By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Zane Farney already has one unforgettable football memory from Gowans Stadium.
The Sterling High School standout helped the Black Bears finish 13-0 last fall and win the Class 1A state championship over Rossville at Gowans Stadium, securing the first state football title in program history.
Now Farney has returned to Hutchinson for Kansas Shrine Bowl practices before putting on a West Team jersey Saturday night in Emporia.
Farney, a 6-foot, 180-pound running 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. He will wear No. 25 and is expected to play running back and slot receiver.
“It’s been super fun just getting to know all these guys from everywhere,” Farney said. “It’s definitely an experience meeting everyone that’s new. I’d say it’s super fun staying in the dorm rooms late, staying up late, messing around. That’s the most fun part so far.”
Farney said being back at Gowans Stadium this week brought back memories from Sterling’s championship season.
“It’s definitely special,” Farney said. “I was talking about that with my teammates. I was saying I had a little experience on this field, so it’s nice to be back and practice here a little bit. Weather is definitely nicer this time. It was freezing last time, so it’s definitely special just to be back somewhere with a lot of good memories.”
Farney was one of the top players in Class 1A during his senior season. His honors included 2025 player of the year recognition, all-state, all-district and all-league selections, and top-11 recognition. His favorite sports memory is simple: winning a state championship as a senior.
This week has also given Farney, from a Class 1A program, a chance to compete with and against players from all classifications across Kansas.
“It’s definitely cool,” Farney said. “I love it. It’s great competition. I think it’s nice to be out there and know that I can compete with anybody.”
Farney said playing in the Shrine Bowl carries extra meaning because of his family’s connection to Shriners.
“It’s huge,” Farney said. “I’ve actually had people in my family who’ve been helped by the Shriners, so it’s definitely a big experience for me. I’m glad that I get to be here and just help the kids.”
Farney said a cousin’s son received help from Shriners, including travel assistance, and that other family members also have a connection to the organization.
“I have a lot of family connections,” Farney said. “At the banquet and stuff like that, my stepmom was really emotional going up and talking to people, so it’s just been a great experience to be here.”
Farney said Sterling coach Brent Schneider told him he might have a chance to be selected before Farney watched the Shrine Bowl selection show.
“It was still super cool to watch on the TV and see my name,” Farney said. “I was taking a video so I could post on Instagram and Snapchat and stuff, but I was just watching the screen. It was surreal, because I’ve watched the show before and obviously known some guys that have been selected, so it was just super cool to watch my name pop up.”
Schneider is also part of the West coaching staff this week, serving as a defensive line coach. Farney said having his high school coach with him has helped make the week more comfortable.
“It’s awesome,” Farney said. “I love him as a coach. After practice, we usually walk back to the dorms together and stuff, and it’s just super cool to have someone that I knew going into the week. It was a little scary not knowing anybody, but I had my coach there, so it definitely made the transition easier.”
Farney said he has been working mostly in the slot this week while also getting some running back work. He said learning a new offense in a short amount of time has been a challenge, but one he feels is coming along.
“It’s been a lot,” Farney said. “It takes a while. I’m getting it down. It just takes a lot of reps.”
Farney said it has helped having a quarterback familiar with the system.
“We have a QB (Daxton Minton) in the system that knows the plays, obviously from Great Bend,” Farney said. “It’s just been good to have someone in the system that knows everything, and he knows what to tell.”
For Saturday’s game, Farney said one goal stands out.
“Definitely a W over the East side,” Farney said. “That’s always a huge goal.”
Farney also sees Saturday as a chance to prepare for the next level. He will play football collegiately at Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, for head coach Joel Penner.
Farney said his role this week is similar to what he expects to do in college.
“At Dordt, I’m actually kind of playing what I’m playing here, like slot-running back hybrid stuff,” Farney said. “So it’s really good to get a little experience doing what I’m doing.”
Farney said the culture at Dordt stood out during the recruiting process.
“I chose them just because of the culture when I went up there,” Farney said. “I really liked the upperclassmen and how they treated younger guys. I really thought that was something that was good.”
Farney recently spent time on campus and said the experience confirmed his decision.
“The guys are just so cool there,” Farney said. “The coaching staff, I think, is truly elite for their level, and that’s just one of the reasons I chose them.”
Farney also capped his senior year with a standout track season. He won Class 1A state championships in both the 110-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles at Crossland Stadium in Wichita.
“It was awesome,” Farney said. “Honestly, I hated track my freshman, sophomore year, but the more I did it, the more it grew on me. I was really glad to just cap it off with a great accomplishment like that.”
Farney said winning both hurdle titles was especially meaningful because he had struggled at the state meet venue before.
“It was crazy, because I’ve definitely had a choke moment in front of all those fans,” Farney said. “It felt great to have something. It was just such a happy moment to win both, because I’ve struggled in the past at Crossland Stadium. To finally get over the hump and have a really successful day was a big accomplishment for me.”
Farney’s future plans include moving to Texas to live near family and becoming a Realtor. First, he gets one more football game representing Sterling and the West Team.
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.