South Florida Sails Hold Off Late Charges to Win Cape Cod Invitational

The South Florida Sails weathered relentless pressure (and deteriorating weather) to claim the Sport Fishing Championship's Cape Cod Invitational, presented by Comparion Insurance. 

Originally scheduled as a three-day event, the tournament was shortened after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a small-craft advisory for Sunday. With one whole day less to fish, a hot start was even more meaningful than normal.

South Florida Sails established themselves as the club to beat on Friday, exploding out of the gate with a triple white marlin release before adding a blue marlin later in the afternoon. They closed the opening day with 850 points after another late white marlin release, holding a 200-point advantage over North Carolina Flare, who stayed within striking distance thanks to a dramatic blue marlin release after lines out.

Championship Saturday began with fireworks at dawn.

The New Jersey Sea Birds wasted little time climbing the leaderboard, scoring within the first half-hour before Trey Burton released his first blue marlin ever. Jay Brower and Kade Roach continued the rally with white marlin releases, while Stephen Birch added another blue marlin midway through the morning to push the Sea Birds into second place. By late morning, they had trimmed the Sails’ once commanding lead to just 50 points, setting up what appeared to be a thrilling sprint to the finish.

Meanwhile, North Carolina Flare continued to apply pressure throughout the morning with several white marlin releases. However, their first fish of the day was later disqualified following IGFTO review. Rules officials determined a mate had touched the line while clearing seaweed, preventing the release from counting toward the team's total. The ruling proved costly in an event ultimately decided by just 100 points.

While the challengers battled behind them, the South Florida Sails repeatedly answered every charge. Westin Bomnskie opened their day with an early white marlin before the tournament leaders converted on another triple white marlin release featuring Lee Albarty, Mark McDevitt, and Bomnskie that stretched their lead back to 300 points. Later in the afternoon, Lee Albarty and Alex Stanley each added another white marlin to keep the Sails firmly atop the standings.

Even without 2025’s historic white marlin bite, Cape Cod still delivered some history-making results.

After entering Championship Saturday with just 200 points, the South Carolina Outcast steadily chipped away before making SFC history late in the afternoon. Steven Lackey and Trey Kemmerlin successfully completed the league's first-ever blue marlin double, earning 900 points to vault the Lowcountry Legends from fifth place all the way into second with 1,300 points. The remarkable comeback instantly transformed the leaderboard and put the pressure squarely back on South Florida Sails in the closing hours.

East Coast Remix recorded two separate white marlin doubles to climb to 700 points and remain in the hunt throughout much of Championship Saturday. Lights Out Boston also found their rhythm after being held scoreless on Day 1, with Jackie Hayes, Tucker Carmichael, and Ray Rosher accounting for four white marlin releases to finish the tournament with 400 points.

North Carolina Flare mounted one final effort during the closing minutes when Mark Dressler hooked up just before lines out, but the fish proved to be a tuna, ending the team's comeback hopes. 

South Florida Sails recorded 10 white marlin releases and one blue marlin release while never surrendering the tournament lead.Each time another club threatened to overtake them, Captain Mike King and his crew answered with another billfish, demonstrating the poise that ultimately carried them to victory.

Final Results
South Florida Sails - 1,450 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 1,300 points
New Jersey Sea Birds - 1,200 points
North Carolina Flare - 950 points
East Coast Remix - 700 points
Lights Out Boston - 400 points
Rhode Island Breakers - Scratch

With the Atlantic Division playoff race tightening and only two regular-season events remaining, the Cape Cod Invitational delivered another reminder that every release and every point could prove decisive in the Hunt for The Zane Grey Championship Playoffs.