LA GRANDE — During halftime of La Grande’s football game on Friday, Sept. 1, an additional Tiger team took the football field.

La Grande Superintendent George Mendoza, School Board Chair Randy Shaw, La Grande Principal Chelsea Hurliman and Athletic Director Darren Goodman joined members of the Tiger wrestling team to present the squad’s state championship rings.

“It’s very special to be able to celebrate these athletes and coach and recognize the phenomenal work and effort it takes to achieve a state championship. It never gets old to see their smiles and see how proud they are, as they should be,” Shaw said during the ceremony.

A total of 17 wrestlers were honored with team rings as well as the six team managers, head coach Kiel Carson and five assistant coaches. In addition to the team rings, three Tigers received rings for taking individual state titles, including Kai Carson (126 pounds), Joshua Collins (138 pounds) and Brysen Penaloza (145 pounds).

The celebration for the Tiger wrestling team was not the first. La Grande has team titles in 1978, 1996, 2020 and 2022 making the most recent a three-year repeat as COVID-19 called off the state meet in 2021.