As the top two finishers in the season’s Bassmaster Northern Open division standings, Frank Scalish of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Bassmaster Elite Series veteran Kotaro Kiriyama each earned a berth in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic.
Scalish, who finished the weekend’s Northern Open on Lake Erie in third place Saturday, will be fishing his second Classic, while Kiriyama, who finished 15th on Lake Erie, will compete in his 10th Classic.
“When I came down here, my only goal was to make the Classic,” Scalish said. “Mission accomplished.”
The two pros – along with the rest of the top seven in the final Northern Opens standings – have also been offered a shot at BASS’ highest level of fishing, the Bassmaster Elite Series. Both accepted the invitation.
The Opens were Kiriyama’s means of requalification this year as he didn’t not re-qualify based on his Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standing.
Scalish finished the season with 880 points, 120 ahead of Kiriyama. Scalish placed third at both the Erie event and the inaugural Northern Open at Chesapeake Bay. In the second Northern Open on New York’s Lake Champlain, he placed second.
For Kiriyama, a 20th-place finish at Lake Champlain was a thorn, but he managed second place at Erie and fifth at Chesapeake Bay, good enough to secure a spot in both the Classic and the Elites.
It looked like Scalish had the Erie Open wrapped up until Jonathon VanDam – nephew of 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam – weighed in the heaviest stringer of the tournament, a 24-pound, 8-ounce bag of smallmouth, Saturday.
Day 1 leader Pete Gluszek of Mount Laurel N.J., also finished the final Open ahead of Scalish. While VanDam wasn’t a threat to Scalish’s chances for a Classic or Elite Series berth, Gluszek was.
Gluszek fell just short of a Classic appearance. His last Classic appearance was 10 years ago in 1999 on the Louisiana Delta. He will be offered an Elite Series invitation by virtue of his third-place finish in the Open standings.
“This is the fourth time I’ve been one spot out of the cut,” he said. “Of course I wanted to make it (to the Classic), but I guess I’m happy where I am; this is what I do.”
Other pros who will be invited to fish the Elite Series: J. Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., who will fish his sophomore season in the Elites; Aaron Hastings of Boonesboro, Md.; Brian Bylotas of Olyphant, Pa.; and Steve Oleksyn of Rochester, N.Y.
Here is the final standings for the Northern Opens
2009 Northern 3 - Sandusky, OH - Northern 3 - Sandusky, OH
Boater Points
After Lake Erie, Sandusky, Ohio Ending 09-26-2009, Day 2
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Place Name St Pts
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1 Frank Scalish Ohio 880
2 Kotaro Kiriyama = Ala. 760
3 Pete Gluszek N.J. 742
4 J Todd Tucker Ga. 700
5 Aaron Hastings Md.= 684
6 Brian Bylotas Pa. 656
7 Steve Oleksyn N.Y. 647
8 Matt Greenblatt Fla. = 631
9 Jeremy Starks W.Va. 619
