The 54th edition of the Kansas Shrine Bowl will return to Emporia and Welch Stadium on Saturday, June 26, 2027.
Osage City’s Andrew Gantenbein will lead the East squad, while Junction City’s Randall Zimmerman will serve as head coach of the West.
Shrine Bowl head coaches are selected from the previous year’s assistant coaching staffs. The head coaches are chosen through a vote of the previous year’s coaching staff, camp directors and support staff.
Gantenbein brings previous Shrine Bowl experience to the position, having served as an assistant coach for the 2021 and 2026 games.
The East enters the 2027 game looking to defend their victory over the West 14-7 from last June. The win marked another chapter in the long-running all-star football rivalry featuring some of the state’s top high school players. The West has dominated the series overall 32-19-2.
Emporia State University is in the midst of hosting three consecutive Shrine Bowl games at Welch Stadium, with the 2027 contest marking the second game of that three-year stretch.
Rosters and the complete coaching staffs for the 2027 Kansas Shrine Bowl will be announced following the upcoming high school football season.
