By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Drew Dechant had already been selected for one statewide all-star event this summer.
Now the Hutchinson Trinity Catholic graduate gets one more chance to represent his school on the football field before beginning his college baseball career.
Dechant, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound defensive back, will play for the West Team in the 53rd annual Kansas Shrine Bowl at 7 p.m. Saturday at Welch Stadium on the Emporia State University campus. Dechant will wear No. 16 and play defensive back for the West.
“It’s been great so far,” Dechant said of the Shrine Bowl experience. “I’ve got a roommate who’s really good to me. He’s from Hugoton. I’ve met a bunch of other guys from different schools all around the state, and the coaches have been great, too. The staffs have been great, so it’s been good so far.”
Dechant said he found out about his Shrine Bowl selection after missing several phone calls.
“I wasn’t by my phone at first, and I see all my coaches calling me,” Dechant said. “I picked up my brother-in-law, who actually coached football at my high school, and he was like, ‘Hey, you’re in the Shrine Bowl.’ I was pretty excited.”
Dechant then answered calls from other coaches, all delivering the same news.
“They all told me the same thing,” Dechant said.
Dechant was a standout in multiple roles for Trinity Catholic. He earned KFBCA first-team all-state honors as a defensive back, Sports in Kansas first-team all-state honors as an athlete and first-team all-district honors as a punter, defensive back and quarterback. He also earned first-team all-league honors at defensive back and second-team all-league honors at quarterback and punter.
His favorite football memory came in the 2024 playoffs, when Trinity Catholic beat Moundridge in the first round.
Dechant’s athletic success extended to baseball, where he earned second-team all-state honors as a pitcher and first-team all-league honors. He will play baseball collegiately at Hutchinson Community College for head coach Brock Nehls.
Dechant said he considered whether to play in the Shrine Bowl because of his future baseball plans, but ultimately decided the experience would help him.
“I was really debating if I should play in this or not, but overall, I think it’ll help me in the long run,” Dechant said. “We’ve got three-a-day practices, pretty tough, but I think that’ll get me ready mentally for next season during the baseball season.”
Dechant was also selected to participate in the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches all-star game last week in Wichita, although he said an injury kept him from playing.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t play. I was injured,” Dechant said. “But again, I met a lot of great dudes there and had a lot of good conversations with other dudes.”
While Dechant found success in football, he said baseball was the sport he wanted to pursue at the next level.
“I just overall like it better,” Dechant said. “I’ve been playing it longer.”
Dechant said Trinity Catholic football coach Jordan Bell helped make his high school football experience special.
“He’s a great guy,” Dechant said. “Good family man. I’m really close with his family, and he’s just a great coach in general.”
Like several other Hutchinson-area players, Dechant has had a short trip to camp this week. The West Team has been practicing in Hutchinson before traveling to Emporia for Saturday’s game.
“It’s kind of unusual,” Dechant said. “It was like an eight-minute drive. I was talking with Coach Myears about it. I was like, ‘Man, long drive. Took me about eight minutes.’”
Even with the short distance from home, Dechant said the week has still felt different.
“It’s kind of weird staying in my hometown,” Dechant said. “My house is like eight minutes away. I’m staying in dorms that I won’t be staying in next year, so it’s kind of a weird experience, but it’s been fun.”
Dechant played quarterback at Trinity Catholic, but he said he is preparing to play safety for the West Team. When asked whether there could be any offensive packages for him, Dechant said nothing had been added yet.
“We’ll see,” Dechant said.
For Saturday, Dechant said his goals are simple.
“Get the win,” Dechant said. “And probably just meet everyone after who’s there to see me, take pictures with them, talk to them.”
After Saturday, Dechant’s attention will turn toward Hutchinson Community College and baseball. He said his long-term goals include earning a business degree, getting married and having a family.
Saturday’s Kansas Shrine Bowl will be televised on Smoky Hills PBS, Cox YurView and 38 The Spot in Kansas City, with Mark Ewing and Stan Weber on the call.
The radio broadcast can be heard on Eagle Media stations 102.9 FM KHUT Country in Hutchinson; B104.3 FM KVGB “The Point” in Great Bend; 101.9 FM KKQY “The Bull” in Hays; 107.5 FM and 910 AM KINA in Salina; 107.9 FM and 1420 AM KJCK in Junction City; and 103.5 FM KQLA in Manhattan.
Gerard Wellbrock will handle play-by-play duties, with Sean Boston serving as analyst and Anthony Gorges as sideline reporter.