Creston’s Greenwalt joins area athletes in Shrine Bowl

Each year, 92 of the best high school football players in Iowa are selected to play in the Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star Classic. The players are selected for their talent and character, regardless of school size.

This year, three area athletes and one coach will represent southwest Iowa on the South team led by head coach Zach Sweeney of Winterset.

Representing Creston will be all-district safety Gannon Greenwalt. Joining him will be Lenox linebacker Keigan Kitzman and Mount Ayr linebacker Jaydon Knight. Lenox’s co-head coach Cole Bonde will be the team’s linebacker coach.

A former Creston Panther, Clarinda coach Colin Bevins will be an assistant coach for the team.

The Shrine Bowl will be held at 4 p.m. July 22 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

This year is the 51st Iowa Shrine Bowl. Funds raised are distributed to the Shriners’ Children orthopedic hospitals and burn centers in the Midwest and to each Shrine Center’s transportation fund to transport patients to and from hospitals and clinics.

Since its inception, the Iowa Shrine Bowl has raised nearly $3,000,000 for Shriners’ Children.

Greenwalt

At 6′1, 195 lbs, Creston’s Greenwalt has been an integral part of the Panthers’ defense.

“He’s been a three-year starter,” Creston Coach Brian Morrison said. “He’s first team all-district unanimous two years in a row. In our district, that’s very impressive.”

A 2023 graduate, Greenwalt was defensive most valuable player his senior season. He led the team with 54.5 overall tackles, including 35 solo stops.

“Having him in the safety position, he’s one of those kids that plays the run fits really well,” Morrison said. “He’s really dynamic covering guys; that’s really tough to do.”

Greenwalt was one of the Panthers’ four team captains this season. Though Morrison said Greenwalt is reserved, he led the way with his work ethic.

“Character-wise you can’t find a better kid,” Morrison said. “Younger kids look at him in practice, and he does the right thing all the time. He brings a lot of attributes as far as what he does on and off the team that makes him what he is.”

In the comeback win against Gilbert, Morrison said it was Greenwalts’ play that switched the momentum. Down 36-14 with only 11 minutes left in the game, Gilbert took possession after an interception. In their first play, the Tigers fumbled the ball, Greenwalt scooping it and scoring on a 50-yard touchdown.

“That was one of those plays I’ll remember forever,” Morrison said. “We weren’t in good shape to win the game. When that happened, it flipped the game.”

Greenwalt finished the season on the Hawkeye 10 All-Academic list with a GPA above 3.5.

“It’s a very prestigious game,” Morrison said. “I’m excited for him.”

Knight

At 6′4″, 210 lbs, Mount Ayr’s Jaydon Knight led the Raiders in a number of statistics.

“What they can expect to see is a kid that plays football the right way,” Mount Ayr Coach Ryan Victor said. “He plays fast and physical, and he enjoys it. He’s physically imposing, but I’m impressed with how he can move as well. I can’t say enough about how he plays the game.”

Though he was an impressive tight end, leading the team with 430 yards on 31 receptions for six touchdowns, he will be playing on the other side of the game for the Shrine Bowl.

“He was voted our district’s MVP,” Victor said. “He was a second team all-state linebacker as well. He was a huge piece of our football team.”

Knight’s 69 total tackles including 57 solo tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss, led the Raiders defense. He had two sacks this season.

Victor said Knight’s biggest moment was against St. Albert. The Falcons were inside the 5-yard line when Knight led the defense to hold St. Albert to a field goal.

“It was the epitome of our season,” Victor said. “The kids would say probably his biggest moment this fall.”

Though spectators will see Knight’s athletic prowess during the Shrine Bowl, Victor said they won’t get to see just how great of a young man Knight is.

“He’s not only an amazing football player, but also a great young man,” Victor said. “In his class he tied for second with GPA, and he’s involved in a ton of things. I can’t think of anyone else who deserves this more.”

Kitzman

At 6′0, 200 lbs, Lenox’s Kitzman will be making his second trip to the UNI-Dome after competing in the state semi-finals this fall.

“He’s a very physical kid,” Coach Bonde said. “He sees the field very well. He understands the game.”

Both a running back and a linebacker, Kitzman was an important part of the Tigers making it deep into the playoffs.

Kitzman had 776 rushing yards on 129 carries for 18 touchdowns, all second-best on the team. It was on defense that Kitzman stood apart from the rest.

As a linebacker, Kitzman led the team with 89.5 total tackles including 40 solo tackles and 30.5 tackles for loss.

Bonde said it was against rival Fremont-Mills that Kitzman put his talent and hard work on display. “Whenever there was a big gain, he was a guy you could count on 100 percent,” Bonde said.

In their first matchup, a pass interference call gave the Knights the ball on the Tigers’ 5-yard line. As the Knights’ quarterback Taylor Reed took a shot at the end zone, it was Kitzman who came down with the interception. That game, Kitzman had 10 total tackles, recording three solo, three tackles for loss and two sacks.

“It was huge,” co-head coach Michael Nardini said after the game. “It completely flipped it. They were about to score, make it a one-score game. Us getting that pick, getting that turnover and then marching back down, getting some room — that was huge.”

Though they fell to Remsen St. Mary’s in the semi-final game, Kitzman’s grit led the Tigers to facing a team out-sizing them physically. “Keigan was making plays against a phenomenal Remsen team,” Bonde said. “He has a nose for the ball. He goes 100 percent every time.”

Bonde

It was after the semi-finals loss that Bonde received a call from the Winterset coach, asking him to be a part of the Shrine Bowl South.

“It’s absolutely awesome,” Bonde said. “I got to go and then Keigan got in. He was pumped; I’m excited. It’s great anytime you get extra time with one of your players. I’ve coached him for four years and now I get to one more time. I’m really excited.”

Bonde will be working directly with both Kitzman and Knight as the linebacker’s coach.

“I always preach alignment, assignment, snap count,” Bonde said of his coaching philosophy. “You don’t need talent to do that. Be aware, line up properly, play fast, play physical.”

He said he would rather have his player miss while going too hard or too fast rather than coming up short.

For Bonde, it’s the cause that makes the game so special. “Where that money goes is second to none,” he said. “It goes to a lot of kids that need it.”

Shrine Bowl

Players and cheerleaders from across the state will attend camp in the days leading up to the game. During camp week, the players and cheer leaders prepare for the game, build lasting friendships, and have opportunities to learn about the impact they can have on less fortunate children.

During the Shriners’ Children Mini-Camp, hospital patients from across the Midwest join the players on the UNI Dome field and interact, play games and share stories.

The week concludes with a parade on Saturday morning featuring the 2023 Iowa Shrine Bowl King and Queen, the 2023 Shrine Bowl players, cheerleaders and coaches, joined by Shriners from across Iowa.