There's something to be said about a team, when they can't cash in turnovers...plus it's really hard to beat Natrona's Brecken Biggs when he's playing on his home school turf.

The Offensive MVP was 16 of 21 for 275 yards passing, and passed for 4 touchdowns...most of which happened in the second half, to lead the North to a 34-to-6 win in the 40th Wyoming Shrine Bowl football game.

The South had their chances in the first half.

The defense came up with 2 takeaways in the first quarter in enemy territory, but both of them turned into missed field goals.

Two more turnovers before halftime, resulted in a grand total of 4 takeaways and zero points.

Once the North stopped being their own worst enemy on offense, it was hard to contain them.

On the first play of the second quarter, Biggs hooked up with Ben Mancuso of Burlington for a 5 yard touchdown play, to make it a 6-0 contest.

The score would remain that way until halftime...and it didn't take long after that, for the floodgates to open.

On the second play in the 3rd quarter, rivals Natrona and Gillette joined forces, as Biggs went long for Dani Fischer and found him on a 67 yard touchdown play, to make the score 13-0.

The two would connect again later on an 11-yard play...add on the 2-point conversion, and the North would lead 21-0 after 3 quarters.

In the fourth quarter, Biggs still had one more long bomb left in him, as he uncorked a 60-yarder to Matthew Wigglewarth of Big Horn, who outraced the defense into the end zone, to put his team up 28-0.

On the next possession for the South, the defense struck, as Dino Collins of Lovell blasted Matt Johnson of Evanston from behind, forcing a fumble in the process.

Collin Eisenman of Sheridan (defensive MVP) picked up the loose ball and ran 15 yards untouched to provide the final points for the North.

The South finally scored with less than 9 minutes to go when Zach Huber of Green River, threw a screen to Johnson, and the Red Devil got the remaining 15 yards, for the final points of the game.

Video highlights are being worked on. Check back later.

South: 0-0-0-6 = 6

North: 0-6-15-13 = 34

 

 

A good effort by all as $7,000 was raised for the Shriner’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. It just keeps getting better every year.

North vs. South in the 40th annual Shrine Bowl…first quarter…South wearing the white…Ryan Brough of Star Valley is going to run into a brick wall named Collin Eisenman of Sheridan. That’s a 3-yard loss and a lesson that you don’t mess with the defensive M-V-P.

Now look near the top part of your screen…Zach Huber of Green River is going to try something…but that will get snuffed out by Vince Sleep of Powell. They did not play in last year’s game, but the North defense meant business and was not about ready to let last year’s shellacking happen again.

However the North offense had some problems in the first half…Brecken Biggs of Natrona…and this pass was not even close to the intended receiver…Brigham Teichert of Cokeville with the interception and takes it back to the North 17…the South was in business.

…and they were going for the jugular…Huber is looking for Cisco Taylor of Lyman, but the latter is going to get layed out by Lucas Wollenman of Big Horn. Nothing would come out of the drive as the South would miss a field goal, so we have no score so far.

On the North’s next possession…more problems…Josh Flanigan of Natrona drops the pitch…Joe Ash of Cheyenne East will recover at the North 30…however…no points again for the South, because of another missed field goal.

So the North has the ball again, and now they got something going…Biggs is playing dangerously, but it payed off, as he’ll hook up with Cody Savage of Lovell…this play would go down as a 32 yard pickup to the South 42. The North did have 4 Milward Simpson finalists on their team…that helped.

But the South made their defensive plays as well…it was close, but this was ruled a fumble…as Biggs will get sacked by John Lessard of Southeast…Dylan Haddix of Gillette would recover the loose ball, after his team took a 17 yard loss on the play. No score after the first 15 minutes.

Second quarter…the North would eventually bust through…Biggs rolls out to his right…he’s looking for a receiver and he’ll connect with Ben Mancuso of Burlington for a 5-yard score…PAT no good, so the score is 6-to-nothing.

As for the South offense…they had some problems of their own…this snap hits the man in motion…Dan Reese of Natrona falls on the ball, and the North would set up shop inside enemy territory.

But one turnover was deserving of another unfortunately…Biggs with a pump fake…he had a target, but he did not see Ty Etchemendy of Douglas. The Bearcat will get a good return to the 40…but again no points came out of the turnover and the South had to give up the ball a few plays later.

So, we’ll change a few players and try this again…this time Dylan Hultgren of Lovell is taking the snaps for the North…he’s looking to go over the middle, but he over-threw his target and he’ll get intercepted by Hayes Stone of Cheyenne East, That’s the 4th take-away by the South defense, and now the offense needs to get some point off of this.

They would try…Huber was taking about going deep…could not find anyone…and by the time he decided to tuck and run, Eisenman had him wrapped up and sacked. 4 turnovers…no points. Not a good sign. The score would stay at 6-nothing, going into halftime.

3rd quarter…it took 3 plays and the North would hit the jackpot. Biggs wants to go deep, and his looking for a rival of his…Dani Fischer of Gillette has his defender beat and he’s going to the house…67 yards…Biggs was 21 of 26 for about 275 yards in this game and was named offensive MVP. The North now leads 13-zip.

The South tried to answer, but the opposing defense was up to the challenge. Huber tries to make something happen himself…but watch number 46…that’s Sleep…he rips the ball out and he’ll bring it back to the South 19…but his team-mates could not cash in…and would turn it back over on downs. That was a common thread in this game.

But on the next possession…they were knocking on the door again. Fischer will go around the left side and fight his way in for a 6-yard score…but it got called back as the North was flagged for an illegal shift…so they had to back up 5 yards and try it again.

The extra 5 yards was no big deal…because on the next play…Biggs and Fischer hook up again for an 11 yard score. 2-point conversion good, and the North was in decent shape, leading 21-to-nothing going into the final 15 minutes.

4th quarter…we messed up some on this play…we lost the ball…then we found it…it was Biggs throwing deep for Matthew Wigglesworth of Big Horn who was open for a 60-yard touchdown…the 4th passing TD of the game. The North was returning the favor from last year…they’re now up 28-to-nothing.

Now how about we let the defense get in on the scoring act? Matt Johnson of Evanston is the quarterback for the South…he’s looking one way and did not see Dino Collins of Lovell coming in from behind and he’ll get blasted for it. Fumble…Eisenman scoops it up and runs back 15 yards for a touchdown…this game is in hand…the North leads 34-zip.

The South was not going to win, but they had to avoid the shutout…Huber is going one way, and then he’ll screen it the other way to Johnson who will redeem himself for the earlier fumble…he breaks one tackle and scores from 15 yards out. That got rid of the zero, but North would dominate in the second half, to win this game…34-to-6.

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