By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
When Cole Cherryholmes explained how his West team was able to secure a wild 29-28 win over the East in the 35th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl all-star football game at Emporia State’s Welch Stadium Saturday, he found these words.
“We just made plays when we had to,” Cherryholmes told the Wichita Eagle following the West’s third straight win in the series.
Those words were the perfect choice for describing a game that saw several momentum changing plays from both teams, including 22 points scored collectively in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter.
Fortunately for the West team, Cherryholmes and Dodge City’s Mykael Thompson made the final play with 20 seconds remaining in the contest.
Following Andale running back Ethan Ungle’s 17-yard touchdown reception from Cherryholmes in the left corner of the end zone, the West was still down by one point.
Since there is no overtime in the contest that sends its proceeds to the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, West head coach Gary Guzman, of Wichita Southeast, had a decision to ponder.
Kick for the tie, or go for the win?
“I got talked into it,” Guzman told the Eagle of his decision to go for two points. “All the coaches felt like we needed to go for the win. But it’s easier when you’re the assistant coach.”
Cherryholmes then threw a fade to Thompson, who went high to retrieve the ball in the right corner of the end zone for the final two points of the contest, and the win in a game that saw two ties and five lead changes.
“This was a great game,” Olathe South kicker Kyson Ginavan told the Olathe News. “It was up and down and it was exciting. I told the coaches we were going to put on a show and we did. That’s all I wanted to do, to help the children raise money. This game, I’m mad we lost it, but that little girl sitting over in the end zone (from the Shriner’s Hospital), that’s who it was for.”
The West opened the scoring in the second quarter when Wichita Bishop Carroll quarterback Brett Steven found Salina Central running back Andrew Braxton open down the middle for a 43-yard scoring strike with less than nine minutes left before halftime.
The East tied the score, following a 56-minute lightning delay, with a five-play, 49-yard drive. Pittsburg running back Jacob Wilson capped off the possession with a one-yard scoring plunge.
Bishop Miege quarterback Brett McConniff hooked up with Troy’s Caylor Luther for a 34-yard gain to set up Wilson’s scoring run.
The West came right back and took a 13-7 halftime advantage on their next possession. Facing fourth-and-14 from the East 29-yard line Stevens lofted a pass to Thompson, who went up high and hauled the ball in over a defender.
In the second half, both defenses began to put their stamp on the contest.
Mission Valley’s Taylor Bozarth set the defensive tone right away in the second half for the East when he intercepted a Cherryholmes pass and returned it to the West 37 yard line.
After the East survived a couple of fourth down situations, Girard running back Tyler Bennett rammed the ball over the goal line from a yard out. Ginavan made the score 14-13 when he connected on his second PAT kick of the game.
With his team down by a point, Andale linebacker Matt Fairchild gave the West the momentum back by pummeling Emporia running back Edd Noonan. With the jarring hit Fairchild lost his own helmet, but allowed the West team to recover the fumble at the East 31-yard line.
The West then scored on the final play of the third quarter when Ungles pitched back to Cherryholmes, who found Thompson all alone for a 31-yard score on the flea flicker.
The East team then appeared to take control of the contest by scoring the next two touchdowns.
Derek Rempe started the rally by intercepting Stevens halfway through the final quarter, and returning the pick 53 yards to the West one-yard line. Louisburg running back Jason Spradling scored two plays later, and Ginavan tied the score.
The East defense forced a punt on the West’s next possession. But Kapaun Mount Carmel punter Anthony Cantele mishandled the long snap and threw the ball into the waiting hands of Chris Rebant.
The Sabetha linebacker then returned the gaff 25 yards for a 28-21 East advantage to set up the games final drama.
Thompson, who caught four passes for 67 yards and a pair of touchdowns, was named the winning team’s Most Valuable Player. Rempe was named the East’s top player in the game.
Braxton rushed for a game high 52 yards on 12 carries. Noonan carried the ball 12 times for 44 yards to lead the way for the East.
Cherryholmes connected on 14 of 25 aerials, including an interception, for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Steven added 108 yards through the air on six of 14 passing and a pick to go along with a pair of scores for the West.
McConniff completed four of seven passes for 81 yards to lead the East.
Ungles and Great Bend’s Brad Holt led the West with five catches each and 59 and 39 yards respectively. Luther latched on to two passes for 44 yards to lead the East.
The West holds a 21-13-1 record over the East in the series, which began in 1974. The lone tie ended with a 12-12 score on July 28, 2001 at KSU Stadium in Manhattan.
The contest is rotated between Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia and Pittsburg.