west defeats east 21-20 in 50th kansas shrine bowl
Final Stats - 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl
Game Story by: Rick Peterson Jr., KSHSAA Covered (original story here)
HAYS – Tony Crough had Little River’s Braxton Lafferty pinned as a possible breakout star in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.
The more the Hays High coach watched the Eight-man standout in the West practices, the more Crough thought Lafferty would turn heads at linebacker.
“We said: Watch out for Braxton,” said Crough, head coach for the West squad. “There’s more people on the field than he’s used to having, so we didn’t know what it’d look like, but once he practiced a little bit and got comfortable, he showed that he's got some special skills.”
Those skills were on display in the 50th edition of the Shrine Bowl, with Lafferty logging a game-high 12 tackles and sealing a 21-20 West win with a late sack on Saturday at Fort Hays State’s Lewis Field Stadium.
“Just was playing my heart out,” said Lafferty, a Fort Hays State signee. “I didn’t want to leave anything out on the field. I wanted to show people that Eight-Man people are players too. We can play with the big dogs.”
Lafferty helped the West hold off the East’s fourth-quarter comeback. He blitzed off the edge and notched a sack on a 4th and 17 at the West 45 on the East's final possession. Lafferty recorded 3.5 tackles for loss.
“We were talking in the huddle that we weren’t going to blitz, and then coach called a blitz, and my eyes lit up,” said Lafferty, who was a part of a state championship and two runner-up teams at Little River. “I was ready to go. Caden Miranda pancaked the tackle and it opened up a gap for me to go.”
Lafferty was one of several West players who stood out on the defensive side. Hays’ Evan Lind and El Dorado’s Jalen Rice each had interceptions to set up touchdowns. Andale’s Riley Marx and Beloit’s Grady Seyfert were among other key playmakers on defense.
“It was impressive,” Crough said of the defensive effort. “(McPherson coach Jace Pavlovich) had a good plan put together, and we executed it really well. We knew we were going to have to get some takeaways. They had some big backs, a big offensive line over there, good quarterbacks. We knew if they got their run game going it could be trouble.”
Quarterbacks Keenan Schartz (Manhattan) and Keller Hurla (St. Marys) were named Most Valuable Players for their respective sides. Both are headed to Washburn.
Schartz completed 16 of 18 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown and also had a rushing TD for the West. His father, Manhattan coach Joe Schartz, was an assistant for the West. Manhattan went 13-0 last year and captured the Class 6A state championship.
“The Shrine Bowl has always been something I wanted to do, just because my dad played in it in ‘93,” Keenan said. “It’s a big thing in the Schartz family. Coming in, I didn’t really understand, but by the end of the week I definitely understood what this game means. It’s just been a blast, this whole experience.”
The East trailed 21-6 after three quarters but crept within a point after a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. After a 1-yard TD run from East’s Eric Butler (Olathe Northwest) made it 21-20 with 5:33 left, the East went for the lead, but Hurla’s pass fell incomplete on the two-point try.
The decision to go for two took a tie out of the equation after last year’s game in Pittsburg ended in a 10-10 stalemate.
“(The decision was) easier because our short snapper got hurt,” said East head coach Clint Rider of Blue Valley Northwest. “But I told the guys if we got close we weren’t going for the tie. We don’t do that on the East side. We were going to go for two if it came down to it. We ran the best play we had left, and the (West) played it really well.”
The West struck first when a 23-yard pass from Schartz to Hesston’s Jake Proctor set up a 1-yard TD run from Salina Central’s Kenyon McMillan with 3;36 left in the first quarter.
Lind, who represented Hays High along with teammate Bryce Salmans, set up the West’’s second TD after picking off a pass from his linebacker spot and returning it 24 yards to the East 20. Schartz hit Circle’s Ty Smith over the middle for a touchdown on the next play.
Marx, who won a fourth straight 3A state championship with Andale last year, helped create Lind’s pick.
“I saw where the ball was going, and (Marx) was right in the lane, perfectly," Lind said. “It just bounced off his chest and I was right there and took off.”
“That’s what he did (at Hays High),” Crough said of Lind. “He had three touchdowns this year. He’s just kind of a ball magnet. Evan got picked up (for the Shrine Bowl) a month ago. We felt like at Hays High we had five or six guys that were capable of playing in this game, and Evan was one of them. He got his opportunity and took advantage of it.”
