As the Shrine Bowl kicks off Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls, don't think for one minute that fact is being overlooked by those on the left side of the divide.
“This is the last high school football game these kids will ever play,” said Polson head coach Scott Wilson, who will guide the West team in the exhibition. “It will make (the West) feel a lot better if they can leave here with a win ... It's an all-star game, but there's still a good rivalry there.”
After spending the last week practicing in Butte, Wilson's charges will look to take some of the sting out of that loss with as talented and deep a team as perhaps ever before.
The West's offense will be piloted by a pair of quarterbacks who will both play at Carroll College next season. Jared Hunt is coming off a Class AA state championship with Helena Capital, while Matt Ritter was a two-time Class A all-stater at Butte Central.
Both are threats to throw as well as run and should make the West's offense dynamic and hard to contain.
“It's a blessing to have two kids as talented as those two back there,” Wilson said. “All week long (in practice) I've seen plays where it doesn't look like we're going to get much going, then all of a sudden one of those guys makes something happen.”
The West's backfield becomes even more potent with the addition of Class AA rushing leader Beau Donaldson of Missoula Big Sky, Hamilton's Ryan Turley and Tel Reynolds from Class C state champ Drummond.
Donaldson is bound for UM next season on a football scholarship and was the offensive MVP of last month's Badlands Bowl all-star game, where he racked up 123 yards to lead the Montana team over North Dakota, 54-14.
The West's offense will have to be as good as it looks on paper to make gains against a stout East defense led by Billings Central grad-turned-Iowa recruit Casey McMillan.
At 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, McMillan anchored the defensive line for the Class A state champion Rams. On Saturday, he'll have help from Central teammate Brooks Rabold and Choteau's Ray DeBruycker, who are both Griz recruits.
“The McMillan kid can control the line,” Wilson said. “He's a big, strong guy and a good football player. And then on offense we know a kid like (Chance) Demerais can be a game breaker.”
Malta's Demerais, also bound for Carroll College, pounded the Mustangs to the state championship two years ago and might be a sleeper pick for best back in the state (besides Donaldson).
He'll be running against a West defensive line that features UM recruits in Bozeman's Eric Homec and Kalispell's Josh Harris. Three Missoula products: Big Sky's Justin Montelius, Mac Cuffe of Loyola Sacred Heart and Sentinel's Erik Grimsrud bolster that defense.
The Eagles' Heath Eustance was also named to the team as a kicker.
With so much talent on both rosters, Wilson said he expects a good, close game.
“Skill-wise I think we have more than one guy that they will have to shut down,” he said. “It'll be a good test because, defensively, I think the East is going to be pretty good.”
Gary Gebert of Lewistown will coach the East.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. This is the 62nd annual Shrine Bowl, making it one of the oldest games of its kind in the nation. Proceeds go to benefit the Spokane hospital in the Shriners' system of pediatric health care.
Shrine Bowl Rosters
Saturday, July 19
at Great Falls
EAST
Offense
Center - Beau Fredericks, 6-2, 215, Billings West.
Linemen - Andrew Voorhees, 6-0, 260, C.M. Russell; Josh Holmes, 6-6, 240, Billings Skyview; Tanner Daines, 6-3, 275, Billings Central; Steve Moodie, 6-1, 200, Lewistown; Gary Draper, 6-2, 240, Huntley Project; Logan Sims, 5-11, 260, Malta.
Tight ends - Jake Raynock, 6-2, 240, Billings Skyview; Kevin Steiner, 6-4, 200, Shelby.
Receivers - Sam Gratton, 6-0, 190, Billings Senior; Logan Mossey, 5-9, 150, Lewistown; Lane Judisch, 6-1, 163, Conrad; Aaron Booth, 6-0, 170, Great Falls High.
Running backs - Harrison Slaughter, 5-10, 160, C.M. Russell; Chance Demarais, 5-11, 200, Malta; Presley Straub, 5-9, 180, Baker.
Quarterbacks - Andrew Hafliger, 6-3, 190, Great Falls; Rick Haluszka, 6-2, 205, Harlem.
