By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After leading the state in passing yards last fall, former Shawnee Heights star quarterback Aiden Scott weighed some recruiting options before deciding he didn't even need to leave his hometown to find what he was looking for, signing with Washburn University.
Aiden Scott, Shawnee Heights
A two-time All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Scott completed 197 of 319 passes for 2,991 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior and finished his career completing 420 of 691 pass attempts for 6,491 yards and 632 touchdowns.
"I had (interest from) South Dakota and a PWO (preferred walkon) from KU and it came down to a business decision,'' said Scott, who will play quarterback for the East in Saturday's 7 p.m. Kansas Shrine Bowl at Emporia State. "It was like, 'Do I want playing time or do I want to sit for a little bit?'
"And especially when it's at home, friends and family can come watch you play and Washburn's coaching staff and facilities are top notch.''
Scott, a three-sport athlete for the T-Birds, has spent much of his summer at Washburn, getting acclimated to the college game.
"I've been there about three weeks so far and it's been fun,'' Scott said. "The upperclassmen have been really warm to me, welcoming me into the new program and helping me settle in. The freshmen are very talented guys, the whole team's very talented.
"We're growing, we're getting better, so I'm excited how the season's going to turn out.''
The decision will be made later this fall about whether or not Scott will redshirt this season, but he is preparing to play.
"They told me I'll get a shot during fall camp to be the starting guy and if I don't get that job I'll probably end up redshirting and get that extra year of experience,'' Scott said. "But my mindset is to get that starting job.''
Conner Bush, Rossville
Scott will be joined in the East backfield Saturday by another Washburn recruit, former Rossville two-time All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Conner Bush, who helped lead the Bulldawgs to a runnerup finish in Class 1A.
Bush carried the ball 81 times for 717 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a senior and was in on 114 total tackles, with two pass interceptions, two tackles for loss and 10 passes broken up.
Both Scott and Bush were added to the East as replacement players, with Bush getting the call about two weeks before the opening of the East camp at Ottawa University.
"My coach, coach (Derick) Hammes (an East assistant) called me and I was nothing but excited,'' Bush said. "I was just ready to play.''
Like Scott, Bush is using this week's Shrine Bowl experience to help him get ready for college football.
"These practices prepare you for fall camp,'' Bush said. "I think it's going good. It's the offense that I ran in high school (Hammes is serving as East's offensive coordinator) and I feel like everybody's picking it up good. We're all having fun together.''
Bush's Rossville teammate, Andre Johnson, is playing linebacker for the East while Scott's Shawnee Heights teammate, AJ Gallegos, is playing defensive back.
Also playing for the East are Seaman's Cameron Brian, Silver Lake's Dayne Johnson and Washburn Rural's Brody Haas.
Brian, Johnson and Haas were all named to the All-Shawnee County Top 22 last fall.
Kickoff for Saturday's game is 7 p.m. in Welch Stadium.
