PITTSBURG – Garden City’s Greyson Tempel connected with Salina South’s Zach Nachbar on a pair of second-half touchdown passes to lead the West to a 21-6 victory over the East during the 41st annual Kansas Shrine Bowl on Saturday night at Pittsburg State University’s Carnie Smith Stadium.
Tempel, who played quarterback the entire game for the West, was named the team’s MVP. The Pittsburg State signee completed 16 of 28 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. The dual-threat quarterback, who accumulated 4,056 passing yards and 2,298 rushing yards during his high school career, also ran for a team-best 64 yards on 14 attempts.
The West improved its record in the series to 26-14-1 after the East snapped a seven- game winning streak with a 22-19 victory during last year’s meeting at Washburn’s Yager Stadium.
Tempel helped direct the West back from a 6-5 halftime deficit.
“We just had to settle down in the second half and make some adjustments,” Tempel said. “We played much better in the second half.”
Tempel hit Nachbar on a 17-yard touchdown pass to give the West an 11-6 advantage with 4:48 left in the third quarter. He found Nachbar again on a 2-yard touchdown pass to make it 18-6 on the last play of the third.
Salina Central’s Malik Veal connected on field goals of 45 and 40 yards for the West.
Nachbar finished with six catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Liberal’s Trenton Hammond finished with four receptions for 58 yards.
The West out-gained the East 309-193 in total offense. Plus, 93 of the East’s offensive output came on one play.
Silver Lake quarterback Dailin Kruger found Coffeyville wide receiver James Newton on a Shrine Bowl record 93-yard touchdown pass to give the East a 6-5 lead in the first quarter. The previous record was an 85-yard completion from Topeka-Hayden’s John Tetuan to Kansas City-Schlagle’s Jack Holly in 1999.
A field goal and a safety gave the West an early 5-0 advantage. The West looked to expand the lead as Tempel connected with Winfield’s Logan Mays on a 37-yard pass to the East 4.
The East defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs when Tempel’s fourth down pass attempt to Buhler’s Riley Allen was incomplete.
Two plays later, Kruger hit Newton – a Class 4A 100-meter state champion -- in stride for the record completion to take a 6-5 lead with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
“I had James Newton, who is our fastest receiver, one on one,” Kruger said. “He was beating everybody in practice all week. When I saw him one on one, the decision to go to him was obvious.”
Tempel helped set up the West’s first score with a 30-yard run to the East 41. A roughing the passer penalty on the next play gave the West a first down at the East’s 26. Four plays later, Salina Central’s Malik Veal converted a 40-yard field goal to give the West a 3-0 lead with 6:10 left in the first quarter.
The East was forced to punt after three downs on its next possession. The snap went over Kruger’s head, and he was forced to jump on the ball and take the safety for a 5-0 West lead.
Lawrence Free State’s Keith Loneker captured East MVP honors with 10 tackles.
Kruger was 9-for-25 passing for 178 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Newton had three catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. Newton also rushed for a team-best 20 yards on three carries.
West 21, East 6
West 5 0 13 3 -- 21
East 6 0 0 0 -- 6
West—Malik Veal 40 field goal, 6:10 1Q
West—Safety, 4:42 1Q
East—James Newton 93 pass from Dailin Kruger (run failed), 1:13 1Q
West—Zach Nachbar 17 pass from Greyson Tempel (pass failed), 4:48 3Q
West—Nachbar 3 pass from Tempel (Veal kick), 0:00 3Q
West—Veal 45 field goal
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