sea Toy” and Kornahrens on the “Lights Out” each earned $102,498 in prize money for their matching 77-pounders. In the tuna division, a run of huge big-eyes set the stage for what was arguably the most dramatic division in the tournament. Going into the last day, angler Mark Donohue on the “Miss Annie” was sitting atop the leaderboard with a 261.5-pound big-eye caught on Thursday, while Michael Ajamian on the “Goin In Deep” was close behind with a 255.5-pounder weighed on the same day. However, the leaderboard was erased and rewritten with a late entry on the last day. On Friday night, angler James Czaban and the crew on the “Sushi” backed up the scale with a huge big-eye that would top out at 276 pounds and shake up the leaderboard. In the end, it was Czaban and the “Sushi” crew claiming the top prize in the tuna division and a check for $573,850, while Donohue and the “Miss Annie” took second and earned $65,120. The “Goin In Deep” crew took third and earned $27,108, while angler John Coleman and the crew on the “Ocean Dan-Sar” took fourth with a 148.5-pounder and earned $46,060 because of the small boat Calcutta. In the dolphin division, it was angler Jeff Collins on the “Why Not” taking first with a 34-pounder worth $14,726. Bill Gerlach on the “Billfisher” was second with a 33-pounder worth $3,433, Glenn Orr on the “G Force” was third with a 30.5-pounder worth $12,726, Greg Fellers on the “Incorrigible” was fourth with a 29.5pounder worth $10,293, and the crews on the “Krazy Salts” and the “G Force” shared fifth with a pair of 25-pounders each worth $10,293. In the wahoo division, angler John Simmonds on the “Streaker” took first with a 70-pounder worth $21,588. Deacon Burke on the “Kingfisher/Odinspear” was second with a 66-pounder worth $20,588, Brian Schlosser on the “Aquadance” was third with a 57.5-pounder worth $2,433, and James Shenk on the “Heavy Metal” was fourth with a 41-pounder worth $17,155. In the shark division, angler Mike Peet on the “No Quarter” was first with a 133.5-pounder worth $4,933, while angler Joe West on the “Cotton Picker” was second with a 313pounder worth $3,933. All in all, about $2.47 million in prize money was doled out to the winners in several categories. While the last day of the White Marlin Open last Friday did not produce any changes on the white marlin leaderboard, angler James Czaban and the crew on the “Sushi” weighed a 276-pound big-eye near the end of the tournament to take over the top spot in the tuna division and claim $573,850 in prize money. Photo courtesy sportfishermen.com Berlin Bows Out In Region Semifinals By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR BERLIN – The Berlin Little League’s under-12 Major League team’s run at a potential berth in the Little League World Series ended with a 9-3 loss to Pennsylvania in a nationally televised game last Saturday, but the defeat did little to tarnish a remarkable run through the district, state and regional playoffs. Berlin went 2-2 in pool play in the Little League Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament last week to earn a spot in the semifinals with a chance to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport later this month. Berlin jumped out to a quick 2-0 record in pool play after beating New Jersey, 5-4, and eventual region champion Delaware, 6-2, before stumbling against Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Nonetheless, Berlin’s 2-2 record in pool play earned the team a spot in the region semifinals and a rematch with Pennsylvania, which beat Berlin, 2-0, earlier in the week. The game was set for last Friday and was intended to be shown nationally on ESPN, but bad weather forced a cancellation and moved the game back to Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPNU. Pennsylvania got out to an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the second and blew the game open with five runs in the fourth. Berlin did not go down quietly and responded with three runs to keep their hopes of a comeback and a trip to the World Series alive, but Pennsylvania just had too much offense and an outstanding pitching performance to eliminate Berlin. Pennsylvania starter Connor Kalten pitched four and two-thirds and struck out 11, ending any hopes for a big Berlin comeback. Despite the loss, the season was wildly successful for the Berlin Major League team, which won its third straight District 8 championship and third straight Maryland state championship to advance to the regional tournament. 20th Poor Girl’s Open Underway By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR OCEAN CITY – With the drama of the high-dollar, high profile White Marlin Open dispensed with last week, the resort area’s lady anglers get their turn in the spotlight this week with the return of the Poor Girl’s Open, which got underway yesterday with the first day of fishing. Now in its 20th year, the Poor Girl’s Open, which typically falls on the weekend after the White Marlin Open, was founded in 1994 by the late Captain Steve Harman and his wife, Pam, to provide a ladies-only fishing event with the proceeds donated to a local charity. In recent years, the American Cancer Society has been the recipient of choice in conjunction with other “pink ribbon” events held in and around the resort all year long. In the last three years alone, the Poor Girl’s Open has raised well over $100,000 for the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer research and awareness programs. In addition to the fishing, the event includes silent auctions, 50-50 raffles, T-shirt sales and other events, all at tournament headquarters at Bahia Marina in Ocean City. Despite its charitable overtones, the tournament is all about the fishing and the dozens of boats and hundreds of competitors take it very seriously. The tournament is a catch-and-release event with points awarded for billfish releases. There are also added entry levels for tuna and dolphin with potential winning fish weighed each day of the tournament at host Bahia Marina. Teams of lady anglers must choose to fish one of the three officials fishing days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.