Shrine Game: Beccari, Wilkinson selected

Glacier’s Rocco Beccari and Columbia Falls’ Stevie Wilkinson are among six area gridders named to the West roster for the 74th East-West Shrine set for July 19 in Billings.

Beccari, a 6-foot-4, 250-pounder, is on the roster as an offensive tackle. Wilkinson, 6-1 and 250, is listed as a guard.

They’re joined by two players from Bigfork — defensive lineman Luke Benson and running back Cormac Benn — as well as Eureka running back Gunnar Smith and Whitefish defensive end Camren Ross.

Benn, 6-1 and 190, completes an interesting all-Western B tandem with Smith, who is listed at 5-11 and 150. Benn led all Montana rushers with 1,934 yards; Smith ran for 1,046 yards and had nother 280 receiving.

Ross is 6-0 and 190 and Benson at 5-10 and 205. Benson had 69 tackles, 8 for losses, for Bigfork.

Forty players are selected for each roster, including two players for Calgary are selected every year, one for the East and one for the West. Missoula Sentinel had five players on the roster, not counting West coach Dane Oliver, who guided the Spartans to the 2020 State AA title.

State A champion Laurel had four selected to the East squad, which will be coached by John Fitzgerald of Red Lodge.

Fitzgerald’s nephew Jace, a safety from Dillon, will suit up for the West. Three more players from Dillon were selected, along with four from State B champ Manhattan and one from 8-man champion Flint Creek.

Both John Fitzgerald and Oliver played for the 2001 national champion Montana Grizzlies.

Some area players are also listed as alternates, including Glacier tight end Ethan Diede. Columbia Falls has two alternates in specialist Niels Getts and linebacker Lucas Thacker. Libby’s Ryker McElmurry is an alternate at linebacker.