The East scored late in the second quarter on a 11-yard pass from Hurla to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Malik O’Atis but didn’t convert the PAT. The West led 14-6 at halftime.
Rice came up with a huge play in the third quarter, picking off a pass at midfield and returning it 46 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Schartz.
“He’s going to be a really good college linebacker,” Crough said of Rice. “He’s what a lot of those linebackers are now – ex-running backs. He’s quick, he’s athletic, he can tackle.”
The East dominated the fourth quarter. Hurla found Girard’s Luke Niggemann for a 4-yard touchdown pass and the East tacked on the two-point try on a pass from Axtell’s Isaac Detweiler to Troy’s Jerrit Norris to make it 21-14 with 8:51 left.
After a defensive stop, the East marched 59 yards and punched it on Butler’s plunge before missing the two-point try.
The East outgained the West 281-181 but were hurt by three turnovers.
“We were moving the ball quite a bit throughout the game,” Rider said. “We gave them some short fields, and missed a red zone opportunity – those two things hurt.
“Our kids just battled. Keller (Hurla) came in at quarterback, and, gosh, he’s just a competitor and played a great game. We just came up a little bit short but our guys are fighters and they’re great men of character.”
Hurla finished 9 of 11 for 103 yards through the air with two touchdowns and rushed for 48 yards on 14 carries.
Crough said it was a week he’ll cherish.
“Hays is just such a special place,” said Crough, a Garden City native who is entering his sixth season as Hays High coach. “A lot of people don’t know about it, especially when you get past Salina and Manhattan. We felt like we could put our best foot forward and show what a great community and great facility we have. It was a great crowd here.
“For me, playing in the Shrine Bowl and having a camp here and coaching in the game here, it’s just kind of full circle. It was real special for me and for this community.”
Sanders on hand for Hall of Fame induction
NFL legend Barry Sanders was in attendance for his induction into the Kansas Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame along with his high school coach at Wichita North, Dale Burkholder.
Sanders and Burkholder were recognized in a pregame ceremony.
Sanders, who played in the 1986 Shrine Bowl, won the Heisman trophy at Oklahoma State before establishing himself as one of the greatest running backs of all-time in a 10-year career for the Detroit Lions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
“I really cherished being a Shrine Bowl participant,” Sanders told the crowd. “I watched the game growing up and I feel like I was really fortunate to be picked to play in the game. This is such a fantastic atmosphere. I can’t believe it’s been so many years since I participated in it.
“I look back with such fond, fond memories of being able to participate in it. It’s been a tremendous day and I’ll remember this forever.”
Game Story by: Rick Peterson Jr., KSHSAA Covered (original story here)
HAYS – Tony Crough had Little River’s Braxton Lafferty pinned as a possible breakout star in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.
The more the Hays High coach watched the Eight-man standout in the West practices, the more Crough thought Lafferty would turn heads at linebacker.
“We said: Watch out for Braxton,” said Crough, head coach for the West squad. “There’s more people on the field than he’s used to having, so we didn’t know what it’d look like, but once he practiced a little bit and got comfortable, he showed that he's got some special skills.”
Those skills were on display in the 50th edition of the Shrine Bowl, with Lafferty logging a game-high 12 tackles and sealing a 21-20 West win with a late sack on Saturday at Fort Hays State’s Lewis Field Stadium.
“Just was playing my heart out,” said Lafferty, a Fort Hays State signee. “I didn’t want to leave anything out on the field. I wanted to show people that Eight-Man people are players too. We can play with the big dogs.”
Lafferty helped the West hold off the East’s fourth-quarter comeback. He blitzed off the edge and notched a sack on a 4th and 17 at the West 45 on the East's final possession. Lafferty recorded 3.5 tackles for loss.
“We were talking in the huddle that we weren’t going to blitz, and then coach called a blitz, and my eyes lit up,” said Lafferty, who was a part of a state championship and two runner-up teams at Little River. “I was ready to go. Caden Miranda pancaked the tackle and it opened up a gap for me to go.”
