Linder, Gamas and Nielsen Playing in Montana East/West Shrine Football Game

The West is on a special streak, having won five straight games against the East since 2021. The Shrine Game was not played in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the East has not won a game since, with its last victory coming in 2019.

What makes the West’s streak so special this year lies with the historical record. Currently, the longest winning streak in Montana Shrine Game history belongs to the East, which won six straight games from 1973 to 1978.

The East will be led by Bozeman Gallatin head coach Hunter Chandler, and East Helena’s Tyler Murray, fresh off being hired as Montana Western’s offensive coordinator, will lead the West. While both the Raptors and Vigilantes have had players selected to the Shrine Game in the brief history of the schools’ existences, this year is the first in Shrine history which the East and West head coaches are from each of their respective schools.

East Roster

C: Max Spangler, Havre; Ty Steinmetz, Bozeman.

G: Tommy Lewis, Havre; Kingston Oe, Laurel; Andrew Linder, Glasgow.

T: Carsen Ross, Bozeman Gallatin; Tyton Larsen, Billings Central; Brandon Schoenen, Great Falls; Bradon Healy Jr., Havre.

TE: Mason Swanson, Red Lodge; Merek Fisher, Billings Skyview.

WR: Wesley Ehret, Belgrade; Elias Bonner, Billings West; William Snell, Billings Central; Drew Etcheberry, Great Falls CMR; Grady Nielsen, Glasgow.

RB: Curtis Fox, Laurel; Ayden Salter, Billings Central.

QB: Howie Martin, Billings Central.

DT: Peyton Fenner, Great Falls CMR; Parker Warner, Billings Senior; Darwin Spotted Jr., Bozeman Gallatin.

DE: Colter Devoss, Great Falls; Jace Bantz, Grass Range; Diesel Zallar, Bozeman Gallatin; Cooper Axtman, Scobey.

ILB: Hunter Lee, Great Falls CMR; Layne Alexander, Billings Central; Charles Beach, Calgary, Alberta.

DB: Cooper Streit, Chester-Joplin-Iverness.

CB: Evan Hughen, Bozeman; Bobby Gutzman, Bozeman Gallatin; Gavin Schwend, Billings West; Deagan Lehfeldt, Billings Senior.

S: Dawson Hammond, Malta; Kougar Kappel, Red Lodge; Rylan Jennings, Billings Senior; Kyhe Gamas, Glasgow.

P: McKay Shobe, Lewistown.

K: Tanner Vick, Power-Dutton-Brady.

Coaches: Hunter Chandler, Bozeman Gallatin, head coach; JP Flynn, Bozeman Gallatin, assistant coach; AJ Wilson, Great Falls CMR, assistant coach; Jake Eldridge, Havre, assistant coach; Scott Leeds, Havre, assistant coach; Brand Aldrich, Billings Central, assistant coach

West Roster

C: William Astle, Kalispell Glacier; Everett Stumpf, Hamilton.

G: Sam Akey, Whitefish; Bode Templeton, Missoula Sentinel.

WR: Brody Galle, Anaconda; McCoy Townsend, Darby; Easton Brooks, Columbia Falls; Hudson Luedtke, Butte; Hagen Paddock, East Helena.

DT: Brady Toner, Manhattan: Holland Jantzen, Bigfork.

DE: Derrick Brovold, Seeley-Swan; Bridger Alexander, Florence; Henry Griffin, Frenchtown; Adam Guajardo, Missoula Big Sky; Evan Pyron, Missoula Hellgate.

OLB: Cole MacInnis, Manning (CDN); Blake Williams, Missoula Big Sky; Treker Hickey, Bigfork.

S: Rudy Hess, Missoula Sentinel; Mitch Verlanic, Butte; Cormack Batt, Missoula Big Sky; Cal Marceau, Missoula Big Sky.