Exodus of talent for East

The last week for the East Shrine Bowl team has been, unfortunately, more about who isn't there then who is.

A trio of marquee players — Bishop Miege offensive lineman Phil Ford, Paola running back Skylar Hawkins and Eudora linebacker Boomer Mays — all bailed on the East team either in the week leading up to the start of practice last Friday or, in Hawkins' case, on the first day of practice.

With a loaded West roster for today's game in Hays, that could be a problem.

Shrine Bowl rosters were announced last December, so to have confusion in the week leading up to camp was especially frustrating for game officials and coaches.

"It's disappointing, definitely," said Centralia's Larry Glatczak, the East coach. "Ford was just hard to get a hold of... he wouldn't return calls. I think as it led up to the game some of the guys who run this thing had a little inclination he wouldn't be here."

Ford, 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds, signed to play at Kansas this fall.

Mayes, who had 404 tackles in his career at Eudora, is signed to play for Northern Illinois and East camp director Ray Terrell didn't find out he wouldn't be playing until the days leading up to the game.

"We were trying to get a hold of him and found out he was in Chicago," Terrell said. "There was talk of trying to get him back on a flight so he could play, but it never materialized."

Hawkins, who ran for 1,175 in 2010 and more than 2,000 yards in 2009, left after the first day of camp in Emporia. Hawkins will play for Fort Scott Community College this fall.

"He just said he didn't want to be here and had somebody come pick him up," