You really can’t ask for anything more. Tonight’s showdown between Class 5A’s second-ranked Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers and the fifth-ranked Bishop Miege Stags is expecting a crowd of more than 5,000 and features two quarterbacks who have committed to Division I programs. Yep, the Eastern Kansas League clash should be one worth watching. The Trailblazers (2-0) finished second in 5A last season, and the Stags (2-0) were the 4A state champions. “I think it’s deserving of the hype,“ Gardner-Edgerton head coach Marvin Diener said. “Both teams have worked very hard to create this kind of game atmosphere. I think it will bring the best out of both football teams. Win or lose, both teams will get better from the experience of playing in this atmosphere.” The game boasts four players committed to Division I programs and seven players who are rated on Rivals.com. Most notably, the matchup will spotlight Gardner-Edgerton quarterback Bubba Starling against Bishop Miege quarterback Max Shortell. Starling (6-5, 200) has verbally committed with the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Shortell (6-5, 195) is set to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. A threat with his feet, Rivals considers Starling the fifth-best dual threat quarterback in the nation. Starling has rushed for five touchdowns and passed for two in two games this season. Shortell is listed as the nation’s 20th-best pro style quarterback, throwing for 160 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win against Blue Valley Northwest last week. Both coaches are very complimentary of the opposition’s signal caller. “Starling’s got great vision,” Bishop Miege head coach Tim Grunhard said. “He does a good job of setting up his blocks. He sees a hole or gap, and then he’s gone. When he does the throw the ball, he has a strong arm. He’s a threat to run or pass.” Grunhard said the best way to defend Starling may be to keep him off the field. “One of our goals is to make him a Gatorade player this week,” Grunhard said. “That means we want to keep him on the sidelines and watching us play. We’ll need to control the clock.” Diener also had good things to say about Shortell. “He runs their offense very well,” Diener said. “He’s big and strong, and he really understands the offense. He’s a very quality player.” However, the talent doesn’t end there. Gardner-Edgerton’s Brett Jensen (RB, 6-0, 210) and Lucal Powell (OL, 6-4, 265) and Bishop Miege’s Shane Ray (DE, 6-3, 220), Phil Ford (OL, 6-5, 362) and Keenan Savage (RB, 5-11, 185) are all considered prospects by Rivals. Ray has committed to Missouri and Ford has committed to Kansas. And while the D-I recruits will grab the headlines, the game may come down to depth. “Each group has their stars, but each of those team’s stars have a very good supporting cast,” Diener said. Both coaches also said playing in a game of this magnitude in week three will be a great test. It also could play a key factor in the league standings as the Trailblazers and Stags are two of the four undefeated teams in the EKL, along with Blue Valley-Stilwell and St. Thomas Aquinas. “Whether we go out and win or lose this football game, there’s a lot of football left,” Grunhard said. “And we’ll probably see each other again. “It should be a great game. We’re expecting between 5,000 and 6,000 people. We're happy to be at home. It will be a good test to see where we’re at.” LOADED WITH TALENT Bubba Starling; Gard.-Edgerton; QB; 6-5/200; Committed to Nebraska, but may opt for pro baseball Lucal Powell; Gard.-Edgerton; O;L 6-4/265; Considering several Division I schools Brett Jensen; Gard.-Edgerton; RB; 6-0/210; All-State performer as a junior Shane Ray; Bishop Miege; DE; 6-3/220; MU recruit ranked No. 3 prospect in Kansas Max Shortell; Bishop Miege; QB; 6-5/195; State’s No. 5 recruit headed to Minnesota Phil Ford; Bishop Miege; OL; 6-5/362; Lineman brings a lot of size to the KU Jayhawks Keenan Savage; Bishop Miege; RB; 5-11/185; Miege senior runs 4.7-second 40-yard dash
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