By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
OTTAWA -- When the East team needed a late -- very late -- replacement player for this week's Kansas Shrine Bowl, the call went out to former Shawnee Heights football star AJ Gallegos.
Former Shawnee Heights standout AJ Gallegos (while jersey) will play for the East in Saturday night's Kansas Shrine Bowl in Emporia. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And without hesitation, the 2025 All-Shawnee County Top 22 and All-United Kansas Conference first-team pick was on his way to Ottawa University.
"It was the same day that we were supposed to be down here,'' Gallegos said. "It was 11 o'clock (Sunday) morning and I got right out of church when I got the call and they were like, 'Hey, we want you to head down there.'
"I dropped everything and just came straight to Ottawa. It was pretty cool.''
Gallegos said he jumped at the opportunity to be a part of Kansas' premier all-star game.
"For sure,'' Gallegos said. "It's the Shrine Bowl! Why would I not want to play in this type of game?''
Former Shawnee Height standout AJ Gallegos (center) was an All-Shawnee County Top 22and All-UKC first-team pick last fall. [File photo/TSN]
Gallegos, a two-way starter for the 4-5 T-Birds, caught 66 passes for 935 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior and joins former Heights quarterback Aiden Scott on the East roster.
"I'm going to play with my QB, so I'm excited,'' Gallegos said. "We've had four years together and now we get one more game together.
"We thought we had our last game in October, but we're promised one more game now, so it's nice.''
Scott will play quarterback and Gallegos defensive back in Saturday's game at Emporia State's Welch Stadium, but Gallegos is hopeful of getting an opportunity to play at least one play with his former teammate.
"Maybe I'll get an opportunity to get in and play some receiver and maybe get one more post play or something,'' Gallegos said with a smile.
Gallegos has already begun preparations for the next step in his career at Baker University.
"I've already been there and have been going to the workouts,'' he said. "I have to miss this week but it's for the Shrine Bowl, so it's obviously for a good cause.''
Gallegos said he feels good about his early progress with the Wildcats.
"It's going well,'' he said. "It's really intense, it's way different from high school, but it's everything I love. It's everything I was promised, so I'm excited.''
Gallegos and Scott are two of seven former Shawnee County standouts on the East roster, along with Rossville's Conner Bush and Andre Johnson, Seaman's Cameron Brian, Silver Lake's Dayne Johnson and Washburn Rural's Brody Haas.
Bush will play running back while Andre Johnson and Brian will play linebacker, Haas defensive back and Dayne Johnson wide receiver.
Rossville's Derick Hammes is serving as an assistant coach for the East.
Kickoff for Saturday's game is 7 p.m.
