GREAT FALLS — While a majority of players in the upcoming East-West Shrine Game are used to regulation 11-player football, four all-stars from the East team said they have little to no experience after their time in 6- and 8-Man.
Scobey's Cooper Axtman and Fairview's Keegan Skogas represent 8-Man on the East squad, and both said adjustments have been made since practices began on Sunday.
"The vocabulary, like some of these words I've never heard, some of these techniques I've never worked on," Axtman said Wednesday at Memorial Stadium. "It's taken me a few days to get used to that stuff and I'm figuring it out now. So now I feel like I can just hit hard and I can get it rolling here."
"It's a lot quicker," Skogas said. "Learning how all the lines work and getting used to the length and the width of the field. It's been fun though, I'm excited."
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Representing 6-Man are Cooper Streit of Chester-Joplin-Inverness and Jace Bantz of Grass Range-Winnett. Streit said this is all new to him, while Bantz has had prior experience in 11-Man because of a former co-op with Lewistown.
"What I thought I knew about football, I didn't know much, honestly," Streit said. "The coaches and my teammates have done a great job teaching me and just showing me what to do, how to do it and getting me in the right position to play in this game."
"Definitely grateful for those first two years of my high school career playing 11-Man," Bantz said. "I think it gives me just a little glimpse so this week hasn't been such an overwhelming experience."
All four are going on to play college football as well, and this is acting as a sort of tune up to prepare them for what they'll see at the next level.
Axtman and Skogas will both be going to Dickinson State.
"It's great to learn this stuff and be able to carry that over with a little bit of knowledge, anyway, in to fall," Axtman said.
"Sharing the field with (Axtman), just in the Clev game and now in the Shrine, it's been a treat," Skogas said. "Getting to know him because we're rooming together in Dickinson, so get to know each other a little bit."
Bantz will be playing for Montana State.
"It'll definitely help me get my feet under myself so it's not starting from ground zero when I get there," Bantz said. "Just hope to build on this experience."
Streit will be suiting up at Montana Tech.
"To get an understanding, just to learn, take in as much as I can," Streit said. "This will be super helpful before I go in the fall."
Saturday Shrine Game kicks off at 7 p.m. in Butte, and will serve as a good introduction — or refresher — to regulation football for the four East team athletes from 6- and 8-Man programs
