George Bazin (left), Louisburg coach Gary Griffin (center) and Jason Spradling leave to take part in the Kansas Shrine Bowl on Friday. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 26 at Emporia State University. (Photo by Andy Brown / andybrown@miconews.com)
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Shrine trio gearing for game
Louisburg players, coach ready for All-Star affair
By Andy Brown, andybrown@miconews.com
Jason Spradling isn’t afraid of a big defensive player trying to take his head off during a game. In fact, he welcomes it. He was named the Kansas Iron Man of the Year for a reason.
So when he, teammate George Bazin and Louisburg coach Gary Griffin report to practice for the Shrine Bowl this week in Emporia, Spradling is ready to tangle with the best Kansas has to offer. There isn’t much the soon-to-be Pittsburg State football player is afraid of.
Well, maybe one thing.
“I can tell you Jason is pretty nervous about flying,” Griffin said. “He has never been on a plane before, so it will be interesting.”
After reporting to practice Friday, the three will get on a flight Saturday to St. Louis to visit the Shriners Hospital for Children along with a full day of activities, including a visit to Rams Park, the sprawling training complex for the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.
“I have never been on a plane before and a bunch of the guys, including Coach, are giving me a bunch of grief about it,” Spradling said. “But I will get through it, and it will be a lot of fun when we get there.”
Once the three are done in St. Louis, it will be a week full of work as they will practice on the Emporia State campus before they take the field.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game is an annual event featuring two football teams composed of 68 of the best graduated high school players from the East and West. Kickoff for this year’s game at Welch Stadium in Emporia is scheduled for 7 p.m., July 26.
It has been awhile since Louisburg has been represented in the annual game.
Last year, Jeremy Kush was selected to take part in the game, but he had to decline because of an injury. The last player to be chosen before that was Mike Coffey in 1998 — the same season the Wildcats last played for a state championship.
“It is definitely a great honor to play up there,” Bazin said. “I was looking through the old rosters and saw no one from Louisburg has played since the 90s. So to have three people represent Louisburg just showed what type of team we had this year.”
Last week, Griffin met with some of his fellow East coaches, including head coach Matt Garber from Sabetha. Garber named Griffin the defensive coordinator, which is nothing new to the Louisburg head man. Before becoming head coach of the Wildcats, he was the team’s defensive coordinator.
There is a good chance he will get to work directly with both Bazin and Spradling.
Although the two don’t know which side of the ball they will be playing on yet, Griffin believes Bazin would probably be on the defensive side, where he did most of his damage last season. Spradling has also told Griffin he wanted to play in the defensive backfield, the spot he will more than likely play in college.
But Spradling didn’t give his coach much of a leg to stand on after his performance in the Metro Classic last month after he rushed for 110 yards against the Missouri all-stars.
“That argument might be a little harder to win,” Griffin said of Spradling playing on defense. “He had such a great game in the Metro Classic they really might want him at running back, but we don’t know. I think George has a good chance to play on defense, but you never know if the offense might be short a tight end or something. We will just have to see. I am definitely excited to work with these kids, though.”
It also wasn’t the first time Griffin and Garber had met face to face. The most memorable time came in the 1997 state title game when Louisburg fell to Sabetha 14-13 in a tough loss for the Wildcats.
Griffin, who was a coach on the Wildcat sidelines, went against Garber, who was a Sabetha assistant. The two relived some memories from that day, but Griffin didn’t have too many good ones.
“All I remember from that day was that we missed an extra point and we ended up losing by a point,” Griffin said. “I am always going to remember that. Matt and I talked about the day some. It’s just interesting we are coaching together now.”
Griffin and Garber will also join coaches Rod Stallbaumer (Lyndon), Cory White (Riverton), Tim Grunhard (Bishop Miege) and Rod Hasenbank (Topeka High). Griffin is especially looking forward to talking with Grunhard, the former Kansas City Chief center.
“It will be a lot of fun to talk to him and hear his NFL stories,” Griffin said. “I will look forward to learning some things from him.”
As for Spradling and Bazin, the two future collegiate players are looking forward to getting back on the field for their final prep game.
“Just like with Derrick (Rowan in the Metro Classic), it will be great to play with George again,” Spradling said. “Hopefully, we can play on the same side of the ball and at the same time, but we will have to wait and see.”
After their trip to St. Louis, the teams will fly back to Kansas City late Saturday afternoon and be treated to a hamburger feed at the Abdallah Shrine in Overland Park before boarding buses back to Emporia and Salina, where practices will begin on Sunday.
Both teams will attend the annual Shrine Bowl Banquet on Friday night, July 25, and be in the Shrine Bowl parade on game day.
“I am really excited to get down there and start practicing,” Bazin said. “I have already met some of my (East) teammates through banquets and such, and they seem like really good guys. It should be a lot of fun.”
Advance reserved chairback tickets for the game are $20 in advance. Adult general admission tickets are $9 in advance. Student tickets (K-12) are $5 in advance.
Other Shrine Bowl events scheduled in Emporia on July 26 include an open 5K road race that includes 60 cross country All-Star runners, a 1-mile fun run/walk, a giant Shrine Parade, an arts and crafts fair, a kids fair, a high school combine, a poker run for bikes, autos and trucks and a free fashion show.
