June 28, 2025
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Illinois Valley quartet selected to play in 2025 Shrine Bowl

By J.T. Pedelty
Seneca's Brody Rademacher runs the ball against Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington during an October 2024 meeting at Seneca High School.

Seneca's Brody Rademacher runs the ball against Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington during an October 2024 meeting at Seneca High School. (Annette Barr For Shaw Local News)

The Illinois Coaches Association and the Shriners of Illinois will host the 51st annual Illinois High School Shrine Game on Saturday, June 21, at Tucci Stadium at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington.

Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m., with pregame festivities beginning at 10 a.m.

This all-star football event will feature 103 of the top recently graduated high school football players from across Illinois – including a handful from the Illinois Valley – competing to support Shriners Hospitals for Children, the official philanthropy of Shriners International. Tickets cost $10 and will be available at the gate.

Event details and team rosters for the Red and Blue squads can be found at ilshrinegame.com.

The Illinois Valley area’s recent graduates on the Red Team include Seneca running back Brody Rademacher and Minooka defensive end Zachary Puracchio. Glenbard East’s John Walters will be the head coach of the Red Team, with Seneca’s Terry Maxwell as one of his assistants.

Illinois Valley-area products on the Blue Team include Coal City running back Landin Benson and La Salle-Peru defensive end Andy Medina. Antioch’s Brian Glashagel is the head coach of the Blue Team.

Coal City's Landin Benson (45) stiff-arms Dixon's Devon Wallace (88) during a Class 4A quarterfinal football game on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Coal City.

Class 4A quarterfinal between Dixon at Coal City Coal City's Landin Benson (45) stiff-arms Dixon's Devon Wallace (88) during a 2024 Class 4A quarterfinal football game. (Gary E Duncan Sr. for Shaw Local)

The goal of the Shrine Game is to create a fun and memorable experience for players, families, Shriners and Shrine Kids while raising awareness and support for pediatric specialty care.

This year’s featured banquet speaker is Jared Williamson, newly appointed head football coach at Illinois Wesleyan. A former Alaska high school standout, Williamson was selected to play in the Alaska Shrine Game, where he earned Offensive MVP honors.

In 2024, the Illinois High School Shrine Game raised almost $13,000, all of which went to patient care at Shriners Hospitals for Children.