Harris, Williams represent Glenrock well at Shrine Bowl as they take in one last high school game

The opportunity to play in the 45th annual Shrine Bowl was a surreal experience for Richard Harris and Jadon Williams, and not only because the heat from the artificial turf nearly melted players’ cleats.
“That was the hottest game I’ve ever played in,” Harris said. “It was draining.”
But for Harris, it was draining in a positive way.
After a week of Shrine Bowl festivities, including bowling, a casino night and the chance to become closer with other players from around the state, the two Glenrock teammates suited up for one final time as Herders.
Sharing the field with some of the best players in Wyoming, it was only inevitable for the moment to sink in.
“It was kind of surreal just knowing it was the last time we’d wear the Glenrock sticker on our helmets,” Harris said.
Much like other players’ takeaways from the experience, the trip to Salt Lake City, Utah to visit with the children at Shriners Hospital, was in many ways, the highlight of the week.
“It was cool to see how happy the kids got when they saw that the football players were there to visit them,” Harris said. “It was humbling.”
Harris and Williams last took the field together when they lost a heartbreaker to Mountain View in the 2A State Championship last November.
At Dick Cheney Alumni Field at Natrona County High School in Casper on Saturday, the two teammates had one final opportunity to line up next to one another and play for the same goal. They even got to run some old Glenrock plays.
“It was a great way to go out,” Harris said. “We had a lot of fun.”
In a close defensive showdown, the South All-Stars took a 7-0 lead into halftime. The North All-Stars, who had won the previous five Shrine Bowls, stayed patient and it paid off in the second half. Sheridan graduate Aaron Sessions returned an interception 84 yards for a touchdown and the North team survived, 13-7.
Although the score of the game paled meaningless to their experiences over the course of the week, Harris enjoyed being able to get to know players from around the state.
Even if just for one more afternoon, Harris and Williams were proud to represent their school with the best players in the state.
“Showing up was kind of rough because you got there and didn’t really know any faces,” Harris said. “But it didn’t take long to get comfortable with all of the guys and become a tight knit group.”