The 40th annual Shrine Bowl will kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cheney Alumni Field in Casper. Here are some interesting notes to keep in mind as we head toward the game:
* The all-time record is tied at 18-18-3.
* Head coaches Michael McGuire (North, Big Horn) and Mark Bullington (South, Southeast) are both head coach for the second time. This is the fourth Shrine Bowl in which both head coaches have already been head coaches; it previously happened in 1992, 2000 and 2003. Also, in 1997, Gary Glenn and Todd Dayton co-coached the South team after each had already been a head coach in the Shrine Bowl.
* Both Natrona and Sheridan have players in the Shrine Bowl this year. Those two schools are the only ones in the state that have had at least one player in all 40 Shrine Bowls.
* Cheyenne South is represented in the Shrine Bowl for the first time by James Marshall.
* Cody doesn’t have a player in the Shrine Bowl for the first time since 2003.
* Three six-man players — Snake River’s Conner Lee and Dubois’ Cody Flynn and Jesse Hawk — will play in the Shrine Bowl. Five six-man players played in 2012; only two played in 2011 and 2010.
The rosters for both teams, as of the last official released update, are posted below:
South
Burns: Colton Wright.
Cheyenne Central: David Riedl, Seth Edeen.
Cheyenne East: Trey Herrera, Austen Motily, Joe Ash, Hayes Stone, Tod Wenger.
Cheyenne South: James Marshall.
Cokeville: Brigham Teichert.
Douglas: Ty Etchemendy, C.J. Allen.
Evanston: Wyatt Day, Matt Johnson.
Glenrock: D.C. Hall.
Green River: Zach Huber, Blaine Christensen, Dan Probst.
Kemmerer: Matt Archibald.
Laramie: Peter Trahan.
Lusk: Colter Larson.
Lyman: Cisco Taylor, Nicholas Reis.
Rawlins: Wyatt Hopkins.
Rock Springs: Braxton Rosette, Zach Legerski, Tanner McQuillan, James Sedey.
Snake River: Conner Lee.
Southeast: Zach Eisenbarth, John Lessard.
Star Valley: Ryan Brough, Marshall Watkins, Derrick Wolfley.
Torrington: Nick Prusia.
Wheatland: Brendan Ruwart.
Coaches: Mark Bullington, Southeast, head coach; Shawn Burkart, Southeast; Michael Bates, Snake River; Dale Anderson, Lyman; Mark Lenhardt, Torrington; Brick Cegelski, Cheyenne Central.
Trainers/managers: Brook Nogle, Kelly Walsh; Alexis Hall, Cheyenne East; Tre Patterson, Douglas; Jacob Smith, Laramie.
North
Big Horn: Matthew Wigglesworth, Lucas Wollenman, Will O’Dell.
Buffalo: Tyler Rogers, Aaron Fenner.
Burlington: Ben Mancuso.
Dubois: Cody Flynn, Jesse Hawk.
Gillette: Dani Fischer, Taylor Bigelow, Justin Berkey, Dylan Haddix.
Jackson: Andrew Linsenmann.
Kelly Walsh: John Fabrizius, Isaac Bayer.
Lovell: Dylan Hultgren, Cody Savage, Dino Collins.
Natrona: Brecken Biggs, Josh Flanigan, Dan Reese, Adam Britton, Colter Bentley.
Newcastle: J.T. Harper, Billie Gordon.
Powell: Duane Schwahn, Vince Sleep, Tyler Patterson.
Riverton: T.J. Galey, Lane Savage.
Sheridan: Nate Kane, Collin Eisenman, Mitch Godwin.
Upton-Sundance: Kory Butts.
Worland: Colby Wartman, Jacob McGarvin.
Coaches: Michael McGuire, Big Horn, head coach; Kirk McLaughlin, Big Horn; David Trembly, Dubois; Andy Garland, Upton-Sundance; Curt Mayer, Worland; Josh Anderson, Natrona.
Trainers/managers: Michael Engling, Buffalo; Natasha Vega, Worland; Demitrie Montuy, Lovell.
So who do you think is the favorite? Who do you think might emerge as the star of the game? Do you think either team has an advantage heading into Saturday’s game? Post your thoughts below!
–patrick