Additional information and tickets can be purchased through the Shrine Bowl office by calling 1-800-530-5524. The Shrine Bowl Web site is ksshrine.com
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So when he, teammate George Bazin and Louisburg coach Gary Griffin report to practice for the Shrine Bowl this week in Emporia, Spradling is ready to tangle with the best Kansas has to offer. There isn’t much the soon-to-be Pittsburg State football player is afraid of.
Well, maybe one thing.
“I can tell you Jason is pretty nervous about flying,” Griffin said. “He has never been on a plane before, so it will be interesting.”
After reporting to practice Friday, the three will get on a flight Saturday to St. Louis to visit the Shriners Hospital for Children along with a full day of activities, including a visit to Rams Park, the sprawling training complex for the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.
“I have never been on a plane before and a bunch of the guys, including Coach, are giving me a bunch of grief about it,” Spradling said. “But I will get through it, and it will be a lot of fun when we get there.”
Once the three are done in St. Louis, it will be a week full of work as they will practice on the Emporia State campus before they take the field.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game is an annual event featuring two football teams composed of 68 of the best graduated high school players from the East and West. Kickoff for this year’s game at Welch Stadium in Emporia is scheduled for 7 p.m., July 26.
It has been awhile since Louisburg has been represented in the annual game.
Last year, Jeremy Kush was selected to take part in the game, but he had to decline because of an injury. The last player to be chosen before that was Mike Coffey in 1998 — the same season the Wildcats last played for a state championship.
“It is definitely a great honor to play up there,” Bazin said. “I was looking through the old rosters and saw no one from Louisburg has played since the 90s. So to have three people represent Louisburg just showed what type of team we had this year.”
Last week, Griffin met with some of his fellow East coaches, including head coach Matt Garber from Sabetha. Garber named Griffin the defensive coordinator, which is nothing new to the Louisburg head man. Before becoming head coach of the Wildcats, he was the team’s defensive coordinator.
There is a good chance he will get to work directly with both Bazin and Spradling.
Although the two don’t know which side of the ball they will be playing on yet, Griffin believes Bazin would probably be on the defensive side, where he did most of his damage last season. Spradling has also told Griffin he wanted to play in the defensive backfield, the spot he will more than likely play in college.
But Spradling didn’t give his coach much of a leg to stand on after his performance in the Metro Classic last month after he rushed for 110 yards against the Missouri all-stars.
“That argument might be a little harder to win,” Griffin said of Spradling playing on defense. “He had such a great game in the Metro Classic they really might want him at running back, but we don’t know. I think George has a good chance to play on defense, but you never know if the offense might be short a tight end or something. We will just have to see. I am definitely excited to work with these kids, though.”
It also wasn’t the first time Griffin and Garber had met face to face. The most memorable time came in the 1997 state title game when Louisburg fell to Sabetha 14-13 in a tough loss for the Wildcats.
Griffin, who was a coach on the Wildcat sidelines, went against Garber, who was a Sabetha assistant. The two relived some memories from that day, but Griffin didn’t have too many good ones.
“All I remember from that day was that we missed an extra point and we ended up losing by a point,” Griffin said. “I am always going to remember that. Matt and I talked about the day some. It’s just interesting we are coaching together now.”
Griffin and Garber will also join coaches Rod Stallbaumer (Lyndon), Cory White (Riverton), Tim Grunhard (Bishop Miege) and Rod Hasenbank (Topeka High). Griffin is especially looking forward to talking with Grunhard, the former Kansas City Chief center.
“It will be a lot of fun to talk to him and hear his NFL stories,” Griffin said. “I will look forward to learning some things from him.”
As for Spradling and Bazin, the two future collegiate players are looking forward to getting back on the field for their final prep game.
“Just like with Derrick (Rowan in the Metro Classic), it will be great to play with George again,” Spradling said. “Hopefully, we can play on the same side of the ball and at the same time, but we will have to wait and see.”
After their trip to St. Louis, the teams will fly back to Kansas City late Saturday afternoon and be treated to a hamburger feed at the Abdallah Shrine in Overland Park before boarding buses back to Emporia and Salina, where practices will begin on Sunday.
Both teams will attend the annual Shrine Bowl Banquet on Friday night, July 25, and be in the Shrine Bowl parade on game day.
“I am really excited to get down there and start practicing,” Bazin said. “I have already met some of my (East) teammates through banquets and such, and they seem like really good guys. It should be a lot of fun.”
Advance reserved chairback tickets for the game are $20 in advance. Adult general admission tickets are $9 in advance. Student tickets (K-12) are $5 in advance.
Other Shrine Bowl events scheduled in Emporia on July 26 include an open 5K road race that includes 60 cross country All-Star runners, a 1-mile fun run/walk, a giant Shrine Parade, an arts and crafts fair, a kids fair, a high school combine, a poker run for bikes, autos and trucks and a free fashion show.
Additional information and tickets can be purchased through the Shrine Bowl office by calling 1-800-530-5524. The Shrine Bowl Web site is ksshrine.com