The Shrine Game is back, and it's got area stars in it once again

The Montana East-West Shrine Game always features a Hi-Line standout or two. Last year however, that wasn't the case for Hi-Line football players, or gridders from anywhere else in the Treasure State for that matter. That's because COVID-19 just wouldn't make the Shrine Game possible.

That, however, was 2020. Now, in the summer of 2021, the Shrine Game is back, and as always local players and coaches will be a big part of the festivities in Billings.

The 2021 Montana East-West Shrine Game, which is the longest running all-star football game in the country, will take place Saturday night in Billings, and in that game, Havre High's Kellen Detrick and Fort Benton's Jace Thompson will suit up for the East roster, while Blue Pony head coach Ryan Gatch and Fort Benton head man Jory Thompson were named assistant coaches for the East.

The game itself will be a big event Saturday night, especially since there was no game in 2020, and the state has ended the Badlands Bowl, which was a Montana-North Dakota All-Star game. So, not only will there be an even bigger spotlight on the Shrine Game, but it also moved up to June when the Badlands Bowl ended. Before, Badlands Bowl would be played in June and the Shrine Game in July.

Of course, football is only part of the story. The Shrine Game raised money for the Shriner's Hospital in Spokane, and after not being able to be played last summer, this year's game will be huge in that regard.

It's also huge for the players and coaches. It's always an honor to be selected, and once again, Havre, and the Hi-Line will be well-represented.

Detrick is a two-way All-State player for the Blue Ponies, who is headed to the University of Montana as a defensive end. He's also got a deep connection to the Shrine Game as his father Kino played in the game after graduating from Great Falls High.

Thompson, who is headed to Montana Tech to play for the Orediggers, also saw his dad play for Western Montana College, and the two share a connection to the Shrine Game. Thompson, like Detrick, was a two-way star for Fort Benton, and earned All-State honors in three sports this past year.

Gatch also played in the Shrine Game as a player and has now been named an assistant twice for the East squad.

The area also produced several alternates for this year's game, including Havre High lineman Carson Lunak, who is headed to play for Dickinson State, as well as Big Sandy running back/linebacker Kade Strutz. Strutz' father also played in the Shrine Game.

As always, the Shrine Game has many story lines, and this year will be no different. The West squad will be led by Missoula Sentinel head man Dane Oliver, who led the Spartans to the 2020 Class AA state championship. The East will be coached by John Fitzgerald of Red Lodge. Fitzgerald played with Oliver for the Montana Grizzlies during their great dynasty of the 1990s and 2000s.

The 74th annual Montana East-West Shrine Game will be Saturday at 7 p.m. at Daylis Stadium in Billings. The game can be viewed on all SWX affiliates in Montana.

74th Annual Montana East-West Shrine Game

Saturday

at Wendy's Field at Daylis Stadium, 7 p.m.

East

Eli Aby, Laurel; Colter Bales, Laurel; Junior Bergen, Billings Senior; Jaquawhaan Booth, Billings Central; Kolter Bouma, Fairfield; Ben Britton, St. Mary's, Calgary; Paul Brott, Billings West; John Brown, Bozeman; Jacksen Burckley, Billings Senior; Jesse Chapweske, Miles City; Neil Daily, Billings West; Derek Damjanovich, Billings Central; Ethan Deroche, Great Falls; Kellen Detrick, Havre; Kaimen Evans, Belt; Luke Fedyk, Bozeman; Jadyn Hoff, Billings West; Carson Hunter, Miles City; Jay Jetmore, Red Lodge; Thomas Klepps, Billings Senior; Brady Lang, Bozeman; Padraig Lang, Bozeman; Corby Mann, Red Lodge; Johnnie McClusky, Billings Senior; Sloan McPherson, Savage; Jaymn Medlock, Billings West; Gavin Mills, Fairfield; Pierce Mortenson, Malta; Conor Murray, Fairfield; James Och, Laurel; Mayson Phipps, Glasgow; Brock Ping, Billings Central; Brody Skogen, Sidney; Brooks Talbot, Bozeman; Jace Thompson, Fort Benton; Levi Torgerson, Great Falls; Connor Ulschak, Laurel; Jayden Venable, Miles City; Jack Waddell, Laurel; Riley Waters, Sidney; Jackson Willems, Billings Skyview; Marcus Wittman, Billings Central.

Head coach: John Fitzgerald, Red Lodge.

Assistant coaches: Adam White Red Lodge; Ryan Gatch, Havre; Nick Oxarart, Malta; Patrick Barnett, Glasgow; Jory Thompson, Fort Benton.

West

Dayton Bay, Missoula Sentinel; Jace Fitzgerald, Dillon; Cormac Benn, Bigfork; Michael Hupp, Dillon; Cole Truman, Dillon; Owen Porcu, Notre Dame, Calgary; Jaiden Klemundt, Hamilton; Dexter Tedesco, Helena; Jace Klucewich, Missoula Sentinel; Geno Leonard, Missoula Sentinel; Flint Smith, Whitehall; Tel Arthur, Frenchtown; Carter Lake, Hamilton; Tyler Little, Helena Capital; Colter Janacaro, Missoula Big Sky; Gabriel Delgatty, Manhattan; Soren Syvrud, Missoula Sentinel; TJ Rausch, Missoula Sentinel; David Lowry, Helena; Jonny Reiser, Dillon; Gunnar Smith, Eureka; Ben Swanson, Helena; Caden Holgate, Manhattan; Ryker McElmurry, Libby; Toby Veltkamp, Manhattan; Aidan Lee, Butte; Zach Evans, Helena; Bryan Holland, Butte Central; Lucas Thacker, Columbia Falls; Rocco Beccari, Kalispell Glacier; Duncan Richardson, Frenchtown; Luke Benson, Bigfork; Hudson Vegeron, Hamilton; Tyler Burrows, Hamilton; Dylan Smith, Whitehall; TY Raiha, Butte; Judson Seliskar, Helena; DJ Jackson, Butte; Daxon Graham, Dillon; Jake Olson, Butte; Preston Metesh, Drummond-Philipsburg.

Head coach: Dane Oliver, Missoula Sentinel. Assistant coaches: Pete Joseph, Missoula Sentinel; Chris Grabowska, Manhattan; Jim Benn, Bigfork; Kaden Glinsmann, Polson; Dan Larson, Butte.