By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee County football standouts Jacob Carver, Ben Evans,Joe Otting, Tre Richardson and Ty Weber have been selected to play in the 50th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl, which will be played July 15 in Hays.
Carver is a 6-foot-2, 300-pound lineman out of Rossville while Evans is a 6-2, 275 lineman and Otting a 6-5, 281 lineman out of Hayden, Richardson a 5-11, 175 receiver/running back from Highland Park and Weber a 6-3, 230 linebacker for Washburn Rural.
All five local player were named to the TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 for the 2022 season.
Hayden advanced to the Class 3A sub-state round in '22 with a 10-2 record while Washburn Rural posted an 8-3 record and made it to the third round of the 6A playoffs, Highland Park had a breakout 6-3 season and Rossville went 5-5 after winning back-to-back state championships.
Hayden coach Bill Arnold will serve as an assistant coach for the East.
Shawnee County Shrine Bowl selections at a glance:
Jacob Carver
JACOB CARVER, Rossville
A 6-2, 300 offensive tackle, Carver was a four-year starter for Rossville, helping the Bulldawgs win two 2A state championships, and was a repeat selection on the TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 as well as an All-Mid-East League pick. Carver is also a star wrestler for Rossville, advancing to the 3A-1A state championship match last season and finishing second. Carver was also All-County in wrestling.
Ben Evans
BEN EVANS, Hayden
Evans, a 6-2, 275 offensive and defensive lineman, Evans was a TSN All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick and a multi-year starter for the Wildcats, who went 10-2 this past season and advanced to the sub-state round in the 3A playoffs. Evans helped pave the way for a Hayden offensive unit that rushed for 3,032 yards and finished the year with 4,465 yards of total offense.
Joe Otting
JOE OTTING, Hayden
Otting, a 6-5, 281 offensive and defensive lineman, is a three-sport standout for the Wildcats who recently signed with Notre Dame. Otting was a TSN All-Shawnee County Top 22 repeat pick and was also an All-Shawnee County basketball selection last season and qualified for the state track meet. Otting helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-2 record and a 3A sub-state berth this fall.
Tre Richardson
TRE RICHARDSON, Highland Park
Also a standout in basketball and a state champion in track and field, Richardson, a 5-11, 175 senior, was a repeat TSN All-Shawnee County Top 22 selection and earned first-team All-Meadowlark Conferenc recognition at receiver and was named conference offensive player of the year. Richardson rushed for 1,964 yards and 27 touchdowns on 96 attempts and caught 40 passes for 1,079 yards and 15 TDs for the 6-3 Scots. Richardson also had 868 return yards and passed for 144 yards and three TDs.
Ty Weber
TY WEBER, Washburn Rural
Weber, a 6-3, 230 senior inside linebacker, was named the TopSports.news Shawnee County defensive player of the year for the second straight seaon after helping lead the Junior Blues to an 8-3 record and the third round of the 6A playoffs. Weber recorded 134 total tackles (82 solos) with 19 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three recovered fumbles, two sacks and an interception. Weber was a first-team All-Centennial League pick and named the league's defensive player of the year.
