BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

Great Bend's All-Western Athletic offensive tackle Owen Kaiser has been selected to the 2025 Kansas Shrine Bowl football West squad. The 6-3, 275-pound Kaiser helped the Panthers (9-1) average 158 yards rushing, 155 yards passing and 27 points per game.

"Making the Shrine Bowl was definitely a goal of mine and it came true," Kaiser said. "It's a neat deal to be selected. It's really big for me and my family."

Kaiser's favorite play was the Panthers' zone run play.

The son of Zack and Keri Kaiser is being recruited at the junior college level. He also has interest from Northwestern, Iowa.

"Owen has grown from freshman to senior year more than any player I've coached at Great Bend," said Great Bend coach Erin Beck. "He improved so much. He played a physical style at the point of attack."

Right tackle Kaiser teamed with right guard Aidan Davidson for a powerful blocking tandem.

"We ran the football behind Owen's blocking more than anyone," Beck said. "His combination with Aidan Davidson on our zone run scheme was really good."  

Kaiser inherited a heavier work load when defensive tackle Brody Schoenbelen was sidelined during the season.

"After Brody was hurt, Owen played every snap of our games," Beck said. "Owen was able to step it up."

Great Bend captured the Western Athletic Conference football title.

"It's a great experience to compete in the Kansas Shrine Bowl," Beck said.

WEST SHRINE BOWL TEAM

GREAT BEND—OL-LS Owen Kaiser, 6-3, 275

ANDALE—DB Landon Harp, 6-0, 205; LB Cooper Marx, 6-1, 220

ANDOVER CENTRAL—OL Dawson Rodd, 6-3, 275; DB/WR Jake Adler, 6-3, 171

BELOIT—DL Eli Johnson, 6-6, 240

BUHLER—OL Bodey Redenbaugh, 6-3, 305

CHENEY—QB Josh Burdick, 6-0, 180

CLEARWATER—CB Cooper Williams, 6-3, 180

CONWAY SPRINGS—OL Cooper Koster, 6-4, 255

COUNCIL GROVE—LB Ace Monihan, 6-0, 210

DERBY—DB Jimmy Middlebrook, 5-9, 185

DODGE CITY—WR Jayden Amaro, 6-1, 190

GARDEN PLAIN—DL Kaden Kasselman, 6-3, 240

GODDARD—LB Preston Hagel, 6-0, 210

GODDARD EISENHOWER—WR Carter Pabst, 6-1, 185; LB Derek Morgan, 6-2, 195

GOODLAND—TE Linkon Cure, 6-6, 225

HALSTEAD—OL Connor Herrman, 6-4, 273

HAYS HIGH—LB Dalton Meyers, 6-2, 190

HESSTON—LB Karter Gonzalez, 5-11, 215

HOLCOMB—OL Drayton Knoll, 6-5, 310

HUTCHINSON—DB-P Terrell King, 5-8, 170

JUNCTION CITY OL Petren Bartolome, 6-1, 295

LIBERAL—OL Hudson Rice, 6-2, 305

MAIZE SOUTH—DB Christian McDonald, 5-9, 170; WR Bryson Hayes, 6-0, 179

MANHATTAN—QB Carter Aslin, 6-0, 170

MCPHERSON—LB Catch Delaney, 6-0, 218

MOUNDRIDGE—LB Henry Hecox, 6-2, 193

MULVANE—OL Preston Grube, 5-9, 195

NORTON—QB-PK Eli Jones, 6-2, 210

PLAINVILLE—DB Roy Bright, 6-2, 180

PRATT—DB Owen Schmidt, 5-10, 170

SALINA CENTRAL DL James MacKinney, 6-4, 230

SCOTT CITY—DL-PK Jackson Rumford, 6-5, 245

SE SALINE—WR Tucker Thaxton, 6-0, 170

VALLEY CENTER—DB Steel Schmoker, 6-3, 205

WELLINGTON—DL Brody Weir, 6-3, 245

WEST ELK—RB Creyo Koop, 5-10, 190

WICHITA COLLEGIATE—DL Triston Sprole, 6-2, 240

WICHITA EAST—WR Karlon Ransom, 6-1, 170

WICHITA NORTHWEST—DB Quavon Harris, 5-10, 190

WICHTA SOUTH—LB Jamarcus Webster, 6-0, 215

EAST SQUAD

ATCHISON—DL Eric Smith, 6-4, 218

AXTELL—DB Brandon Schmelzle, 6-3, 215

BASEHOR—LB Garrett Pierce, 5-9, 185

BV NORTHWEST—OL Brock Heath, 5-11, 180

BV WEST—LB Jack Cook, 6-0, 200

BV SOUTHWEST—OL/LS Will Morgan, 6-0, 235

CENTRALIA—LB Jacob Flentie, 6-2, 185

CHANUTE—LB Cade Small, 6-0, 206

COFFEYVILLE—RB Aaron Tunstall, 5-10, 185

COLUMBUS—DB Jace Midgett, 6-2, 180

DESOTO—RB Jayden Lang, 6-0, 195

EUDORA—DB Christian Jarrett, 5-11, 170

FORT SCOTT—OL Luke Harris, 6-5, 295

GARDNER EDGERTON—LB Kaleb Dewey, 5-10, 200; QB Bravin Powell, 6-4, 200 

GIRARD—TE Scott Moore, 6-5, 235

HUMBOLDT—QB-P Blake Ellis, 5-9, 185

KC PIPER—DB Tanner McDaniel, 5-10, 160

LANSING—DL Ayden Ellington, 5-11, 220

LAWRENCE FREE STATE—LB Parker Moore, 6-2, 220

LENEXA ST.. JAMES—LB Aidan Dreiling, 6-3, 201

LOUISBURG—DL Conlee Hovey, 6-4, 230; LB Ashton Moore, 6-0, 210

MARYSVILLE—DL Ashton Schaefer, 6-1, 275

MILL VALLEY—OL Abram Shaffer, 6-4, 268

OLATHE NORTHWEST—OL Jake Brink, 6-2, 285

OLATHE SOUTH—RB Max Armstrong, 5-11, 185

OLATHE WEST—WR Tevyn Gasaway, 6-3, 185

ROCK CREEK—OL Mason Faith, 6-2, 270

SABETHA—HB Landon Meyer, 6-2, 200

SM MIEGE—WR Teryn Jackson, 5-11, 165

ST. MARYS—LB Howie Rezac, 6-4, 205

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS—DL Cru Huenfeld, 6-3, 230

SM EAST—DB Brady Haughton, 5-11, 180 

SM NORTH—DB Jeremiah Looney, 5-11, 160

SM NORTHWEST—OL Jacob O'Donnell, 6-5, 305

TONGANOXIE—WR Todd Brown, 6-0, 200

TOPEKA HAYDEN—WR/PK Jensen Schrickel, 5-10, 165

TOPEKA SEAMAN—DL Kaden Jordan, 6-2, 305; QB Max Huston, 6-1, 185

TROY—DL Jack Hartman, 6-4, 230

WAMEGO—WR Jackson Tupps, 5-10, 175

WASHBURN RURAL—OL Caden Estrada, 6-2, 270

WELLSVILLE—LB Carter Wilmarth, 6-2, 230