TOPEKA — Area folks watching the 40th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl tonight will see some familiar faces, on the field, and on the sideline. TWO MARMATON Valley High cheerleaders will be on the sidelines for tonight’s game as well.
Crest High standout Kyle Hammond, whose decorated high school career came to an end with graduation in May, will play running back for the East squad.
Hammond was a central figure for the Lancers all four years he played.
For his career, he rushed for 5,775 yards and 102 touchdowns, including 2,020 yards rushing alone as a senior; passed for 2,624 yards and 39 more scores; caught 25 passes for 390 yards and seven touchdowns; and returned six kickoffs for touchdowns. On defense, he had 358 tackles — roughly nine tackles per game — and six interceptions.
He earned all-Three Rivers League honors all four years, either on offense, defense or special teams, and earned all-state honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. His teams qualified for postseason play after his sophomore and senior seasons.
Hammond was K-Preps Magazine’s 8-Man Division II offensive player of the year in 2012.
Hammond’s success wasn’t limited to the gridiron. As in football, he earned all-league basketball honors all four years of high school, and all-state honors his final three years.
Hammond is a Kansas Honor Scholar, maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average throughout high school.
His parents are Chad and Brenna Hammond. He will attend Fort Scott Community College in the fall.
Hammond also was selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, an all-star game featuring high school students from across the state, today in Topeka.
The Shrine Bowl is Hammond’s second all-star game this summer.
In June, he rushed for more than 100 yards, threw for 67 more and had a hand in three touchdowns in leading the East to a 40-14 win in the Kansas Eight-Man Division II All-Star Game. He started as the East quarterback in that matchup.
Much like his high school career, he is handling a different position for the Shrine Bowl.
He will suit up as a running back.
Seniors-to-be Lauren Korte and Karra Foster were selected as Shrine Bowl cheerleaders.
Because of the technicality of their performance, the Marmaton Valley cheerleaders will root for the West squad.
For good reason.
Korte will be a flyer and work with the Emporia State cheer squad. A flyer is the cheerleader who is launched into the air during select routines.
In addition, Iola’s Emily Klubek and Southern Coffey County’s Miranda Alumbaugh are on the Shrine Bowl Band, while Roy Smith, of Allen County Sheriff’s Department, will serve as a line judge on the officiating crew.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Washburn University’s Yager Stadium. Tickets and additional information are available at www.kansasshrinebowl.com, or by calling (800) 530-5524.
Shrine Bowl kicks off tonight
