By DAVE LINK
Heritage senior Brandon Ward has been fishing for bass almost his entire life and had no idea the impact it would have on his future.
Ward became the first Heritage angler to earn a college scholarship, recently signing with Carson-Newman and culminating a four-year process. 
During his freshman year, Ward met C-N Eagle Anglers coach Hunter Sales, who said to keep in touch the next couple of years.
Ward did so, and in November contacted Sales about giving him a fishing lesson on Douglas Lake. Sales told him yes.
“We went out on Douglas for a lesson,” Ward said. “When we got back from the lesson and were fixing to leave, he told me he’d love to go another time, so we scheduled another time to go on my home lake, Loudon.”
Their next outing was Dec. 5, and when it was over, Sales offered Ward a spot on the team.
“I was in shock,” Ward said. “I didn’t have the best high school resume, fishing wise, but he obviously liked it, so I was really shocked.”
Heritage Fishing Team coach Adam Woliver wasn’t surprised. He knows how much time Ward has put into fishing.
“Brandon has fished all his life,” Woliver said. “He’s fished with his dad and other men. I kid with him and say he’s a 60-year-old fisherman in an 18-year-old’s body.”
Woliver said persistence paid off for Ward.
“Brandon did it on his own,” he said. “I sent a note to (Sales) last year and said Brandon is a great kid and a good student, but then Brandon did it on his own. He went out and fished with (Sales) a couple of times.”
Ward is still seeking his first-place trophy in a bass tournament, although he’s won some intrasquad events with the Heritage team.
He finished second in the Battle of the Blount – which includes teams from Alcoa, Heritage, and William Blount – and last year finished second in a Tennessee Bass Fishing event.
His boat captain is his father, Byron Ward, and Brandon chooses to fish solo in most events.
“I like to fish by myself because it shows I can do it,” Ward said. “I can do two people’s work with one person, and it gives the impression that I really know what I’m doing.”
Sales must have gotten that impression when he offered Ward afishing scholarship.
“It was a dream come true,” Ward said. “It was shocking. It’s surreal.”
HOW IT STARTED
Woliver took over as coach of the Heritage Fishing Team four years ago after his son, Trey, asked if Heritage had a team when he was getting ready for his freshman year.
“I called the principal at the time and he said they’d had (a team) the year before,” Woliver said, “and he said they’d love to get it started back.”
Woliver admits his angling knowledge was limited at the time, just fishing with Vienna sausages on his uncle’s pontoon boat.
“I didn’t know much about fishing but I know about organizing,” Woliver said. 
About 30 anglers showed up for the first meeting, and the team had 18 anglers the first season.
So Woliver was at it again the next year, when J.J. LaRue started coaching the Alcoa Fishing Team and Thomas Gredig began as coach for the William Blount Fishing Team.
Each team has continued to thrive, along with the sport of high school bass fishing.
“We’ve averaged between 20 to 24 anglers in the four years (at Heritage Fishing),” Woliver said.
Heritage has its first female angler this year – sophomore Summer Kilby.
Seniors on the team are Ward, Trey Woliver, Hayden Poe and Hunter Poe, and Fisher Harling.
“The one thing for me is being able to spend time with my son,” Adam Woliver said. “Anglers are really good kids. They’re friends on and off the water. It’s been a very good four-year experience for me and my son.”
And it continues as area teams prepare for the second half of the season on the Tennessee BASS Nation series, the Bass Pro Shops/Sevierville series, and the BASS Open Trails.
FISHING IN FLORIDA
Ward and Woliver were among three Blount County teams competing in the 2022 Bassmaster Mossy Oak High School Series opener in January on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida.
Others in the big event were Bryson Hatcher and Harlyn Nelson of the William Blount Fishing Team and Joe Vaulton and Walker LaRue of the Alcoa Fishing Team.
Vaulton and LaRue caught the five-fish limit weighing 9.1 pounds and finished 35th out of 140 teams from across the nation. Ward and Woliver got three keepers weighing 5.11 pounds.
“I think it’s cool we had all three (Blount County) teams represented,” Woliver said.
All three teams will compete in a similar event in March in Alabama, and they plan to rent a house together for the weekend.
Members of the William Blount, Alcoa and Heritage fishing teams in Florida.