Griffith to put on the Scott City helmet one final time

Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–It’s one of the greatest summer traditions in the Sunflower State. Over the first 42 years, an elite group of the best Kansas High School football players have been able to participate in the Kansas Shrine Bowl for a great cause. The Kansas Shrine Bowl slogan goes “Strong Legs Can Run so That Weak Legs Can Walk”. Saturday night at Welch Stadium in Emporia, the state’s greatest football players from the Class of 2016 will put on their high school helmets and decals, and compete as a high schooler one final time on the brand new turf at Emporia State to benefit the Shriner’s Hospitals. 

Among those players is Scott City’s Cooper Griffith. Griffith is the 27th Beaver football player to participate in the Shrine Bowl, and continued an impressive run of being the eighth straight year a Scott City product has been selected. In fact, a former Beaver great has been selected in 10 of the last 11 years. 

Griffith’s numbers over a career in which he started three seasons are impressive. The fullback/linebacker rushed for 2592 yards and 42 touchdowns in three seasons. His defensive numbers were even more impressive, collecting 419 tackles, 4 interceptions and one returned for a touchdown his senior year. Griffith’s was only able to suit up the last few games his freshman year due to an injury, which was the great state championship run of 2012. 

Griffith will play for the Fort Hays State Tigers, and will redshirt this upcoming season. 

He reported to camp in Salina on Friday, where the west squad will hold camp leading up to Saturday’s Shrine Bowl. Coaches on the west side include Junction City’s Randall Zimmerman serving as head coach, Junction City assistant John Davis, Goddard Eisenhower’s Marc Marinelli, Holcomb’s Kent Teeter, Jason Grider from Halstead, and J.B. Covington from Phillipsburg. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm.

Cooper Griffith