Second half run surges West past the East in 52nd Shrine Bowl

Dodge City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–It wasn’t your typical football weather on Saturday evening at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City, as the 52nd Annual Shrine Bowl game saw temperatures at kickoff near 100 degrees, and a howling 45 mph wind from the south throughout the night make its presence known. After trailing at the break, the West put up 19 third quarter points to take down the East 26-8 in front of a near capacity crowd.

The wind made an impact on the games first score. After the East kick returner slipped at his own five yard line, the West would score after the punt went straight into the air, bounced into the end zone, and was recovered by Wellington’s Brody Weir for the early score to make it 7-0, after the extra point kick by Norton’s Eli Jones.

In the second quarter, the East would have the wind at their back and they would take their lone lead on a 49-yard run by Bravin Powell-Brown from Gardner-Edgerton. Brown would complete a pass to Elzie Slaughter from St. Thomas Aquinas to make it 8-7. The West would drive into the red zone to close the first half, thanks to a barrage of 15-yard penalties on the East, but were unable to score, and trailed at the break.

On their first drive of the second half, the West took advantage of short field. They would rotate three quarterbacks and saw Norton’s Eli Jones rush it in to the end zone from two yards out to give them the 13-8 lead after the missed two-point conversion. On the East’s next drive, a pick-six from 28 yards out by Maize South’s Christian McDonald to extend the lead to 19-8. Their final score of the game came on a one-yard run by quarterback Josh Burdick to make the score 26-8 after the Jones extra point.

Both teams would move the ball down the field in the fourth quarter, but were unable to score.

Dodge City’s Jayden Amaro would play at wide receiver, but did not record a reception. Scott City’s Jackson Rumford would record three touchbacks and boot a 55-yard punt.

The East MVP was Ayden Ellington from Lansing, as he would unofficially record three sacks and five tackles for loss, while the West MVP was Cheney’s Josh Burdick, who had a rushing score.

With the win, the West has now won five of the last seven games in the series, and now hold a 32-18-2 series advantage. It was their first win since 2023. The West has won both games that have been held at Memorial stadium in Dodge City. Their win in 2019 was a score of 26-7.

Emporia will host the next three Kansas Shrine Bowl games.