Lafferty was one of several West players who stood out on the defensive side. Hays’ Evan Lind and El Dorado’s Jalen Rice each had interceptions to set up touchdowns. Andale’s Riley Marx and Beloit’s Grady Seyfert were among other key playmakers on defense.
“It was impressive,” Crough said of the defensive effort. “(McPherson coach Jace Pavlovich) had a good plan put together, and we executed it really well. We knew we were going to have to get some takeaways. They had some big backs, a big offensive line over there, good quarterbacks. We knew if they got their run game going it could be trouble.”
Quarterbacks Keenan Schartz (Manhattan) and Keller Hurla (St. Marys) were named Most Valuable Players for their respective sides. Both are headed to Washburn.
Schartz completed 16 of 18 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown and also had a rushing TD for the West. His father, Manhattan coach Joe Schartz, was an assistant for the West. Manhattan went 13-0 last year and captured the Class 6A state championship.
“The Shrine Bowl has always been something I wanted to do, just because my dad played in it in ‘93,” Keenan said. “It’s a big thing in the Schartz family. Coming in, I didn’t really understand, but by the end of the week I definitely understood what this game means. It’s just been a blast, this whole experience.”
The East trailed 21-6 after three quarters but crept within a point after a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. After a 1-yard TD run from East’s Eric Butler (Olathe Northwest) made it 21-20 with 5:33 left, the East went for the lead, but Hurla’s pass fell incomplete on the two-point try.
The decision to go for two took a tie out of the equation after last year’s game in Pittsburg ended in a 10-10 stalemate.
“(The decision was) easier because our short snapper got hurt,” said East head coach Clint Rider of Blue Valley Northwest. “But I told the guys if we got close we weren’t going for the tie. We don’t do that on the East side. We were going to go for two if it came down to it. We ran the best play we had left, and the (West) played it really well.”
The West struck first when a 23-yard pass from Schartz to Hesston’s Jake Proctor set up a 1-yard TD run from Salina Central’s Kenyon McMillan with 3;36 left in the first quarter.
Lind, who represented Hays High along with teammate Bryce Salmans, set up the West’’s second TD after picking off a pass from his linebacker spot and returning it 24 yards to the East 20. Schartz hit Circle’s Ty Smith over the middle for a touchdown on the next play.
Marx, who won a fourth straight 3A state championship with Andale last year, helped create Lind’s pick.
“I saw where the ball was going, and (Marx) was right in the lane, perfectly," Lind said. “It just bounced off his chest and I was right there and took off.”
“That’s what he did (at Hays High),” Crough said of Lind. “He had three touchdowns this year. He’s just kind of a ball magnet. Evan got picked up (for the Shrine Bowl) a month ago. We felt like at Hays High we had five or six guys that were capable of playing in this game, and Evan was one of them. He got his opportunity and took advantage of it.”
The East scored late in the second quarter on a 11-yard pass from Hurla to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Malik O’Atis but didn’t convert the PAT. The West led 14-6 at halftime.
Rice came up with a huge play in the third quarter, picking off a pass at midfield and returning it 46 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Schartz.
“He’s going to be a really good college linebacker,” Crough said of Rice. “He’s what a lot of those linebackers are now – ex-running backs. He’s quick, he’s athletic, he can tackle.”
The East dominated the fourth quarter. Hurla found Girard’s Luke Niggemann for a 4-yard touchdown pass and the East tacked on the two-point try on a pass from Axtell’s Isaac Detweiler to Troy’s Jerrit Norris to make it 21-14 with 8:51 left.
After a defensive stop, the East marched 59 yards and punched it on Butler’s plunge before missing the two-point try.
The East outgained the West 281-181 but were hurt by three turnovers.
“We were moving the ball quite a bit throughout the game,” Rider said. “We gave them some short fields, and missed a red zone opportunity – those two things hurt.
“Our kids just battled. Keller (Hurla) came in at quarterback, and, gosh, he’s just a competitor and played a great game. We just came up a little bit short but our guys are fighters and they’re great men of character.”
Hurla finished 9 of 11 for 103 yards through the air with two touchdowns and rushed for 48 yards on 14 carries.
Crough said it was a week he’ll cherish.
“Hays is just such a special place,” said Crough, a Garden City native who is entering his sixth season as Hays High coach. “A lot of people don’t know about it, especially when you get past Salina and Manhattan. We felt like we could put our best foot forward and show what a great community and great facility we have. It was a great crowd here.
