ASHLAND, Ohio- Findlay won two different weight classes to highlight Saturday’s Great Midwest Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship.
 
The Roughnecks were victorious at 125 (Graham Shore) and 133 (Gavin Ritter).
 
Findlay scored a total of 86.0 points while nationally-ranked Ashland finished second at 76.5. Tiffin and Lake Erie followed with 72.5 and 63.5 points, respectively. Kentucky Wesleyan rounded out the team standings.
 
This is Findlay’s first conference championship since wrestling was introduced as a championship sport in the Great Midwest during the 2018-19 academic year. 
 
Each institution was allowed to enter up to two (2) student-athletes per weight class.

The intensity picked up throughout the day as wrestlers were competing for one of three top placements for all-conference team status.
 
Wrestler of the Meet Graham Shore and Gavin Ritter opened up the championship session with impressive showings. Graham won via decision  14-2 over Tiffin’s Brandon Mendoza. Ritter defeated Lake Erie’s Ryan Weher by fall.
 
Tournament host Ashland had four student-athletes crowned conference championships. Drew Wiechers (165), Nate Barett (174), Daniel Beemer (184), and Walker Uhl (197) represented the Eagles on the podium.

Tiffin's Casey Barnett at 157 and Clayton Ours at 285 were both champs in their respective weight classes. Barnett edged out Findlay’s Logan Sanom while Ours and Ashland’s Ty Petrey were dueling until a fall at 2:14.
 
Also recognized was the sport’s Elite 26 Award winner in Tiffin’s Brandon Mendoza who carries a 3.88 GPA while majoring in Health, Fitness, and Wellness. Mendoza, typically competing at 125 pounds, was in the starting lineup for the Dragons and is ranked fourth in his weight class in the most recent InterMat Wrestling rankings.
 
Teams will now continue with regular season competition before Super Regionals, which is set to take place on Feb. 25.