Bulldogs’ Bodie Smith enjoying Shrine week
Whitefish wide receiver Bodie Smith (2) is brought down by Polson defensive back Dumont Dawson (21) after a reception in the first quarter at Memorial Field in Whitefish on Friday, Oct. 22. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
One of the many cool things about Montana’s annual Shrine Game — the 75th game is Saturday night in Great Falls — is that the rosters are announced on Dec. 25.
For 80 or so high school football players, it's an added gift.
“It’s a great Christmas present,” Bodie Smith, a Whitefish graduate, said Thursday. “I didn’t know. I knew my coaches nominated me, but I didn’t know if I’d be selected. Then I saw it on Twitter: ‘75th Shrine Game rosters announced.’ I saw my name and thought, ‘Sweet!'"
Smith was All-State his last two seasons for Whitefish, playing receiver and defensive back. He’ll be in the secondary for the West for Saturday's game, one of a half-dozen standouts that will rotate in at safety or cornerback. Another is Glacier High’s Connor Sullivan, who will be Smith’s roommate at Carroll College next year.
Others are Cole Stewart of Butte, Dylan Root of Boulder, Drew Klumph out of Missoula Sentinel and Helena High’s Chase McGurran.
It’s been a whirl-wind week of practices and events.
“It’s been really good,” he said. “The whole coaching staff is really great, (Hamilton’s) Bryce Carver is a lot of fun to be coached by. Team chemistry is really good, and everybody gets along.”
Nicknames have been bandied about and stuck. Asked who he was rooming with, Smith didn’t know his Christian name. “”We call him Big Red (Missoula Big Sky lineman Chaise Meyer),” said Smith.
After Saturday, Carroll awaits. Smith signed in February, and then in early June got another present: He’s getting a little scholarship money to run track.
“I wasn’t in any contact with the track coaches,” said Smith, who was second at the State A meet in the 300 hurdles and contributed 10 points to the Bulldogs’ total of 57. “Then once I got done with state track, I got a phone call.
“Shoot, I don’t mind. It’s another sport to keep you busy.”
The West squad left Butte for Great Falls early Friday, ahead of a walk-through and a banquet. The game raises money for the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital in Spokane.
“I’m grateful to be selected,” Smith said. “It’s a great cause, and it will be a lot of fun, playing in front of the Shriners and being a role model for the kids.”