“Make it a Grand Week”- Olivia Lobertini, The Grand on Central

Former Cougar Riley Faulkner records first big fishing win of 2026

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

MORRISTOWN, TN (WLAF)- Riley Faulkner celebrated his 23rd birthday on Thursday, and he celebrated again on Saturday afternoon at Cherokee Lake.

“We caught two big ones in the last hour of the tournament,” said fisherman Faulkner of Jacksboro. He didn’t know it at the time, but that late day haul made the difference for Faulkner and his teammate Mason Phillips.

The duo won Saturday’s Morristown Marine Team Trail (MMTT) on Cherokee Lake at Morristown. The first place finish resulted in a large cash payout for Faulkner and Phillips, who is from Andersonville. “I also got a payout for running my Ikon Boat from Tri-County Marine at Talbott. Faulkner came in second last year at the Fall Classic.

Faulkner, from the Campbell High Class of 2022, graduated from Carson-Newman University in December with a degree in Business Administration. However, he still has one semester of eligibility, Spring 2026, to compete for the Eagles Fishing Team. He balances angling for C-N while fishing non-collegiate tournaments like the one over the weekend.

Faulkner and Phillips blasted off at 6:45am Saturday and finished up at 3:45pm. In that last hour is when the duo reeled in two big catches.

Out of 226 boats (two-man teams), one winning team emerged at Saturday’s first event of the season; Faulkner and Phillips’.

It was stressful during the weigh-in, because Faulkner knew it was going to be close. The heaviest haul through the first 50 boats to weigh-in was 16.77 pounds, and Faulkner’s team needed to top that and did by just .03 ounces with a winning weight of 16.80. “But there was one team after us that I knew might top us, and we had to wait for that weigh-in,” said Faulkner.

In addition to fishing, Faulkner is helping build houses while he is working on getting his contractor’s license to build houses. “Maybe one day I’ll try and fish in the pros,” said Faulkner.

He and fellow Campbell Countian Bryson Dotson, CCHS Class of 2023, have already qualified for the collegiate championship. Dotson fishes for Tennessee Wesleyan University. Bass Pro Shops presents the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster College Championship which will be held on Minnesota’s famed Leech Lake in Walker, Thu.-Fri.-Sat., Aug. 20-22. This is the first time the prestigious collegiate event has visited the storied fishery.

Next up for Faulkner is another MMTT tourney on Saturday, March 21, at Brogan’s Boat Ramp at Maynardville. “The next two are on Norris, this one, and then one here at home at the White Bridge/Lonas Young Park on Saturday, April 11,” said Faulkner.

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini at ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-03/09/2026-6AM-PHOTOS SUBMITTED)