“To me,” added Lefebre, “the call wasn’t even close. The way the boats were positioned made it almost impossible for the ref to get a good angle. I understand that there’s no instant replay and Mark Randolph is only human, but at that point in the match things were not going my way, and I let loose. I told him how I felt about the call and that’s that.”

“I can only call it the way I see it,” said referee Mark Randolph after the match. “You have to understand, I don’t want to be a factor in the match. I never want to decide a match, but the rules are clearly stated. The line is there for a reason. Dave was getting frustrated and I get that. He’s one of the most talented and toughest competitors in the field this year and he wants to win. But I can’t put the whistle down regardless of the situation. I treat every angler fairly. I don’t play favorites. I don’t even have a favorite. It’s not my job to be their buddy or friend; it’s my job to light them up when they cast across the line, period. I’ve had a chance to watch the videotape and Dave has a valid argument. It was a tough angle, but not that tough. The cast was clearly; let me say again clearly over the line.”

What could have been catastrophic to Dave Lefebre’s chances of advancing to the semifinals turned into a moment that most UMF fans will never forget as Dave Lefebre overcame his emotional outburst to put together a tremendous comeback to edge legendary Texas angler Harold Allen just .4 pounds.

“I ain’t gonna lie, I’m disappointed,” said Allen. “I came here to win this thing. I sort of felt like I was representing some of us veterans who have been playing this game since before most of these young guys were born. I had the opportunities but it just didn’t come together. That’s fishing.”

In the final wrap, Dave Lefebre described the frustrations of what it’s like as a professional bass angler when things aren’t going your way.

“It’s been a tough stretch for me lately. I just wrapped up the Texas Bass Classic where I was teamed with Kevin Van Dam and we came in dead last. I’ve had a tough time putting it all together recently and it wears on you.”

Not only has Dave Lefebre moved into the UMF Semifinals, he recently finished second in the FLW Championship. Congratulations to Dave Lefebre.

The good news of the day goes to Andy Morgan, who still hangs on to the Wildcard qualification with a weight of 10.52 pounds. Andy will have to wait one more match as Mark Davis and Boyd Duckett square off to see who will join David Walker and Dave Lefebre in the semifinals.