Chiefs wrestling enters Sports Hall of Fame

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake wrestling program was inducted into the Central Washington Sports Hall of Fame on Friday at a luncheon at the Pasco Red Lion Hotel.

The Tri-Cities visitor convention bureau, in conjunction with the Toyota Center, selects individual athletes' contributions to Columbia Basin sports for the honor.

"This is the first program they have honored," Moses Lake High School Athletic Director Loren Sandhop said. "They're honoring our 17 titles in 55 years."

Accepting the award for Moses Lake was wrestling coach Jamie Wise. He and 12 other former coaches and boosters, including Mel and Vicky Olsen, were on hand for the honors that also inducted rodeo cowboy Clint Corey and Pasco High School basketball player Debbie Sporcich into the Hall of Fame.

The only other Moses Lake athlete to be inducted is baseball player Dave Haverlo, Sandhop said.

The wrestling program is a family affair with new athletes coming in and "searching the championship boards, looking for their dad's or uncle's name," Sandhop said. The athletes and upcoming wrestlers, Sandhop said, have the attitude: "'I want to be on the board and this is the room where we work for it.'"

On display at the Toyota Center is a shadow box containing Moses Lake wrestling jerseys and other sports memorabilia.