The 50th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl all-star football game will take place on Saturday at Lewis Field Stadium on the campus of Fort Hays State University. The west team will have eight players from the Reno County area that will have the opportunity to represent their high school one final time. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on COX, Smoky Hills PBS, and Spectrum Sports.
Below are the area representatives listed in alphabetical order by school
JAKE PROCTOR (HESSTON) • 6-4 • 190 • WR/DB
*2x all-state WR/DB
*Unanimous all-league WR/DB
*3x basketball state champion
*2x all-state selection
*2023 3A Player of the Year
*Signed to play basketball at Tabor College and will major in education
*Favorite high school football moment: "Winning home playoff game vs. Marysville
in 2022."
*Favorite high school memory: "Winning back-to-back basketball titles."
*Biggest takeaway from playing for coach Bauerle: "Commitment and
consistency is better than being motivated. Early in HS coach Bauerle had some
problems with his neck and had to be in a neck brace, but he was at practice
everyday he could be, pushing us to be not only the best football players we
could be, but the best men we could be."
*What does it mean to you to play in the Shrine Bowl game: "It means a
lot. I’ve never really thought of myself as a football player so it’s awesome
to get this honor."
*Have you ever attended the Shrine Bowl game? "I have not."
*Any personal goals you want to accomplish in the game: "My goal is to just
be in the moment. And to stay healthy."
*What will it mean to you to wear the Hesston helmet one final time: "It
means everything. It’ll be my last time representing the Swathers, so it means
a lot to me and the community."
NOAH KHOKHAR (HUTCHINSON) • 5-9 • 171 • WR
*2022-23 Kansas FCA Male Athlete of the Year
*First Team All-AVCTL I (RB) selection
*KFBCA 5A All-State selection
*VYPE Wichita Large School (6A-4A) Offensive Athlete selection
*2023 Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson Youth of the Year runner-up
*Signed to play football at Hutchinson Community College and major in sports psychology
*Fall Homecoming King
ELI BRUNK (INMAN) • 6-3 • 190 • LB
*KSHSAA Covered 1A All-State selection
*Wichita Eagle Top 33 selection
*First Team All-Heart of America (TE & LB)
*Sports in Kansas 1st Team 1A All-State selection
*1A Defensive Player of the Year finalist
*118 tackles (40 solo/78 assist), 8 sacks, 26 TFL
*29 receptions, 510 yards, 7 TD
NOLAN FREUND (KINGMAN) • 6-0 • 188 • QB/DB
*KPreps 2022-23 Dylan Meier Get Busy Livin' Player of the Year
*Passed for 2,110 yards w/ 27 TD & 964 rushing yards w/ 14 TD
*First Team All-Central Kansas League selection
*District Offensive MVP
*Holds 10 school records
*All-State QB & Punter
*Kingman head coach Tanner Hageman will serve as West asst. coach
*Signed to play baseball at Cloud County Community College
BRAXTON LAFFERTY (LITTLE RIVER) • 6-1 • 195 • ATH
*Sports in Kansas 8M-I Defensive Player of the Year
*Sports in Kansas First Team All-State selection
*KSHSAA Covered First Team All-State (RB)
*Circle of Stars - 8-Man Division I Player of the Year
*Wichita Eagle First Team All-State offense & HM defense
*1,000 point scorer in basketball
*Sports in Kansas Small-Classes Basketball Defensive Player of the Year
*State qualifier in Triple Jump
*Signed to play football at Fort Hays State University
*Favorite high school football moment: "Winning state football."
*Favorite high school memory: "Winning the sub-state championship my junior year in a high scoring shootout."
*Biggest takeaway from playing for coach Kevin Ayers: "It’s more than football and your teammates are your family and when he did the one chip challenge after one of our games."
*What does it mean to you to play in the Shrine Bowl Game: "Just a chance to show that there is talent at all levels and it shows that I can play with kids from bigger schools."
*Do you have any relatives that have played in the game: "My uncle Seth Cordell and my grandpa Shane Cordell."
*What will it mean to put on the Little River helmet one final time: "One last chance to represent my community and show that there is talent at all levels even at a small 8 man school."
SAM BECKER (McPHERSON) • 6-4 • 210 • TE/DE
*Signed to play football at Friends University and will major in mechanical engineering
*Favorite high school football moment: "Beating Ark City in the playoffs in the cold and rain."
*Biggest takeaway from playing for coach Pavlovich: "You will get out what you put in."
*What does it mean to you to play in the Shrine Bowl game: "It’s an honor to not only be selected off of how you play on the field but is an honor that I am able to participate in an organization to do better for those who are not given the chance."
*What are you most looking forward to about the Shrine Bowl experience: "Meeting new players, coaches and patients."
*Have you ever attended a Shrine Bowl game: "Yes, 2008 (I was only three years old)."
*Do you have any relatives that have ever played in the game: "Yes, Jared Loomis in 2008."
*What will it mean to you to wear the McPherson helmet one final time: "It will feel great that I am able to go out and compete one last time with my head coach and a fellow teammate."
RICKY PARGA (NEWTON) • 5-11 • 265 • DL
*Second Team All-AVCTL
JOHN MARTINEZ (PRATT) • 5-9 • 165 • RB
*First Team All-Central Kansas League selection (WR & DB)
*634 rushing yards, 5 TD
*167 receiving yards, 4 TD
*Signed to play football at Southwestern College
The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Shrine Bowl of Kansas Inc. It is a 501(c) 3 non-profit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has sent over $3.7M to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
The game has been played throughout Kansas each summer since 1974. Host cities have included Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City and Hutchinson.
Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2022, the West leads the series with 30 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there have been two ties. Current NFL alumni include Cody Whitehair (Chicago Bears).