The Front Row with JIM LANDERS Nov. 23, 2012

College wrestling's best in the west are coming to Central Valley High School.

On Saturday, 10th-ranked Oregon State University wrestles 16th-ranked Boise State University at Central Valley High at 5 p.m.

For local wrestling fans this promises to be a classic. Each team has two returning All-Americans. Oregon State will feature three Pac-12 champions in its lineup, while Boise State will counter with three conference champs of its own.

BOTH COACHES are former University of Iowa wrestlers. Jim Zalesky coaches Oregon State and was himself a three-time national college champion. Greg Randall coaches Boise State and twice finished second in the college national championships.

Oregon State won both duals between the two schools last year and the year before they split. This year Greg Randall thinks he has the team to beat Oregon State twice to even the score with his biggest rival.

Local wrestling talent will be on display. Travis Pascoe is an assistant coach for OSU who competed for University of Nebraska and was an All-American for them. His wrestling family was based in Rathdrum where he and his two brothers won numerous high school wrestling titles.

Another assistant coach at OSU is Kevin Roberts, who wrestled at University High in Spokane and was a two-time All-American at the University of Oregon. Kevin is married to Cami Moffat, the sister of Jeff and Kelly Moffat, who are the coaches at Coeur d'Alene High.

Cheering against the Moffats will be Janet and John Owen's son Brian, who will be wrestling at 133 pounds for Boise State.

THE FEATURED match will be returning All-Americans Jason Chamberlin for BSU against Scott Sakaguchi for OSU. Some feel these are the best 149-pounders in the country as Jason is ranked second in the nation and Scott is fifth in the preseason polls.

Tickets, which are $10 for adults and $5 for students, can be purchased at Peak Fitness, which has fitness centers in Hayden, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene.

Jim Landers is a retired dentist and a former wrestling coach and official. He can be reached at 819-3579 or at skibums6@aol.com.