Tri-State Lures Field It Commands Prestigious Tournament Celebrates 25th Anniversary This Weekend

The Tri-State high school wrestling tournament turns 25 years old this weekend, and it appears to be getting better with age.

The tourney continues to draw a state-tournament quality field. And if this year’s tournament is like last year’s, the battle for the team championship won’t be decided until well into the finals.

In the tightest finish, La Grande, Ore., captured its second Tri-State title in three years, finishing 1-1/2 points ahead of Polson, Mont. Just 11 points separated the top four teams.

Fewer than four points have decided the past three tournaments.

State championship teams from Washington, Idaho and Montana are among about 30 full teams and 15 partial teams scheduled to take to the mats Friday morning. The tournament concludes Saturday evening.

Tournament director Bill Pecha predicted La Grande would win last year. He wouldn’t offer a guess this week.

“It’s wide open, there’s no clear-cut favorite,” Pecha said.

Pecha expects as many as 10 teams to challenge. The top contenders include Central Valley, ranked No. 1 in the Washington poll; three-time Idaho State A-1 champion Sandpoint; defending Washington State AAA champion Auburn; Polson, a two-time Montana State A champion; La Grande; Mead; Moses Lake; and Gonzaga Prep.

It takes more than individual champions to win the team title.

Sandpoint, for example, had the most individual winners last year (four), but finished fourth. La Grande had two individual champs, but was supported with five other placers.

“Overall strength will be their problem,” Pecha said of Sandpoint.

No Idaho team has won since Lakeland in 1988.

“It would be nice to win it because it’s an established tournament,” Sandpoint coach Dan Taylor said. “But we’ve never gone in with a full team.”

The weight classes that should showcase the most talent appear to be 119, 125, 145 and 171.

Undefeated two-time Idaho and Tri-State champion Jared Lawrence, a junior, leads the deepest weight at 119. The weight includes Mead’s Jon Rugan (second at state last two years) and University’s Jared Osborn (fourth at state last year).

Lawrence is ranked No. 1 in the nation by one prep wrestling poll.

A repeat of the best match of last year’s tournament could occur at 145 between seniors Ryan Presta, from Missoula-Sentinel, and Jay McGuffin, a three-time state champion from Cashmere, Wash.

Presta upset the previously undefeated McGuffin (82-0) in sudden death before a crowd estimated at 1,700 at NIC. McGuffin couldn’t score an escape in the 30-second sudden death.

A showdown is in the making at 171 between Curtis Owen of Missoula-Sentinel, who won at 152 last year, and Lakeland’s Nathan Pascoe.

Other returning champions are: Chris Montgomery of Gonzaga Prep (103 last year); Zack Vaughan of Sandpoint (119); Shawn Garner of Sandpoint (130); and Laki Ah Hi of Lewiston (189).

Others who should challenge for titles are: Mark Denholm of Mead (103); Andy Roberts of University (130), a runner-up last year at 125; and Lyle Beerbohm of Mead (140).

This may be the 25th edition of the tourney, but it hasn’t been held 25 straight years.

The tournament was canceled in 1982-83 when the sanction papers weren’t filed with the state activities association.

Pecha, who founded the tournament and the NIC wrestling program, was on a sabbatical that year in Hawaii. He’s a chemistry professor at the college.

For what it’s worth, one scholastic magazine ranks CV second in the nation.

In a national coaches poll, Moses Lake is rated ninth. In another publication, Sandpoint is ranked 16th.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Tri-State wrestling Where: North Idaho College When: Friday and Saturday First round: 10:30 a.m. Quarterfinals: 7:15 p.m. Semifinals: Saturday, 12:15 p.m. Championships: Saturday, 6 p.m. Admission: All-session passes $15, senior citizens (60 and older) and students $10. Single-session pass $5, $4 senior citizens and students. There are four sessions, two each day.