“For me, playing in the Shrine Bowl and having a camp here and coaching in the game here, it’s just kind of full circle. It was real special for me and for this community.”
Sanders on hand for Hall of Fame induction
NFL legend Barry Sanders was in attendance for his induction into the Kansas Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame along with his high school coach at Wichita North, Dale Burkholder.
Sanders and Burkholder were recognized in a pregame ceremony.
Sanders, who played in the 1986 Shrine Bowl, won the Heisman trophy at Oklahoma State before establishing himself as one of the greatest running backs of all-time in a 10-year career for the Detroit Lions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
“I really cherished being a Shrine Bowl participant,” Sanders told the crowd. “I watched the game growing up and I feel like I was really fortunate to be picked to play in the game. This is such a fantastic atmosphere. I can’t believe it’s been so many years since I participated in it.
“I look back with such fond, fond memories of being able to participate in it. It’s been a tremendous day and I’ll remember this forever.”
Kansas Shrine Bowl Announces 2024 Game Site
Kansas’ premiere all-star event returns to Emporia
Just weeks ahead of their 50th event in Hays, the Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is excited to announce the return of the Kansas Shrine Bowl to Emporia in 2024. The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be held Saturday, June 29th, 2024, at Welch Stadium on the campus of Emporia State University. “Emporia State’s Welch Stadium will be a great backdrop for our game, with a true all-star environment,” said B.J. Harris, Executive Director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “We’re thrilled to welcome the Kansas Shrine Bowl back to Emporia for the first time since 2016,” said LeLan Dains, Director of Visit Emporia. “It provides a great opportunity to host students and athletes in our community and we hope they’ll take full advantage of all Emporia has to offer.”
“Emporia has always been a great host city for the Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Harris. “We’ve had successful events each time we’ve returned, and we’re excited about what 2024 has in store!”
The Kansas Shrine Bowl is awarded following a competitive bid process which includes communities across Kansas. Since 1974, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has been played in Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City, and Hutchinson.
In addition to the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football game and camp for eighty players, the Kansas Shrine Bowl event includes all-star band and cheer camps for more than two hundred respectively. Additional events include a golf tournament, banquet, parade, alumni reunion, tailgate party, and more.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine. It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, now known as Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has donated over $3.7M to Shriners Children’s.
Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2022, the West leads the series with 30 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there have been two ties. Recent NFL alumni include Cody Whitehair (Chicago Bears). Additional notable alumni include former All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, former All-Pro NFL Defensive Back Terrance Newman, NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau and many others.
Learn more about the upcoming 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl, Saturday, July 15th, 2023, in Hays, Kansas at www.KansasShrineBowl.com.
For more information contact B.J. Harris, Executive Director, at director@kansasshrinebowl.com or (913) 602-8656.
“Emporia has always been a great host city for the Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Harris. “We’ve had successful events each time we’ve returned, and we’re excited about what 2024 has in store!”
The Kansas Shrine Bowl is awarded following a competitive bid process which includes communities across Kansas. Since 1974, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has been played in Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City, and Hutchinson.
In addition to the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football game and camp for eighty players, the Kansas Shrine Bowl event includes all-star band and cheer camps for more than two hundred respectively. Additional events include a golf tournament, banquet, parade, alumni reunion, tailgate party, and more.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine. It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, now known as Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has donated over $3.7M to Shriners Children’s.
Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2022, the West leads the series with 30 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there have been two ties. Recent NFL alumni include Cody Whitehair (Chicago Bears). Additional notable alumni include former All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, former All-Pro NFL Defensive Back Terrance Newman, NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau and many others.
Learn more about the upcoming 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl, Saturday, July 15th, 2023, in Hays, Kansas at www.KansasShrineBowl.com.
For more information contact B.J. Harris, Executive Director, at director@kansasshrinebowl.com or (913) 602-8656.
