Spring Lake Park anglers win conference championship

A third trip to state in three years, and a conference championship for good measure.

It’s been a stellar final season for the standout Spring Lake Park fishing duo of Brock Poppe and Trevor Kachina, with the pair closing out the MN Junior BASS Northeast Metro Conference championship July 19 to advance to state competition in September.

“What makes them successful is all about time on the water,” said Spring Lake Park education coordinator Matt Jollymore and coach Shawn Poppe. “Their work ethic, their dedication and the partnership they have on the water. They have great synergy after fishing together for three years.”

Having advanced to state the previous two years, Poppe and Kachina entered this season with lofty expectations.

“We were hoping for a top-five finish in the conference to skip going to regional and advance directly to state,” Poppe and Kachina said. “Be happy with our success no matter the outcome.”

The conference race went down to the wire, with Poppe and Kachina in fourth place entering the final open meet on East and West Rush Lake.

“The conference was a battle,” Brock Poppe said. “Pre-fishing came with challenges at times, but we were able to use those opportunities to grow for tournaments.”

“We overcame the challenges to have a successful outcome,” Kachina said.

With a big final bag in the closing meet, Kachina and Poppe surged to the top of the standings, edging the runner-up team from Mahtomedi by one point.

“Jaw-dropping and blessed since we put so much work into this season,” Kachina said.

“Overcome with joy and happiness,” Brock Poppe said. “A reward for all the hard work we put into this season.”

“We could not be more happy for them achieving this goal! This will be the third visit to state for the Poppe/Kachina team,” coach Tina Poppe said. “This is their last year, and we are hoping for a strong finish to advance any of our state teams to Nationals in 2025.”

Spring Lake Park’s success carried throughout its roster.

Dawson Coleman and Sam Seim earned seventh place, while Ryan Clausen and Logan Neiger earned eighth place. Both teams will compete in regionals in August for a chance to advance to state.

“The team has truly come together,” Jollymore said. “They started as six teams in one school, to finish as 12 members on one team. They have fed off each others’ success, to challenge each of them to improve week over week. To see our team members successful brings great joy to all that got to be a small part of their success.”

The fishing season started in January with classroom education, open to community enrollment for all ages 10 and up, continuing throughout the summer.

The state open is Sept. 7-8 in Wabasha on the Mississippi.