Former Piratee ready to play final game in Shrine Bowl

Former Polson High School football player Haden Smith achieved one of his dreams as his high school football playing career comes to a close.

Smith, a former Pirates defensive end and tight end, was selected to play in the Montana East-West Shrine Bowl game Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in Great Falls.

Smith said he felt he earned the nomination with his performance during his senior year, which was statistically one of his best seasons of his playing career.

“My senior year it was good and we had a lot of new kids on the team with a lot of young guys playing fill-in positions from players that we had lost the previous year,” Smith said of the 2017 campaign. “We should have a great team in the future and I can’t wait to watch the 2018 Pirates football team.”

Smith, who will attend the University of Montana, said playing in the Shrine Bowl will be “special” because it will be the last time he will ever suit up in a football uniform in his career.

“This is going to be my last time I ever play football so I want to make it special,” Smith said. “I thought I was never going to play football again but I get to play one last time before I am done. I just can’t wait to play. I am so excited. After the game, I am going to attend the University of Montana, major in business with a minor in history and just focus on school.”

Smith’s focus will transition from athletics to academics in his first year at the U of M.

“Going into my freshman year, hopefully I’ll be able to get my grades up, study hard, have fun and go to some Griz games in my off time,” Smith said. “Playing this last game will get emotional because there are a lot of good players on both sides of the ball and a lot of fans. What better way to go out then play my last game here.”

Smith said he felt it is “an extreme honor” to help raise money for the kids at the Shriner Hospital and be a part of this charity football event.

“This game is bigger than the kids playing in it,” Smith said. “We get to help the kids at the Shriner Hospital and that is bigger than all of us playing in it.”

Smith also said he is proud to be able to represent the Mission Valley in what will be his final game.

“I am just happy to represent Polson and the Mission Valley in this game,” Smith said.

The following is the East-West Shrine Bowl rosters:

