The AOY Championship battle for second place has been a point of interest this week, with Aaron Martens having already clinched the title. Dean Rojas and Justin Lucas have had the best years of their careers, which is more significant for the 44-year-old Rojas than it is for the 29-year-old Lucas.
Rojas and Lucas were more than 100 points behind Martens after eight events, but Rojas held second place by only three points over Lucas. The difference between finishing second or third for the season is significant – $55,000 vs. $45,000.
However, as badly as both anglers want second place, their battle has occurred in the cellar of the Sturgeon Bay standings. Rojas caught a single 1-pound, 13-ounce keeper on Day 1 and none on Day 2. Lucas had two for 3-14 on Day 2, but got things turned around Friday with a 13-15 bag.
Lucas has almost clinched second place in the process. Lucas began the day in 35th place and, unofficially, a 12-point lead over Rojas. And Rojas needs 9 pounds just to pass Skeet Reese's 47th-place two-day total of 10-14. You've got to pass some folks in the standings to make up any ground in AOY points. Lucas probably needs only a middle of the pack finish today to finish second for the season.
His next closest challengers are Edwin Evers and Jacob Powroznik, who are both 21 points behind Lucas, unofficially. Powroznik had, again – unofficially, moved into second place on Day 1 when he was in 4th place with 20-1. But Powroznik dropped back to 23rd place on Day 2 when he weighed only one 3-2 keeper.
"I had eight good bites (Friday)," Lucas said. "I think I've figured out something. Everywhere I could see big boulders on my (sonar) I got bit. But if I didn't see boulders, I didn't get a bite."