August 20, 2025
ISSUE 34
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TROPHY
CATCH Eatonville duo wins Washington State High School Bass Fishing Championship By Skip Smith Contributing Writer
Two Eatonville High School anglers are reeling in a major accomplishment after winning the Washington State High School Bass Fishing Championship at Moses Lake on Saturday, Aug. 9. Callie Mohler, a junior, and Easton Wolfe, 14, who will be a freshman this fall, captured the state title with a threefish limit weighing 13.45 pounds. Their victory earns them a spot in the High School National Championship next June. The win also marks the second time in three years that Eatonville has produced state champions since the program began in 2023. In that year, Jaiden Sobczyk and Will McEver brought home the title. “It feels amazing to win the state title,” Mohler said. “It’s something I’ve been working toward since joining the fishing team.” Second place went to Andrew Gonzales and Connor Selby with a total weight of 11.62 pounds. For Wolfe, the victory still feels surreal. “It’s exciting, it was like I was in a dream,” he said. “I didn’t have a strategy, I just went into the tournament wanting to have fun.” The tournament format allowed each team to bring in a maximum of three fish for the weigh-in. Wolfe’s largest fish of the day was 3.93 pounds, while Mohler brought in the team’s biggest catch, a 5.24-pound largemouth bass, which was just shy of the big fish of the day that was 5.31 pounds. Mohler credited her success to using a Berkley Choppo lure, while Wolfe kept his top bait a secret. “A fisherman never tells,” Wolfe said with a smile. Both anglers pointed to strong support systems that have helped them along the way. Wolfe said his fishing partner
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COURTESY LENA MOHLER
Eatonville High School bass fishing team duo pose with their boat captain after clinching the state title. From Left to Right: Easton Wolfe, Dylan Grad, and Callie Mohler.
‘Dog Days’ arrive at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park ad Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Submitted For the first time ever, dogs are invited to experience the wild side of Pierce County’s sister zoos, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Tickets are on sale now for “Dog Days,” where guests can share the zoo experience with their four-legged friends like never before. On Sept. 4 at Northwest Trek, dogs and their people can enjoy scenic walking trails, staff-led agility demonstrations, and photo ops throughout the natural beauty of the park. Pups are welcome anywhere guests can go on
the walking paths, and tasty Pup Cups will be available for purchase to keep them fueled for fun. Dogs are not allowed on trams, Wild Drives, or Keeper Adventure Tours. Then, on Sept. 25, Point Defiance Zoo will open its gates to pooches. Guests can explore dog-friendly pathways throughout the zoo, both aquariums, and snap adorable selfies with their furry companions. Select areas of the zoo will be open to pups, while others — such as the goat and puffin habitats — will
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COURTESY KATIE G. COTTERILL/NORTHWEST TREK WILDLIFE PARK