10 Byron Haseotes= Mass. 615
11 Terry Baksay Conn. 610
12 Chris Daves Va. 609
13 Jonathon Vandam = Mich. 589
14 Scott Parker N.H. 568
15=Kevin Short Ark. 567
16 Chris Sumansky Pa.= 558
17 Whitney Stephens Ohio 557
17 Brandon Coulter Tenn. 557
19 Dave Wolak N.C. = 554
20 Jason Knapp Pa. 551
21 Dave Mansue= N.J. 546
22 Monty Fralick S.D. 545
23 Ryan Park Pa. 543
23 Paul Leblanc = Mass. 543
25 Michael Iaconelli N.J. 540
26 Curtis Richardson Canada 529
27 Todd Glover Mich.= 528
28 Sean Wieda Ky. 515
29 Dave Rochette= Canada 512
30 Garrett Green Canada 506
31 Daryl Biron Conn. 505
32 Chris Noffsinger = Mich. 493
33 Chad Morgenthaler Ill. 492
34=Glenn Delong Ohio 490
35 Paul Pagnato Va.= 479
36 Pat Golden N.C. 473
37 Derek=Jones Ill. 469
38 Ken Cook Okla. = 456
39 Scott Lakey Mich. 451
40 Joe Balog= Mich. 445
41 Jason Dudek Minn. = 440
42 Steve Schubert Ohio 436
43 Ish Monroe = Calif. 425
44 Marty Stone N.C. 420
45 Rodney Sorrell N.C. 415
46 Jason Root = Ohio 408
47 Mark Peiser Ind. 387
48=Mike Wolfenden R.I. 386
49 Mike Elkins Mich.= 381
50 Jami Fralick S.D. 378
51 Anthony=Borkoski Ohio 370
52 Joseph Thompson Pa. = 368
52 Scott Cremeans Ohio 368
54 Nate Wellman= Mich. 346
55 Josh Giran Pa. 343
56 Cliff Blackford Mich. 338
57 Steven Clapper = Ohio 337
58 Russell Colwell Md. 334
59=Shawn Skobel Pa. 331
60 Sean Alvarez Vt.= 328
61 William Lortz N.Y. 326
62 Thomas=Waltz Vt. 324
62 Phil Colarusso N.Y. = 324
64 Brian Hatfield Ky. 323
65 Bill Byers= Ohio 322
66 Trevor Jancasz Mich. =320
67 Craig Townsend N.J. 316
68 Chris Price = Md. 315
69 Doug Kirkbride N.Y. 314
70 Leo Reiter Ind. 308
71 Lyle Atkins = W.Va. 306
72 Keith Kurpicki N.J. 305
73=Charlie Hartley Ohio 300
74 Dan Moran Ohio= 297
75 Bill Brown Pa. 295
75 Jelani=Hennessey Va. 295
77 Bill Rea Ohio = 294
77 Chris Johnson W.Va. 294
79 Dana Perrotte= Vt. 290
80 James Pocratsky Pa. 288
81 Dick Parker Ohio 285
82 David Smith = Okla. 281
83 Andre Moore Ala. 278
84=Jared Rhode Ohio 276
85 Sam Greer Ky.= 270
86 Ray Brazier Tenn. 269
86 Eric=Johnson Mass. 269
88 Robert Cook Mich. = 268
89 Darrin Schwenkbeck N.Y. 266
90 Gaspare Costabile= Canada 264
90 Chad Rice Md. 264
92 Mark Desjardin Maine 262
93 Donald Staszczyk =N.Y. 260
93 Thomas Lavictoire Vt. 260
95 Brad=Wall Ohio 259
96 William Sanders Md. = 256
97 Gary Gaussiran Canada 254
97 Bryan Coates= Ohio 254
99 Jeff Stoner Pa. 253
100 Jeremy Prouty Fla. 252
100 David Hovanec = N.Y. 252
100 Tom Booth N.Y. 252
103=Michael Simonton Ohio 251
104 Brian Gates Vt.= 250
105 Kip Carter Ga. 242
106 Jimmy=Kennedy Vt. 241
107 David Dudley Ohio = 237
108 Ken Baumgardner Pa. 235
109 Mark Hickory= Vt. 233
109 Chris King Ohio 233
111 Tom Mason N.J. 231
112 Jack Rinkers = Pa. 230
113 Steve Lucarelli N.H. 229
113=Bryan Schmitt Md. 229
115 David Andrews Mass.= 228
115 Steve Panaroni Conn. 228
117 Bill Lowen= Ohio 225
118 Casey Rohring N.Y. =223
119 Alvaro Rodriguez N.Y. 222
120 Joe Lucarelli = N.H. 221
121 Kyle Walling Ky. 215
122 Mike Weiss Wisc. 211
122 Craig Nels = N.Y. 211
124 Ryan Hawthorne Conn. 209
