GREAT FALLS — Each year, the Shrine Game features two athletes from Calgary, Alberta, to play with the Montana East and West All-Stars. Benjamin Falkowsky, who is committed to Queen's University in Ontario, will have the opportunity to suit up with the players on the East team on Saturday.
Falkowsky will be lining up as a wide receiver, hoping to put some points up on the board. Regardless of the outcome, he is just extremely happy to be taking his place in this game.
“I’m excited. One of my teammates came down last year from my school and he told me it was one of the funnest times he’s had in his life,” said Falkowsky. “Pure excitement, honestly. I was like oh my God, I can’t believe I’m doing this. Obviously my team was super happy for me. My coach announced it at practice and my team hyped me up and got me ready to go.”
The competition from Calgary to Montana doesn’t seem so different to him, and he says it actually is the reason he feels prepared to play on a stage like this. Falkowsky credited his peers in Calgary for being very competitive and skilled, helping him to achieve the accomplishments he has.
One thing he expressed his excitement about his playing with East quarterbacks Thomas Buchanan of Red Lodge and Adam Balkenbush of Billings Central.
During the team practices, Falkowsky says he has been able to run at his top speed and still receive passes while in stride. That differs from some quarterbacks he has played with at football camps that tend to under throw him, making him adjust his speed to complete the catch.
Falkowsky has won back-to-back championships with his team at Ernest Manning High School and is accustom to winning. He has gotten wind about the East team losing the Shrine game each of the last three years and will be looking to change the course of that recent history.
“I’ve heard that the East hasn’t done the best in the last couple of years. I’ve heard it’s been a bit of a blowout. I want to change that,” said Falkowsky. “I don’t like losing, I never like losing, so I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we get the win.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday from Daylis Stadium in Billings, and the game will be broadcast and streamed across MTN platforms.
