Birkby Enjoys Shrine Bowl Experience

Recent St. Paul High School graduate Rylan Birkby was one of just a handful of Nebraska’s top athletes honored by being selected as a member of the North squad in the 2022 Nebraska Shrine Bowl.

This year’s Shrine Bowl football game was played last Saturday at the University of Nebraska-Kearney’s Ron and Carol Cope Stadium.

Slotted at cornerback throughout the contest, Birkby and the North squad’s defense made a handful of key plays leading to a 17-15 victory over their opponents on the South team.

“It was a big honor,” Birkby said concerning being selected to play in the game during an interview following the contest. “Before you come here, you don’t really realize what you’re playing for, but after the first day it was pretty evident that it was for the Shriners and the kids in the Shriners hospitals. It’s amazing what they do. It was an honor to be selected, and it was a lot of fun to meet the guys.”

Thirty of the game’s thirty-two total points came before halftime, as Grand Island’s Kytan Fyfe connected on a forty-seven-yard strike to Fremont’s Drew Sellon in the second quarter for the game’s first touchdown.

The South answered back on their next possession. Using some trickery early, Kenesaw’s Tyson Dankert completed a thirty-nineyard pass to Waverly’s Riley Marsh to move the ball deep inside North territory. After a penalty, Omaha Westside’s Grant Guyett reeled in a fouryard touchdown to even up the score.

Both teams would score once more, bringing the halftime score to 15-15.

“Obviously we’re out here to have fun,” noted Birkby. “That’s the main thing, but it’s always good to get the win. Sharing that moment with all these guys is something I won’t forget.”

The Wildcat standout played a key role in that victory. Birkby made a leaping stop to prevent a long touchdown pass and played meaningful minutes on the North’s defense throughout the final two quarters.

With thunderstorms rapidly approaching during the fourth quarter, the North didn’t want to settle for a tie. Led by Bennington’s Dylan Mostek, the North squad marched down the field to the threeyard line. However, they were stuffed at the goal line on four consecutive plays, giving possession back to the South inside their one-yard line.

That defensive stand came back to bite them when, with 4:44 left on the clock, Will Hubert of Papillion-La Vista charged into the backfield and sacked South quarterback JaReese Lott-Buzby in the end zone for the safety, putting his team on top by two points.

Despite the low-scoring night, the North dominated the game on the offensive end, totaling 370 yards to the South’s 116. Offensive MVP honors went to Bennington’s Mostek, who finished the game with 129 rushing yards on twenty-nine carries.

The Shrine Bowl is more than just a football game, though. Alongside a week spent learning new game plans through tough practices, the athletes spent time working with the non-profit organization and the hospital, raising funds and doing charity work. Through that process, the new teammates created friendships along the way.

“Every day, they had something new for us to do,” said the Wildcat. “We were always bonding as teammates, and it was fun to get to know all the guys. All around, it was a fun week.”

Birkby relished the opportunity to play with some new teammates, as well as former opponents from neighboring Lou-Platte Conference schools like Central City and Ord.

“A lot of them I’m friends with,” Birkby said. “Johnny DeRido [of Ord] is a good friend, so getting to play with him one last time was amazing. Everyone has heard of Dylan Mostek and all those guys, so getting to see them play, and practicing with them, was amazing.

“I was honored to be able to share the field with them.”

A key piece to St. Paul’s recent success on the gridiron, Birkby finishes his high school career as a three-year starter with honorable mention all-state honors. In four seasons, Birkby amassed eighty tackles, seven interceptions, 1,364 all-purpose yards, and sixteen touchdowns.

“Before you come here, you don’t really “ realize what you’re playing for, but after the first day it was pretty evident that it was for the...kids.”

- Rylan Birkby