MALTA — On Wednesday, Montana's most prestigious all-star football game — the annual East-West Shrine Game — announced the rosters for the contest taking place in June 2025.
A team that will send good representation to Great Falls' Memorial Stadium is the recent Class B state champion Malta Mustangs, who will send quarterback Stockton Oxarart and defensive end Blaine Downing to the East team.
"It was a great honor, and especially on Christmas day, it was such a great Christmas present," Oxarart said via zoom Friday. "Huge honor to be selected to play in the Shrine Game and compete against the top players in the state. I'm excited."
"I think it'll be different, you know because I'm from a population of 200 people in Saco, Montana," Downing said. "Hanging out with a bunch of Billings West kids, and AA kids and whatnot. Yeah, I think it'll be pretty cool seeing how they view football and, you know how it's been a part of their life compared to mine."
Oxarart and Downing said it means a lot they'll get to share the field with each one final time.
"Getting to play my last game with (Downing), and we've been together since we were little," Oxarart said. "This means a whole lot to be playing with him once again."
"We've been together since seventh grade," Downing said. "Us two are probably some of the hardest working kids in Montana, so it feels good to play one last game with him."
Joining Oxarart and Downing at the game will be Malta head coach Nick Oxarart, who will be manning the sidelines for the East team.
Nick — who was an assistant for 2021's Shrine Game — said it's an honor to be named as one of the two head coaches.
"You know I never thought I'd be the head coach," Oxarart said. "Definitely up for the challenge, and realized what an honor it was. So yeah, pretty darn cool."
Stockton Oxarart and Downing said it's going to be great to have Nick as the head coach.
"Having him as my head coach, hoping he'll let me air it out a couple times and hopefully I can throw a couple touchdowns and play a great game," Stockton Oxarart said. "I can't wait."
"I don't think it's very often you (get two players) from Class B on the same team going to the Shrine Game and another coach," Downing said. "I think it's pretty special having him coach us."
That feeling is mutual to Nick Oxarart, as he said it's pretty cool to get to coach two of his key seniors one final time.
"Having my quarterback be on there is cool, and he'll help coach up the other quarterback (Grant Vigen) out of Gallatin. That'll be kind of cool," Nick Oxarart said. "Then let Blaine do his thing on the defensive side and show his talents against the best in the state."
The 2025 East-West Shrine Game will be on June 21st in Great Falls.
