An inaugural season that started with a journey south in September ends with another one.

Franklin bass fishing wraps up its first full year of interscholastic competition this coming week at the Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, which will be held Thursday and Friday on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama.

The Grizzlies have competed in six tournaments over the fall and spring, most recently taking part in the BASS Nation State Tournament at Geist Reservoir in Fishers, Indiana at the start of this month. Franklin placed two boats in the top 10 at that event, with Carson Volz and Drew Kristoff finishing in fifth place (their five fish totaled 13.44 pounds) and the tandem of Seth Rindfuss and Charlie Overton placing eighth (five fish, 12.64 pounds).

Volz, Kristoff and Rindfuss were special guests at the Indian Creek Anglers meeting this week, holding a Q&A session on post-spawn techniques for Indiana lakes.

Their efforts in the first two events of the year — the Big Bass Bash in September and the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open in October — earned the Griz 1,570 points in the ACA School of the Year standings, which ranks them 71st in the country going into this season-ending trip. Volz and Logan Oppy earned 700 points at the Big Bass Bash and 870 at the AFTCO event the following month.

Griz coach J.T. Volz calls the top-75 ranking a testament to all that the team has achieved in its debut campaign.

Franklin will be represented at nationals by its top duo of Volz and Kristoff. The week begins with four long days of practice Sunday through Wednesday for the 400 entrants before the official competition begins. The top five teams all receive a cash prize, with the champion taking home $5,000. Bass Pro Shops, the primary sponsor of the tournament, will award gift cards of varying amounts to all of the top 40 teams.

To follow the Grizzlies during the competition, visit the Collegiate Bass Fishing Series website. A video stream and live weigh-in results will be available.