Kansas Shrine Bowl Announces 2023 rosters
Kansas Shrine Bowl Announces 2023 Assistant Coaches
Five former players headline 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl Coaching Staff
| For Immediate Release - Kansas Shrine Bowl Announces 2023 Assistant Coaches |
Kansas Shrine Bowl Announces $125,000 Donation
Contribution to Shriners Children’s is the eighth highest in the events 49-year history
KANSAS- Just two days before celebrating the birthday of the Kansas Shrine Bowl (October 29th, 1974) the Board of Directors, staff, participants, ambassadors, corporate partners, and nobles across Kansas are proud to announce a donation of $125,000 as a result of the 2022 event held Saturday, July 23rd in Pittsburg.
The Donation includes $100,000 directly to Shriners Children’s and a $5,000 contribution to the transportation fund of each of the five Shrine Temples in Kansas, helping provide transportation to all appointments at no cost to patients and their families.
The Donation includes $100,000 directly to Shriners Children’s and a $5,000 contribution to the transportation fund of each of the five Shrine Temples in Kansas, helping provide transportation to all appointments at no cost to patients and their families.
Honorary Captain Malorie Bogle at the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl at her alma mater Pittsburg State.
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According to Shriners Children’s, a gift of this significant size assures that a scoliosis patient, just like 2022 Honorary Captain, Malorie Bogle, can receive the needed spinal fusion surgery and the months of total care needed. Since 1974, The Kansas Shrine Bowl has donated $3.7 million to Shriners Children’s.
In addition to this historic contribution, the Kansas Shrine Bowl also provided programing for all-star athletes and musicians from across the state. With the support of Shriners, corporate partners, and participant fundraising, the Kansas Shrine Bowl was able to house, feed, transport, coach, train, and entertain 80 football players, 154 band participants, 189 cheerleaders, 16 patient ambassadors, and more than 30 camp staff for nearly a week. These camps and events continue to make a lasting impact on participants, ambassadors, and families, by showcasing the incredible work of Shriners Children’s.
This announcement comes just as the Kansas Shrine Bowl is gearing up for its 50th anniversary in 2023.
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The 50th Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be held Saturday, July 15th, 2023 at 7 p.m. at Lewis Field Stadium on the campus of Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. For more information and event details go to www.KansasShrineBowl.com or contact Executive Director B.J. Harris at 913-602-8656. |
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Kansas Shrine Bowl Banquet to feature Ms. Kansas
Ayanna Hensley will serve as the keynote speaker for participant appreciation banquet
KANSAS- The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is excited to announce the addition of recently crowned Ms. Kansas, Ayanna Hensley, as the keynote speaker for the 49th Kansas Shrine Bowl Appreciation Banquet, Friday, July 22nd at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg.
As Miss Kansas, Ayanna will make over 400 appearances during her year-of-service, many of them motivational presentations to students in Kansas schools. Ayanna’s social impact initiative is ACEs Low: Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences. Her focus for this initiative is to help promote an ideology centered on assisting youth ‘digest’ and overcome their adversity. Most traumatic situations a child faces will correlate to lifelong problems.
As Miss Kansas, Ayanna will make over 400 appearances during her year-of-service, many of them motivational presentations to students in Kansas schools. Ayanna’s social impact initiative is ACEs Low: Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences. Her focus for this initiative is to help promote an ideology centered on assisting youth ‘digest’ and overcome their adversity. Most traumatic situations a child faces will correlate to lifelong problems.
On June 11, Ayanna Hensley of Dodge City, Kansas, a 2022 graduate of Fort Hays State University majoring in Biology with a minor in English, was crowned Miss Kansas 2022. This involvement and accomplishment resulted in Ayanna being awarded nearly $15,000 in cash scholarships through the Miss Kansas competitions to apply toward her education.
Purchase tickets to the Kansas Shrine Bowl Banquet at www.KansasShrineBowl.com/Banquet. The deadline is July 4th.
As an individual directly affected by severe trauma, Ayanna knows what a child needs to overcome their realities and to break their generational cycles. Throughout her year-of-service, Ayanna will work to connect her social impact initiative with the Miss America and Miss Kansas Organizations. She will serve as an ambassador, representing the organization across the State of Kansas.
Ayanna said she felt the mission of both her and the Kansas Shrine Bowl are aligned. “With an established and growing heart for service, the Shriners organization is a movement I instantly supported. I’m excited to represent that mission and share my story!”
