The Reggie Frieswick memorial benefit tournament was held on November 30th 2008.  This tournament was organized by all of the tournament directors in the state to benefit the family of Reggie Frieswick.  Reggie was killed in a boating accident while fishing a tournament at Bartlett lake in 2008.  The Nitro team showed their support with nearly all of our members entering the tournament.   Our team made an additional donation to the family thanks to the efforts of team members Mike and Mary Brillhart and Danny and Monica Hallock.

The Nitro Team was well represented with the team of Matt Shura and Brian Mcallister taking the second place honors with 9.07, just 8 tenths on a pound from the win!

The 4th Quarter Nitro State Team Meeting was held at Ken Larabee’s house on Jan. 11th 2008.  The meeting led by Team Captain Gary Senft and Co-Captian Matt Shura went well with discussions about the new Tracker Rewards program. the upcoming boat show, as well as the new aznitroteam.com website.  The horseshoe competition followed after the meeting.  The team of Ken Larabee and Mike Brillhart dominated the initial rounds of competition.  They beat the team of Tom Wennerlund and Brad Cook. Ken and Mike were basking in the glory until the team of LeRoy Price and Matt Shura took the title away from them with a narrow margin of 15-13.  It was decided that a best out of 3 championship was in order to crown a champion.  LeRoy Price sustained a shoulder injury during competition that prevented him from continuing.  So at this point it is a draw and the competition ended.  Thanks to all that attended the meeting.

Brad Cook proved himself to be a good horseshoe player with good form while Mike Brillhart watches.

Ken Larabee has proven himself to be one of the best horseshoe players around.  He shows perfect form during the competition.

Mike Brillhart gets ready for the ringer while Brad Cook heckles him.

Tom Wennerlund shows perfect form in his release of the horseshoe.

Matt Shura is hoping to get close to the stake as Ken Larabee laughs at his attempt.

Mike Brillhart and Ken Larabee Celebrate the victory over Tom Wennerlund and Brad Cook.

Matt and LeRoy celebrate the win while Mike Brillhart poses in the background.

We had a great turnout for the 4th quarter team meeting.  Thanks to John and Belinda Randall of TMBC for the new team jackets!

About me:  Ever since I was 15 years old visiting my family in Louisiana I salivated over my uncle Doyle’s old beat up aluminum fishing boat. “This is when I knew I was hooked.” He would take us fishing on the bayou and crawfishing practically everywhere. Since I lived near Detroit we did a lot of fishing on Lake St. Clair. I especially liked the Walleye season. I also trout fished all over the U.S. including Montana, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally bought my first bass boat. A short time later a friend talked me into fishing a local tournament. I jumped in with both feet and never looked back. I’ve met a lot of great people in the past few years that have helped me out tremendously. People like Steve Foutch, Rod Nelson, George Lorz and Matt Shura just to mention a few, have given me priceless tips and techniques making me a better fisherman.  I’m also a 14 year veteran of the Mesa Police Department and a single Dad with three great kids that don’t always see my passion for this sport, but support me none the less.
 

About me:  Started fishing with my father and grandfather about the age 10. We fished the Great Lakes for perch (best eating). We used spinning combos and line with a weight on the bottom with two hooks above, many double catches. We started fishing for walleye on the Detroit River (great eating still like perch). A friend in college hooked me on trout fishing. I was into trout, until we moved to Arizona in 1972. Started bass fishing in 1977 and fished my first tournament 1978, won $100.00 and thought that easy (HA HA). I have fished tournaments from Eastern New Mexico to Northern California and every where in between. Hard to beat Clear Lake California and the California Delta. Both are big fish water.