Safety first for Elder
By NICK McQUEEN
SALINA --¬ When it comes to game time in the Shrine Bowl, it's all about representing your school, your home town and your high school teammates to the best of your ability.
For the select few eight-man players who have the opportunity to play in the annual charity event, designed to benefit the Shriners' Hospital for Children, it's even more about representation.
Taylor Elder, Sharon Springs' version of "slash" during the Eight-Man, Division II state championship game last fall, has been representing the Wildcats since the start of the summer, and will compete in his third all-star game in 2008 in the 35th annual Shrine game at Emporia on Saturday. Game time is 7 p.m.
"This is another opportunity to represent where I'm from -- Sharon Springs and eight-man football," Elder said following the West squad's practice Wednesday at Salina Stadium. "It will be fun to be able to represent the West and all the good football players that maybe didn't get picked or something like that."
Elder has a chance to do something no other player on the roster can say. A win by the West, something that hasn't happened when Emporia hosts the Shrine Bowl, would mean Elder will finish 16-0 as a Wildcat this season, counting an unbeaten title season and two wins for his eight-man all-star teams.
Elder competed in the annual Kansas Eight-Man Div. II All-Star Game in Beloit in June, then represented Kansas, along with teammate Jeff Hennick, in the Kansas vs. Nebraska Eight-Man All-Star Game in Crete, Neb., later that month.
The other eight-man player, Jared Loomis of Macksville, also played in both all-star games, but was a member of the losing eight-man Div. I team in the Kansas game.
"Whenever I'm sitting around and have a little time, I'll think about it,"¬ Elder said of going 16-0 in his final prep season. "But it's not on the top of my mind all the time or anything."
This week, Elder made the switch to practicing 11-man football, and has been working at the safety position on a talented defense all week. That defense includes Smith Center's Braden Wilson, a Kansas State University signee, and Kirk Palmer, a future Grizzly at Butler County Community College. It also includes Oakley standout Aaron Racette, who along with Elder, will play at Garden City Community College in the fall.
"It's a little different and it took a little while to get used to the 11-man game," Elder said. "But, I'm getting used to it -- a lot of fun."
Elder, a 5-foot-11, 170-pounder, started the week at cornerback, but moved to safety around the second day, and looks to make his mark on the Shrine Bowl in the defensive backfield.
"There are a lot more coverages you have to learn and you have to be a lot more places," Elder said. "There are quite a few more formations, so it's just a matter of getting used to where I am supposed to be at the right time.
"That's been the biggest challenge," he added.
The West squad, winners the last two seasons in the Shrine Bowl, owns a 20-13 advantage in the series with one tie, but has yet to win in two tries at Welch Stadium in Emporia.
In the first meeting at Emporia in 1998, the East claimed a 22-11 win, and in 2004, a 29-12 victory.
Coached by Wichita Southeast coach Gary Guzman, an assistant on last year's West squad, the West team is confident it can win.
"We're pretty confident," said Racette, the Oakley standout running back/defensive end for the 11-1 Plainsmen. "It's been a lot of fun out here this week with a great group of guys."
Racette is slated to start at defensive end and both Wilson and Palmer from the four-time Class 2-1A state champion Redmen are slated to start at linebacker.
"We're pretty balanced," Elder said. "We have a great line and linebackers against the run and our secondary is starting to come along, and we're getting good against the pass.
"We're not really weak anywhere," he added.
One area player will be helping the West offense in the form of Mike Powell, the standout lineman from La Crosse, which finished 10-1 last season with a loss to Oakley in the postseason.
"We have a lot of good receivers, and our offense came right in here and started clicking right away," Powell said.
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