“I was excited when the chance to have Ayanna speak at our banquet was presented, but when I heard her mission was to help children overcome adverse childhood experience, I knew it was a perfect fit,” said Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director B.J. Harris. “Our event is a celebration of children consistently overcoming their challenges and thriving. I’m excited to see how her message resonates with our participants.”
Ayanna will represent Kansas at the 2022 Miss America Competition at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, later this year. She will perform a modern dance for her talent and compete with 50 other young women from across the nation for the title of Miss America 2023.
On June 11, Ayanna Hensley of Dodge City, Kansas, a 2022 graduate of Fort Hays State University majoring in Biology with a minor in English, was crowned Miss Kansas 2022. This involvement and accomplishment resulted in Ayanna being awarded nearly $15,000 in cash scholarships through the Miss Kansas competitions to apply toward her education.
Purchase tickets to the Kansas Shrine Bowl Banquet at www.KansasShrineBowl.com/Banquet. The deadline is July 4th.
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About Ms. Kansas
Miss Kansas travels throughout the state working closely with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas, and with the Kansas Department of Transportation – Traffic Safety Office providing education, establishing relationships, and learning more about individuals of all ages for whom she will advocate during her year as Miss Kansas.
The Miss Kansas Organization is a state licensee of the Miss America Organization, one of the nation’s leading achievement programs and the worlds’ largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. The Miss Kansas Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c) (3) organization, makes available academic, community service, and other scholarships to women between the ages of 18 and 26.
Annually, the Miss Kansas Organization provides over $6,000,000 in cash and in-kind scholarship assistance. For information on booking Miss Kansas for your event, please email bookings@misskansas.org. You can follow Ayanna on social media @missamericaks on Facebook and Instagram.
About the Kansas Shrine Bowl
The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine. It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has sent over $3M to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
The game has been played throughout Kansas each summer since 1974. Host cities have included Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City and Hutchinson.
Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2021, the West leads the series with 30 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there has been one tie. Current NFL alumni include Cody Whitehair (Chicago Bears), B.J. Finney (Pittsburg Steelers), Wyatt Hubert (Cincinnati Bengals), and Deante Burton (Dallas Cowboys). Additional notable alumni include former All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, former All-Pro NFL Defensive Back Terrance Newman, NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, former NFL Coach Russ Riederer, former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau, Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Paul Coffman, and many others.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl also includes the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, Kansas Shrine Bowl Cheer Camp, Banquet, Parade, Junior All-Star Challenge, and 4-Person Golf Scramble.
From Ad Sales To #TweetStorms, Kansas Shrine Bowl Delivers On "Strong Legs Run so Weak Legs May Walk" Promise
For nearly a half century, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has been a showcase for some of the best high school football players from all levels across the state. More than 3,000 players have been a part of raising over $3 million for Shriners Hospital for Children. Shrine Bowl fundraising efforts go far beyond ticket and merchandise sales seen at the event . From tried-and-true fundraising methods to newer groundbreaking digital fundraising channels, let's take a look at what goes into bringing to life the phrase "More Than A Game".
One of the longest-standing fundraising traditions of the Kansas Shrine Bowl is the Game Program. From the first participants in 1974 all the way to the 2022 roster, Shrine Bowl players have reached out to businesses and organizations in their local community for support.
"Our ad sales program is one of the first opportunities we have to show participants the real-world impact of supporting Shriners Children's," said Executive Director B.J. Harris, himself also a past Kansas Shrine Bowl (2000 East Squad, Girard HS) participant. "By encouraging these young adults to reach out and connect with their community to share the story of the Kansas Shrine Bowl and the philanthropy of the Shriners, this event becomes more than just a game for them."
Along with the grassroots work of the ad sales program, many local units and clubs sponsor participants from their community by covering registration and travel costs for camp participants, or making direct donations on their behalf.
One of the longest-standing fundraising traditions of the Kansas Shrine Bowl is the Game Program. From the first participants in 1974 all the way to the 2022 roster, Shrine Bowl players have reached out to businesses and organizations in their local community for support.
"Our ad sales program is one of the first opportunities we have to show participants the real-world impact of supporting Shriners Children's," said Executive Director B.J. Harris, himself also a past Kansas Shrine Bowl (2000 East Squad, Girard HS) participant. "By encouraging these young adults to reach out and connect with their community to share the story of the Kansas Shrine Bowl and the philanthropy of the Shriners, this event becomes more than just a game for them."
