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ColbyHarvileandJohnManer,colegiateanglersfromthe
UniversityofNorthAlabama, wontheRangerCupUniversity
TeamoftheYearChalengewith36keperfishweighing74
poundsinawinner-take-al,made-for-TVeventonTexas'
FayeteCountyReservoir.Thetournament,whichutilizeda
rulesformatwhereallegalfishareweighedandreleased
fromtheboat,pitedtheNorthAlabamaanglersagainsta
teamfromUniversityofSouthCarolina.
HarvileandManerqualifiedfortheexpense-paidcompeti-
tionbybeingthehighest-finishingRangerCupUniversi-
ty-qualifiedteamintheBoatU.S.ColegiateBas Fishing
ChampionshiponLakePickwick. TheduotoppedUniversity
ofSouthCarolinaanglersHamptonAndersonandChris
Blanchete, whoqualifiedfortheeventbyhavingthehighest
placeoffinishforaRangerCupUniversity-qualifiedteamat
theFLWColegeFishingNationalChampionshiponLake
Keowe.
"Itwasarealblesing,"saidHarvile."Wecameintoitnot
knowingwhat toexpect. It wasour first timefishingatourna-
mentinthatsetup. Itwasarealyfuntimeandsomethingwe
won'teverforget."
ThedaystartedslowfortheNorthAlabamaanglers,who
werefishingdepwaters.TheUniversityofSouthCarolina
anglersstartedfastandhadagoodleadgoingintothefirst,
early-morningupdate.
"Theotherguysstartedfishingfast,"saidHarvile. "Wewere
getingourbrainsbeatinforaboutthefirsthourandahalf."
Althoughtrailingbehindearly, theNorthAlabamaanglersig-
noredthepresureandregrouped.
"Wefinalysetleddownandgotourheadbackon,"said
Harvile."Wefoundsomefishandabsolutelyhitthegas
anddidn'tletoftherestoftheday."
TheteamfishedwithjigsandaCarolinarigbutrelied
mainlyonaneight-ouncefinesewormonsix-poundline.
HarvileandManerwon$2,000aswelasbraggingrights
fortheiruniversity.Forcompetinginthechalenge,both
participatingteamsreceivedagrand-prizepackagethat
includedtravel, lodgingandmeals, aswelastheopportu-
nitytocompeteinanew, fulyriggedRangerZ185.