West tops East in Shrine Bowl

PITTSBURG -- Pittsburg State University signee Greyson Tempel, a quarterback from Garden City, generated 247 yards of total offense Sunday night as the West defeated the East, 21-6, in the 44th edition of the Kansas Shrine Bowl at Carnie Smith Stadium Saturday night.

Fort Scott High graduate and former Tiger lineman Brendan Blackburn, who has committed to Hutchinson Community College, was picked to play for the East squad.

Tempel passed for 183 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 64 yards to earn West team Most Valuable Player honors. It was eighth victory in the last nine years for the West team, a streak interrupted by the East's 22-19 win last year in Topeka. Overall, the West leads the series 26-14-1.

The East led 6-5 at halftime. Coffeyville's James Newton hauled in a touchdown pass from Silver Lake's Dailin Kruger on a Shrine Bowl record-breaking 93-yard play with 1:13 left in the first quarter to give their team the lead. The old record was an 85-yard passing strike from Topeka Hayden's John Tetuan to Kansas City-Schlagle's Jack Holly in the 1999 game in Wichita.

Tempel gave the West the lead with 4:48 left in the third when he connected with Salina South's Zach Nachbar from 17 yards out. The two teamed up again from 3 yards away as the third-quarter ended to make it 18-6.

Salina Central's Malik Veal made a 45-yard field goal in the fourth to extend the West's lead. He made a 40-yard kick in the first quarter.

Newton finished with 3 receptions for 110 yards. He also rushed 3 times for 20 yards. East cornerback and Pittsburg High graduate Ethan Paul-Davis had an interception in the second quarter.