Along with the grassroots work of the ad sales program, many local units and clubs sponsor participants from their community by covering registration and travel costs for camp participants, or making direct donations on their behalf.
a larger scale, the Kansas Shrine Bowl also enjoys strong connections with the cities and organizations that host the annual event. Beyond the signature events of the Kansas Shrine Bowl, local organizations like the Leah D. Smith Agency occasionally step up to help elevate the game day experience. This year, the Farmers Fan Fest brings the atmosphere of a college tailgate to the Kansas Shrine Bowl, kicking off the festivities at 3 p.m.
"We're thankful to work with local organizations to deliver a top-flight experience for our fans on game day," said Harris. "The families of our players, band, and cheer camp participants travel from all over the state of Kansas, and we want to make this an unforgettable experience for everyone."
Historically, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has also seen its fair share of old-school crowdfunding efforts. During the 2021 Kansas Shrine Bowl Banquet, an impromptu call to "Fill the Fez" rang forth, with the Kansas Masonic Foundation promising to match up to $3,500 in donations. After the fezzes were emptied, the proceeds blew past the initial match, with more than $10,000 going directly to Shriners Children's. While a number of Shriners in attendance chipped in, the bulk of the donations came from the participants themselves.
"Initially, I was a bit nervous about this because I didn't want people to feel like we were reaching into their pocket again after charging them for a banquet ticket," said Harris. "It was inspiring to see so many of our participants making donations, however small. That is exactly the type of impact we are trying to make on the next generation."
"We're thankful to work with local organizations to deliver a top-flight experience for our fans on game day," said Harris. "The families of our players, band, and cheer camp participants travel from all over the state of Kansas, and we want to make this an unforgettable experience for everyone."
Historically, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has also seen its fair share of old-school crowdfunding efforts. During the 2021 Kansas Shrine Bowl Banquet, an impromptu call to "Fill the Fez" rang forth, with the Kansas Masonic Foundation promising to match up to $3,500 in donations. After the fezzes were emptied, the proceeds blew past the initial match, with more than $10,000 going directly to Shriners Children's. While a number of Shriners in attendance chipped in, the bulk of the donations came from the participants themselves.
"Initially, I was a bit nervous about this because I didn't want people to feel like we were reaching into their pocket again after charging them for a banquet ticket," said Harris. "It was inspiring to see so many of our participants making donations, however small. That is exactly the type of impact we are trying to make on the next generation."
In addition to traditional fundraising endeavors, the Kansas Shrine Bowl has embraced the explosion of social media for fundraising. The 2021 broadcast of the Kansas Shrine Bowl introduced a new fundraiser. Expanding on a friendly competition from April, the Venmo Challenge lets anyone send an on-air shoutout, no matter where your loyalties lie - #GoEast, #GoWest, #GoBand, #GoCheer or #GoKids. In its debut season, the broadcast ticker raised nearly $500 for Shriners Children's and it's back for this year as well.
Individual participants have also demonstrated the positive power of social media, launching crowdfunding drives through their personal networks to support Shriners Children's.
"It was awesome to see this much positive engagement through social media," added Harris. "We took a chance last year with our broadcast ticker, and we're excited to see how much it will grow for 2022. And when you add the direct support that participants were able to muster through digital crowdfunding efforts, it's a huge help."
From the traditional to the groundbreaking, and from small individual contributions to multi-year partnerships, the Kansas Shrine Bowl continues to make sure that "Strong Legs Run so Weak Legs May Walk" lives on as more than just a t-shirt catchphrase.
Individual participants have also demonstrated the positive power of social media, launching crowdfunding drives through their personal networks to support Shriners Children's.
"It was awesome to see this much positive engagement through social media," added Harris. "We took a chance last year with our broadcast ticker, and we're excited to see how much it will grow for 2022. And when you add the direct support that participants were able to muster through digital crowdfunding efforts, it's a huge help."
From the traditional to the groundbreaking, and from small individual contributions to multi-year partnerships, the Kansas Shrine Bowl continues to make sure that "Strong Legs Run so Weak Legs May Walk" lives on as more than just a t-shirt catchphrase.