For the first time since 2018, the East was victorious in the 51st annual Kansas Shrine Bowl held at Welch Stadium on Saturday night.
After trailing 3-0 early, the East scored the next 20 points and never looked back in a 36-25 victory over the West.
East took the lead for good with 5:41 in the first quarter on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Blue Valley Southwest’s Dylan Dunn to Eudora’s Adrion Seals. Lyndon’s Tanner Heckel had a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 14-3 with 3:13 left in the first quarter. Dunn connected with Bryce Noernberg of Olathe South to make it 20-3 with 11:46 left in the first half.
West made things interesting on a blocked punt that was returned by Clay Center’s Brody Hayes 20 yards to make it 20-10 with 10:45 left in the third. East responded just over a minute later with Dunn finding Olathe West’s Elijah Hakim for a 73-yard touchdown. Cheney’s Jackson Voth had a 9-yard touchdown pass from Liberal’s Brooks Kappelman with 8:25 left in the third to make it 28-17. East’s final score came with 23 seconds left in the third on a 7-yard pass from Dunn to Seals. McPherson’s Teegan Haines had a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kappelman with 8:34 left.
Heckel had six carries for 17 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 33 yards on five catches. Heckel was 0 for 2 passing. Heckel said the East was ready for the challenge.
Heckel’s teammate Kaedin Massey said it was a great way to cap off his high school career.
The East’s Most Valuable Player was Dunn who threw for 307 yards on 25 of 33 and a Shrine Bowl record four passing touchdowns. Dunn’s 307 yards also is a new Shrine Bowl record.
Dunn will continue his football career at BYU. The West’s Most Valuable Player was Brody Hayes of Clay Center who also led all players with 12 tackles to go along with his punt return for a score.
East coach Weston Moody of Wamego said his team put in the time and effort and it paid off in the end.
Three Emporia State signees played in the game. Two were on the East team, Sam Hull of Humboldt and Sage Huffman of Blue Valley West. Hull said it was great to get a win inside Welch Stadium.
Hull had one reception for 12 yards while Huffman had six carries for four yards and four catches for 18 yards.
Aydan Spiers of Kapaun Mt. Carmel played for the West. Spiers said the experience of playing in Welch Stadium was great knowing what he will see coming soon playing for the Hornets.
Funds from this week’s festivities will go to Shriners Hospital for Children. This was the Shrine Bowl’s first time back in Emporia since 2016.
Other records broken in this year’s Shrine Bowl include most passing completions by Kappelman with 29, most receiving touchdowns by Seals with two, longest blocked punt return for touchdown by Hayes. East’s 36 points is the second most all-time. The 59 total points scored is the fifth highest scoring Kansas Shrine Bowl all-time.
EAST 36, WEST 25
West 3;0;7;8;—;25
East 14;6;16;0;—;36
1st Quarter
W — Hoover 42 FG; 10:35
E — Seals 23 pass from Dunn (Hakim pass from Dunn); 5:41
E — Heckel 1 run (conversion failed); 3:13
2nd Quarter
E — Nornberg 25 pass from Dunn (conversion failed); 11:46
3rd Quarter
W — Hayes 20 Punt Return (Hoover kick); 10:45
E — Hakim 73 pass from Dunn (Noernberg pass from Dunn); 9:51
E — Seals 7 pass from Dunn (Battle run);:23
4th Quarter
W — Haines 15 pass from Kappelman (conversion failed); 8:34
W — Safety; :53
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: West — Bah 3-7, Kappelman 1-6, Dickman 1-2, Mesa 3-0, Fisher 1-(-10), TEAM 1-(-27). East — Battle 14-59, Heckel 6-17, Huffman 3-4, Noernberg 1-3, Dunshee 1-0, Brusven 7-(-1, Dunn 7-(-14).
PASSING: West — Kappelman 29-51-2 235, Voth 1-1-0 22. East — Dunn 25-33-0 307, Heckel 0-2-1 0, Battle 1-2-0 3, Noernberg 1-1-0 19.
RECEIVING: West — Collier 7-68, Fisher 6-58, Bah 5-9, Davidson 2-28, Hoover 2-15, Haines 1-15, McCarty 1-14, Mowery 1-9, Mesa 1-4, Dickman 1-3. East — Heckel 5-33, Noernberg 4-52, Seals 4-51, Huffman 4-18, Hakim 3-119, Purdy 2-22, Parks 2-19, Brusven 2-3, Hull 1-12.