WEST ROSTER

FIRST LAST SCHOOL HT WT

WR WYATT ALEXANDER WHITEHALL 6’2” 180

DE CLAY ALLISON DILLON 6’8” 210

RB BRIDGER BAUDER HAMILTON 5’10” 200

RB NATE BRUNETT BOULDER 5’9” 175

WR TYLER CHOUINARD HAMILTON 6’0” 165

C HAYDEN FALKNER COLUMBIA FALLS 6’0” 245

CB KIRKLEY GABE DILLON 5’9” 155

WR ALEX GAVLAK STEVENSVILLE 6’2” 170

LB COLTON GRANGE FLINT CREEK 6’0” 180

QB AUSTIN GREEN COLUMBIA FALLS 5’11” 180

ILB HAYDEN GUISTI BOULDER 6’1” 190

DE HUNTER HARTWICK BUTTE CENTRAL 5’11” 185

WR EASTON HATFIELD TOWNSEND 6’2” 180

G DAWSON HOERAUF WHITEHALL 6’2” 270

CB CAL HOLGATE MANHATTAN 5’9” 170

S TY HOPPIE FRENCHTOWN 6’0” 180

C KAYDEN HOWSER WHITEHALL

SPEC LEVI JANACARO MISSOULA BIG SKY 6’1” 220

DL JUSTIN JENKS HELENA CAPITAL 6’2” 230

WR DAVID KOPPANG MISSOULA LOYOLA 6’0” 190

CB KADIN LAHTI MISSOULA BIG SKY 5’8” 160

DL MICHAEL LEE KALISPELL FLATHEAD 6’3” 270

T GREYSON MANDIC BUTTE HIGH 6’2” 230

WR CONOR McCARVEL HELENA CAPITAL 5’11” 180

T JOE MCELROY MISSOULA LOYOLA 6’4” 260

LB RYAN MOODRY BUTTE CENTRAL 5’11” 200

LB BRANDON MORLEY MISSOULA SENTINEL 6’0” 195

LB CONNER NASH HELENA HIGH 5’11” 175

CB MARK NORTHEY HELENA CAPITAL 5’10” 175

S TY PETERSON BUTTE HIGH 5’10” 160

C CONOR QUICK HELENA CAPITAL 6’2” 250

RB SETH SCHNIEDER HELENA CAPITAL 5’10” 215

OLB BRADEN SMITH WHITEHALL 6’3” 210

TE HADEN SMITH POLSON 6’2” 200

G DANIEL STEFANYK ALBERTA, CANADA 6’3 330

LB BRENT TEZAK DILLON 5’10” 165

DL CORBIN WALKER BUTTE HIGH 5’10” 215

G HUNTER WELLCOME KALISPELL FLATHEAD 5’11” 205

T TREVOR WELNEL HELENA CAPITAL 6’3” 250

DL KARSON WHEAT DEER LODGE 6’3” 265

DE RYLAN WILCOX MISSOULA BIG SKY 6’4” 200

S BEN WINDAUER COLUMBIA FALLS 6’1” 180

QB KALEB WINTERBURN HELENA HIGH 6’2” 190

EAST ROSTER

FIRST LAST SCHOOL HT WT

DL BRANDON AIMSBACK BROWING 6’4” 255

S MICAH ANS BILLINGS SENIOR 5’10” 175

C GERRIT BLOEMENDALL GREAT FALLS CMR 6’3” 255

S KEVIN BOES GREAT FALLS HIGH 6’4” 210

DE JUSTIN BROWN MILES CITY 6’4” 220

OLB TYLER BUCKINGHAM BILLINGS WEST 6’0” 210

G NICK CLAWSON BILLINGS WEST 6’1” 261

ILB BRANDON COOPER BOZEMAN 5’10” 190

DL TREY COPELAND HUNTLEY PROJECT 6’2” 265

WR ZACH DINARDI MILES CITY 6’1” 175

WR COLTON ELIASON BILLINGS SENIOR 6’4” 195

G BRANSON FROST BILLINGS SKYVIEW 6’0” 205

WR JAMES GILHAM BROWNING 5’11” 175

DE TANNER HARRELL SHEPERD 6’0” 255

DE BJ HATCHER LAUREL 6’2” 195

CB CALEB KNOCKE FORSYTH 6’0” 185

WR BEN LABEAU BILLINGS SENIOR 6’0” 170

OLB GRIFFIN LEE FAIRFIELD 5’10” 180

RB ALEC LOVEGREN SIDNEY 5’10” 180

CB LATRELL MCCUTCHEON BOZEMAN 6’1” 170

G HAYES MEGED MILES CITY 6’0” 220

CB DAMIEN NELSON GREAT FALLS CMR 5’10” 165

ZACHARY NEWMAN CALGARY 6’2” 230

T NIKLAS NORDSTOG BILLINGS SKYVIEW 6’1” 210

TE JAKE OLSEN GREAT FALLS CMR 6’5” 210

CB JEREMIAH PAINE MONDAK 6’1” 175

T MAX PETERS SIDNEY 6’2” 245

TE TREYTON PICKERING SUNBURST 6’6” 220

C DALTON ROSCOE BELGRADE 6’0” 275

QB GARRISON ROTHWELL GREAT FALLS CMR 6’4” 205

S SI RYAN BILLINGS WEST 6’0” 175

DL BRUCE SPANG BILLINGS SKYVIEW 6’3” 250

OLB WYATT SELMAN HUNTLEY PROJECT 5’10” 190

ILB TRACE SIMONSON MALTA 5’11” 195

WR KEAGEN STROOP BELT 5’10” 155

RB LAYNE SUMNER HUNTLEY PROJECT 5’8” 180

TE LAYNE SWIGART SIDNEY 6’3” 210

ILB SAWYER THOGERSEN SIDNEY 5’10” 205

RB BEN VOSS BILLINGS CENTRAL 5’10” 175

QB AARON WHITE SHELBY 6’2” 190

T MERLIN WHITEDIRT COLSTRIP 6’4” 260

EAST ALTERNATES

FIRST LAST SCHOOL HT WT

ILB WYATT BLYTHE LEWISTON 6’0” 180

DE CHRIS CAMPBELL GRASS RANGE 6’3” 225

OLB DAWSON CLAYTON WHITE SULPHUR 6’0” 180

GB TYLAN CROY HUNTLEY PROJECT 6’0” 190

TE COLTEN CURRY VALIER 6’7” 210

CB CADE DOCKLER GLENDIVE 5’8” 150

DE DAVID EVANS HARDIN 6’2” 215

K CODY GAGNON BILLINGS WEST 5’9” 150

DE JAYDEN HOLLY GLENDIVE 6’2” 230

WR ROBERT KEISER GELNDIVE 6’3” 230

RB RILEY LINDER SCOBEY 5’10” 205

S DEREK LORING BROWNING 5’11” 175

S DALTON MACY BILLINGS SKYVIEW 5’11” 175

S JONATHAN MOORE CHOTEAU 6’2” 185

OLB CHADD NAILLON CLOSTRIP 5’11” 195

DE TJ REYNOLDS SHELBY 6’5” 215

RB LOGAN RODAKER BILLINGS SKYVIEW 5’10” 175

CB JARED SCHAAF BILLINGS SKYVIEW 6’0” 180

DE ETHAN SCHENK FAIRFIELD 6’2” 185

C DAVID SKERRITT GLENDIVE 6’2” 230

RB CODI SMALL HARDIN 5’9” 180

RB JV SUMERFIELD POW-DUT-BRADY 6’1” 235

SPEC COLTER ZENTNER BRIDGER 5’7” 170