From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
PITTSBURG, Kan. —
Eight players from southeast Kansas will participate in the 37th Kansas Shrine Bowl on Saturday night in Pittsburg, Kan.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Carnie Smith Stadium on the Pittsburg State campus. Advance tickets are $20 for chairback seats, $12 for adult general admission and $6 for students (grades K-12). Tickets can be purchased through the Shrine Bowl office, 800-530-5524, or they can be bought online at www.pittstate.edu/office/tickets/athletics/index/dot.
Tickets at the gate — if available — will be $1 more.
Proceeds from the game are given to Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 hospitals that provide no-cost care to children under age 18. The 68 Shrine Bowl players and 12 coaches visited the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis on Saturday.
Teams reported Friday to their camps — the East team at Emporia State University and the West team at St. John’s Military School in Salina.
The East roster includes Troy Albright of Galena, Tank Burns of Columbus, Brannon Green of Labette County, Regan Kays of St. Mary’s-Colgan, Keenan Soles of Pittsburg, Michael Bullard of Oswego, Matt Bollig of Chanute and Kyler Thompson of Iola.
Assistant coaches for the East include Beau Sarwinski of Galena and Dan Grundy of Columbus.
The teams break training camp on Friday to come to Pittsburg. A banquet is scheduled Friday night at Pittsburg High School.
Saturday’s activities start with the Shrine Bowl parade at 10 a.m.
A football combine directed by Ron Freeman, former Pittsburg State All-American nose guard, and Paul Coffman, former Green Bay Packers tight end, will be held at Hutchinson Field and the St. Mary’s-Colgan practice field, starting at 10. The NFL-style combine is open to all area athletes, and the fee of $50 will be given to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
A two-mile charity road race starting at 6:20 p.m. will conclude on the track inside Carnie Smith Stadium during pregame festivities.
It will run at the same time as the All-Star Cross Country Race that includes David Beckenhauer and Paige Miller of Pittsburg and Charlie Sercer of Fort Scott.