Specialists - Russell Schey, 6-2, 180, Billings West; Joe Semansky, 6-0, 170, Highwood.
Kicker - Reid Tramelli, 6-4, 180, Great Falls High.
Defense
Ends - Brooks Rabold, 6-2, 205, Billings Central; Matt Siebert, 6-1, 200, Columbus; Ben Pease, 6-5, 225, Hardin.
Linemen - Marcus Johnson, 6-0, 250, Billings Senior; Casey McMillan, 6-4, 285, Billings Central; Evan Morris, 6-2, 235, Baker.
Linebackers - Jared Rohrback, 6-1, 210, C.M. Russell; Ty Vinson, 6-1, 200, Great Falls; Matt White, 6-0, 210, Billings West; Joe Dunning, 6-1, 195, Billings Senior; Ryan Huppert, Billings Central, 5-10, 170; Tony Clark, 6-2, 205, Fairfield.
Cornerbacks - Jordan Davis, 5-8, 165, Billings Senior; Tyzer Cady, 6-0, 180, Colstrip; Craig Halko, 5-11, 180, Centerville; Jeff Bakken, 5-10, 175, Wibaux.
Safety - Ethan May, 5-9, 155, Fairfield; Fritz Mehling, 5-11, 175, Billings West.
WEST
Offense
Centers - Kevin McDowell, 5-9, 230, Whitefish; Cory Eisenzimer, 6-3, 220, Dillon.
Guards - Shaun Sampson, 6-1, 225, Helena Capital; Keith Mullan, 6-2, 255, Stevensville; Adam LaPierre, 6-1, 260, Dillon.
Tackles - Tanner Neumann, 6-0, 210, Butte Central; Jordan Gragert, 6-2, 235, Libby; Andrew Verlanic, 6-4, 240, Drummond; Todd Brandt, 6-5, 215, Bozeman.
Tight ends - Steven Foster, 6-5, 235, Helena; Jackson Berkram, 6-0, 175, Dillon.
Receivers - Casey Lamping, 6-2, 170, Helena Capital; Brandon Boltz, 6-4, 200, Butte; Mike Gallagher, 5-11, 165, Kalispell Flathead; Zach Rowan, 6-1, 165, Libby.
Running backs - Beau Donaldson, 6-1, 223, Missoula Big Sky; Ryan Turley, 6-0, 185, Hamilton; Tel Reynolds, 5-10, 185, Drummond.
Quarterbacks - Jared Hunt, 6-3, 175, Helena Capital; Matt Ritter, 5-10, 180, Butte Central.
Defense
Ends - Justin Montelius, 6-1, 200, Missoula Big Sky; Josh Harris, 6-5, 210, Kalispell Flathead; Derek Dejong, 6-4, 215, Manhattan; Eric Homec, 6-4, 220, Bozeman.
Linemen - Brian Bignell, 6-2, 225, Helena Capital; Tucker Hoge, 6-3, 265, Frenchtown; Tyler Samuelson, 6-2, 235, Belgrade.
Inside linebackers - Jake McGinley, Dillon, 5-11, 175; David Velasquez, 6-0, 185, Frenchtown; Erik Grimsrud, 6-1, 205, Missoula Sentinel.
Outside linebackers - Spencer Chamberlain, 6-2, 190, Helena High; Michael Hader, 5-10, 165, Columbia Falls; Pat Hergesheimer, 5-11, 173, Kalispell Flathead; Ryan D'Agostino, 6-2, 205, Bozeman.
Cornerbacks - Reil Cornelius, 6-3, 180, Helena High; J.C. Isakson, 6-0, 175, Augusta; Mac Cuffe, 6-0, 180, Loyola Sacred Heart.
Safeties - Joe Andriolo, 5-11, 170, Helena Capital; Adam Fine, 5-7, 160, Butte Central; Chase Fairbanks, 5-9, 160, Columbia Falls.
Kicker - Heath Eustance, 6-3, 175, Missoula Big Sky.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)