Charlie Griffiths wore different colored shoes and a Hooters T-shirt to the Class 4A Region 3 winner’s podium Saturday at Mullen.
The shirt, as it says, is delightfully tacky, while one of his shoes belongs to “a little freshman” who wore about the same size as the 145-pounder from Moffat County.
“So I decided I wanted one of his shoes,” Griffiths said.
Griffiths caught Palisade’s Wesley Shingleton with a great move late in the second period, then survived nearly being stuck in the third period to earn a 12-6 decision that avenged a 10-5 loss this season.
“I knew I had to be more aggressive this time and go for some more shots and keep moving to be able to beat him,” Griffiths said. “It turned out to work really good.”
Griffiths and 152-pound teammate Nathan Tomlin gave the Bulldogs two champions, leading the wrestlers from Craig to a fourth-place finish in the team standings.
Roosevelt, which finished first with 277 1/2 points, had a region-best four champions and will send 12 wrestlers to Thursday’s state tournament at the Pepsi Center.
Palisade was second overall with 238 points and will send 10 to the state meet. Montrose, which won three consecutive weight classes beginning at 171 pounds, was third and is sending seven to state.
“Coach tells us all week that if we’re going to win, we’ve got to win with pins because we’re kind of short some kids,” said Indians 189-pounder Jordan Passehl, who pinned Moffat County’s Cody Adams in 1 minute, 33 seconds.
Roosevelt started the finals with a pin from 103-pounder Jace Lopez, then followed with victories by C.J. York (125 pounds), Presley Papchek (130) and Blake Nygren (160).
York’s 8-1 win over Montrose’s Drew Schumann began with a takedown at the end of the first period. From there he turned a good move by Schumann into another takedown and was cruising.
“The first one, I didn’t know if I was going to get it,” York said. “I heard Coach yelling ‘short time,’ so I just kind of shucked him by and got the two.”
Montezuma-Cortez standout Casey Lynn stuck Roosevelt’s Mason Marick with 0.1 of a second left in the first period of their 135-pound final. Panthers teammate Caleb Ayers rolled and threw Palisade’s Joey Dupre to set up a pin at the 5:40 mark of their 285-pound final.
“I was not really setting it up, because they’re real dangerous,” Ayers said. “But it was there. . . . If it’s there (and) it’s good, you can throw it.”
