Southwest Divisional Standings/Day 2

[BassinColorado]

Colorado slips as a team to 11 lbs behind 3rd place and 19 lbs behind 1st.  Colorado needs a strong showing and a lot of  from the other states on Day 3 to move up the overall "state standings." 

                                                         Day 1       Day 2        Ttl fish         Ttl weight
4th Place        Colorado                 98-15      85-01      106/105       184-00

Sean Hinton-Morrison, CO              12-04       10-15          10/10             23-03
Jim Floyd-Northglenn, CO              12-02         6-10          10/10             18-12
James Choate-Pueblo West, CO       10-04        7-09           10/9              17-13
Stephen Way-Fountain, CO               7-11         9-11          10/10            17-06
Steve Barbee-Loveland, CO              8-12          7-11          10/10            16-07
Brandon White-Pueblo, CO               5-14        10-01             9/9              15-15
Sam Heckman-Fountain, CO              6-12         8-04              7/7             15-00
Rich Lange-Pagosa Springs, CO        8-08          6-07             9/9             14-15
Lance Tillotson-Aurora, CO                7-00          5-15         10/10             12-15
Joseph Hensel-Lakewood, CO           8-02         4-11              8/8             12-13
Larry Sneith-Parker, CO                     4-01         7-03              9/9             11-04
Lamont Gizzi-Security, CO                  7-09            --               4/4               7-09


"So sorry" if you were rooting for someone else, but it looks like on Day 3, Sean Hinton is 3, small fish, hook sets away from locking in the pole position at representing Colorado at the National event.  Seeing how I expect him to set the hook on 5 good fish today, he will be kinda running away with it, actually. 

It is very hard to make up a 5 lb deficit on Lake Powell when chasing an angler like Sean.  Although it can be done, it is not likely Sean will stumble from his grasp on the top position in this race.  Someone from Colorado would have to come in with a 16 lb sack to run him down and then hope he had a terrible day.  That would be two miracles in one day..... Not likely with Sean's mind set and skills!  I predict "at least" a Colorado win goes to Sean, before the 3rd day even starts.     Obviously a great rep for the boater side for Colorado at the National event. 

Now that Sean's mind should be clear of making it to the National event,  he can focus on winning this whole thing, outright!  We will have to wait and see!  Good Luck, Sean!

That leaves the rest of the team to go after the one co-angler spot!  It looks like it could be any of 10 guys, if there is some slight stumbling along the line.  This is the race that is keeping things interesting.  Which guy will be traveling with Sean to the National event? 

2nd) Jim Floyd had a really good Day 1.  Maybe it was the draw and/or fishing location, but a drastic 50% drop in weight for Day 2 shows that he is vulnerable and could possibly have a weak spot in his plan.  He has left the door "too wide open" for the other 10 guys chasing him, giving them hope and an opening to run him down!  As a non-boater on Day 3, Jim needs a good draw, good mental stamina, great execution, a 10lb limit and a little luck, to take the second slot at Nationals.  If all 5 of these things are not clicking on Day 3, I believe he will be surpassed!       Good luck, Jim!

3rd) Jimmy Choate has also dropped in weight consistency, although not as drastic, but still about 30%.  He might feel comfortable with the weight drop mentally, but chances are he will need more than the 7 lb limit he settled for today to get where he wants to be.  He has a shot to dismantle this theory on Day 3, but I predict he will need "a better than his 8+lbs average catch to date" to shuck off the rest of the chasing gang!  A very tough proposal for a Day 3 non-boater after all the fishing pressure that has taken place!     Good luck, Jimmy!
 
4th) Stephen Way is slightly gaining on his daily weight, with a 22% increase, and is my predicted horse in this part of the race.  It looks like more fish will be moving up onto the banks for him going into Day 3.  That, folks, is really bad news for those guys just slightly above him and up against Steve's' always finish out strong mentality!  I have seen him stumble on the last day in tournaments before, as we all have done, but I think he is "in it to win it" at this moment!  If he keeps his focus and can decide when to make that "one great tournament decision" on Day 3, I think it is his to lose!  "The field should be afraid of this guy! Very afraid!" 

6th) Brandon White looks to be just finding his groove on Day 2 and could be onto something!  With a giant, dang near, 100% gain in daily weight,  he could be "some big trouble a'comin!"  You see his name at the top of tournament standings on many occasions, so have no doubt he is challenging himself and everyone above him for the one remaining slot to Nationals.  I believe his Day 1 weight could leave him about 1 lb short of taking the remaining spot in the end, even if he has a good day.  I also think he could make some folks very, very sad should they slip up and give him the slightest opening!      Good luck runnin' em' down, Brandon!

Then you look at the veteran experience below these guys on the list and see there is plenty of room for a "coming from behind" ending to this event.  Some are now on the "gaining daily weights" train and have a great chance at changing the outcome, if some of those above make the wrong call!  Anyone of these guys could change the game on any given day, for sure!  It's all in their head at this point!  Who crumbles and who holds it all together, makes the right call and pulls it off?
 
   ******  I say Steve Way! 

Any other risky predictions out there?

                                                     

[skeeter20i]

Nice job Sean and Brandon.  The CTBF is lucky to have such great representatives for the 2012 Nationals.