COMPETITIVE FISHING -- The Oregon State University team of Zach MacDonald, of Willits, Calif. and William Sparks, of Corvallis, Ore. won the National Guard FLW College Fishing West Conference event on Lake Shasta near Redding, Calif., Saturday.

An Eastern Washington University team of local anglers was in the top five, winning a berth to the West Conference Regional Championship.

The Oregon team, with five fish totaling 9 pounds, 4 ounces, won the first place prize of $5,000.

Rounding out the top five teams advancing to the West Regional Championship are:

• 2nd: University of California-Santa Cruz – Chris Rhoden and Sam Sayad, both of Santa Cruz, Calif.(five bass, 9-00, $1,500)
• 3rd: Humboldt State University – Hideaki Kubo, Arcata, Calif., and Ben Smith, Samoa, Calif. (five bass, 8-7, $1,000)
• 4th: Eastern Washington University – Jarred Walker, Cheney, Wash., and Robert Trukositz, Spokane, Wash. (five bass, 8-5, $1,000)
• 5th: California State University-Long Beach – Alex Cox and Justin Gangel, both of Long Beach, Calif. (five bass, 8-1, $1,000)

The EWU team of Jake Ponce and Nick Barr placed 11 with 6 pounds, 3 ounces of fish.

The top five teams from each tournament qualify for the regional championship where the first-place team will win a bass boat with a 90-horsepower outboard wrapped in school colors for their fishing club. The top five teams from each regional tournament advance to the national championship.

College Fishing is free to enter and FLW provides boats and drivers for each competing team along with travel allowances. All participants must be registered, full-time undergraduate students at a four-year college or university and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

The next National Guard FLW College West Conference tournament is scheduled for Feb. 25 at Lake Havasu in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

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