Multiple area football players will strap it up for one last time for a pair of all-star games next month.
Three players from Marmaton Valley and Crest will participate in the June 7 Kansas Eight-Man Football Association All-Star Game in Beloit while one lucky Humboldt Cub will take his talents to the Kansas Shrine Bowl June 22 in Dodge City.
Crest senior receiver back Gentry McGhee and Marmaton Valley senior Brayden Lawson both have busy weeks ahead. Seven days after competing for titles at the state track and field meet in Wichita, the pair will represent the East Kansas division in the eight-man all-star game.
Lawson comes into the game with a lengthy resume after guiding the Wildcats to an 8-2 season while under center. He threw for 1,700 yards in 2024 with 30 touchdowns, while rushing for 654 yards and 18 more scores. Defensively, he had a team-leading 88 tackles, including 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one recovery and an interception. Lawson also was named to the All-Three Rivers League first team.
Gentry also received All-TRL first team honors for his work in lifting the Lancers to a 5-4 record and third in the TRL standings — behind 2025 champion Marmaton Valley and Oswego. He averaged 13.9 yards per carry while rushing for 502 yards with seven touchdowns and had 13 receptions for 145 yards and two scores. At defensive back, he averaged more than 10 tackles per game, with an interception, a sack and a fumble recovery on defense.
Marmaton Valley senior receiver Jaedon Granere will join Lawson and McGhee on the team. Granere was also a first team All-TRL selection after averaging 18.7 yards per catch over 29 receptions, for 15 touchdowns and 543 yards.
On the ground, Granere averaged 18-yard per carry for 288 yards and seven touchdowns. He also served as kicker/punter averaging 36 yards per punt and racked up 28 touchbacks on 60 kickoffs. He averaged 41.5 yards on his two kickoff returns, including a 65-yard touchdown return and contributed on defense with a pair of pick-6s.
Marmaton Valley coach Max Mickunas will serve as head coach while Crest coach Nick McAnulty will serve as an assistant coach for the team.
Humboldt senior quarterback Blake Ellis will wait until June 22 to don the orange and black one last time when he represents East Kansas in the Shrine Bowl in Dodge City.
Ellis guided the Cubs to an undefeated record before falling to Council Grove in the sectional round. He was an All-Tri-Valley League first team selection after completing more than half his passes for 1,740 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a dual threat quarterback, he also averaged 9.5 yards per carry for 1,390 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns.