124=Craig McNanie Ohio 209
126 Mark Burgess Mass.= 206
127 Curt Stickney Mich. 205
128 Richard=Favire N.J. 204
128 Paul Molan Ohio = 204
130 Leon Dykas Conn. 203
131 J Judd = Vt. 201
132 Emery Peine N.J. 196
133 George Acord Pa. 193
134 Don Fowler = Mich. 192
135 Stephen Sykas Vt. 187
135=Adam Weiser Pa. 187
137 Bill Spence Vt.= 186
138 Ac Campbell Pa. 183
139 John=Vanore N.J. 178
140 Charles Sim Canada = 175
140 Michael Woolley Mich. 175
142 Michael Drew= Vt. 173
143 Bobby Lane Fla. 171
143 Daniel Rodriguez Md. 171
145 Edwin Gardner = Md. 167
146 Mark Kulik Canada 165
146=Jack Dalzell Ohio 165
148 Frank Vida Conn.= 161
149 Ron Plocek N.Y. 159
150 Jeff Kuhar= Ohio 158
151 Scott Sewell Md. =155
152 Brian Cook Ohio 154
153 Otto David = N.Y. 153
153 Frank Ippoliti Pa. 153
155 Jim Dillard Ark. 151
156 Tim Aldrich = Mass. 141
156 Duane Essick Del. 141
158=Doc Merkin Ill. 139
159 Jamie Worth Pa.= 138
160 Mike Mantha Mass. 133
161 Jim Staszewski= Maine 127
161 Jerrod Lloyd N.J. 127
161 Jess Salmon N.J. 127
164 Matt Herren = Ala. 125
165 Britt Myers S.C. 123
166=Brian Feutz Mich. 119
167 Louis Consoli Pa.= 117
168 Donald Murray Del. 113
169 Michael=Scanlon Pa. 111
170 Rick Ash Pa. = 110
170 John Cromwell Tenn. 110
170 Larry Bailey= Ohio 110
173 Byron Velvick Texas 109
174 Rob Hyatt Canada 107
175 Matt Stefan = Ill. 103
176 Michael Randolph Texas 102
177=Eric Sertl N.Y. 101
177 Kaku Usui Mich.= 101
179 Del Smith Ohio 99
180 Mike Kaminskas= N.J. 97
180 Preston Clark Fla. 97
182 Rob Webster Canada 93
182 Woo Daves = Va. 93
184 Mike Leblanc Vt. 91
185=Jim Tedesco Canada 85
186 Jeffrey Randall N.Y.= 83
186 Jerald Conley N.J. 83
188 Mike Smith= Canada 81
188 Antonio Gomez N.J. = 81
190 Louis Iribarren N.Y. 79
191 Jonathan Carter= Maine 72
192 Andrew Dick Del. 68
193=Denis Lavoie Canada 67
194 Brian Ward Mich.= 66
195 Chris Jackson Ala. 63
195 Lewis Denney= Tenn. 63
197 Brad Rightnour Pa. 59
197 Jeffrey Russell N.Y. 59
199 John Kolinski = Wisc. 53
200 Sumiyuki Takano Fla. 52
201=Michael Sims N.J. 50
202 Dave Carey Md.= 49
203 Michael Sweeney Mass. 48
204 Fred=Serge N.J. 47
205 Adrian Avena N.J. = 44
206 Mike Hancin Conn. 43
206 Lee Cox = Md. 43
208 Henry Stone N.Y. = 42
209 Kurt Dove Texas 41
210 Gregory Dipalma= N.J. 40
211 Michael Kozell N.Y. 39
211=Wesley Strader Tenn. 39
213 Jason Stoddard Vt.= 24
214 Doug Wilson Vt. 20
215 Tony=Johnson Ohio 19
216 Earl Purcell Mass. = 15
217 Joby Poster Pa. 7
218 Will Jefferies= Utah 5
219 Michael Mundy N.Y. 0
219 Bill Vierzen N.H. 0
219 Robert Fisher = Vt. 0
219 Rick Anderson Pa. 0
219=William Kemp N.C. 0
219 Greg Hackney La.= 0
219 Andy Starner Pa. 0
219 Aaron=Stone N.Y. 0
219 Joshua Treibley Pa. = 0
219 Kevin Shearer Ohio 0
219 Joe Hunt = Pa. 0
219 Edward Thayer Del. = 0
219 Sheron Brown Mass. 0
219 Scott Kahabka= N.Y. 0
219 Antonino Correnti Md. 0
219 Jonathan Else Pa. 0
219 Royce Madden = N.C. 0
219 Josh Guess Fla. 0
219=Guyowen Hall W.Va. 0
219 Jess Caraballo Conn.= 0
219 Chris Daniels N.C. 0
219 Andy Krizan= Mich. 0
219 Brian Wilhoit Md. = 0
219 Stu Martel Ill. 0
