BUTTE — It's officially Shrine Game week in the state of Montana, and the Western all-stars have been practicing and preparing at Naranche Stadium to keep their winning streak alive.
But of course, they're playing for a bigger cause.
Photos: West all-stars prep and practice ahead of 78th Montana East-West Shrine Game
The West all-stars got underway in the familiar confines of Butte as they prepare to head to the 78th Montana East-West Shrine Game in Great Falls this Saturday, where it will be special to represent their hometowns and schools.
"It feels good," Manhattan's George Stenberg said. "I've been with the Tigers since I was in sixth grade, so it looks good to wear that Tiger helmet out on the Shrine Game field and do as best as I can."
Plus, they get to follow in the footsteps of some of their heroes in being representatives as some of the Treasure State's best.
"It's pretty cool," Dillon's Taylor Handlos said. "I mean, Beaverhead County High School just kind of means everything to me, and it's great to just come after a long line of Beaver players at the Shrine Game and a lot of really great guys that had a lot of success in doing it. It's cool to be a part of that."
Rosters: 78th Montana East-West Shrine Game
Many will go on to play football at the college level, while for some, it'll be their final time putting the pads on.
"I'm able to create just family-like relationships and stuff with all my teammates and create some of my lifelong friends from football," said Missoula Sentinel's Easton Reimers, who will play college baseball at North Dakota State. "And I think even though it's not a sport I'm going to play it in the future, just all the values and stuff I gained from it and lessons I learned was just worth it over the course of the four years, and try to bring that here and now and just continue to make relationships to last a lifetime here."
The West has been the winner four years in a row in the Shrine Game in Montana, and while they're looking to make it No. 5 this weekend, they know by playing for the Shriners Children's Hospital in Spokane, Wash., and the ambassadors, the game's results are simply ancillary compared to the true cause and opportunity they have to leave a lasting impact.
"That's very special. I like to think of it as, you know, we're playing for the ones who can't," Helena Capital's Merek Mihelish said. "You know, obviously most of the kids that go to the Shriners Hospital, they don't get the ability to play football. We're all obviously very fortunate enough to play football, so you know, just kind of play for the ones who can't this week."
"Super important. Like it's amazing to play for those kids," Kalispell Glacier's Ben Winters added. "I can't even explain, like I go through practice, that's nothing what they have to go to. So it's really cool to represent for them."
