BUTTE — For former Butte Central wide receiver Zane Moodry, there's one truly compelling upside to staying in the Mining City.
"We can go home for a family dinner whenever we feel like it," he said with a grin.
Moodry, along with former teammate and Central quarterback Jack Keeley will suit up alongside Butte High graduates Kyler Stenson and Kade Schleeman on the West team for the 77th Montana East-West Shrine Game at Daylis Stadium in Billings on Saturday. All four will remain in Butte and play for Montana Tech this fall.
"I'm pumped, I can't wait," said Schleeman, who was also excited to be practicing at his high school field of Naranche Stadium for one more week.
"This was home for four years," he said. "To come back out here for one more week and practice three times a day is awesome. Brings back a lot of memories."
Schleeman, who will play offensive guard, and Moodry were on the primary roster when it was revealed on Christmas Day. But Keeley and Stenson — who will line up at defensive end — were on the alternates' list and were bumped up shortly before the West team began practicing in Butte this week.
"I didn't think I was going to make it," said Keeley, who was added to the roster the day before practice began. "But I got the call. It was a big shock and I'm just happy to be here."
The quartet of Mining City products are thrilled to be headed for the Shrine Game and to be staying home. But they also recognize that this week is for a greater cause.
"I think I can speak for all of us, it just makes us work a little harder," Moodry said. "We know that there's someone out there that's really going to benefit from us doing what we do out here. So it means a lot."
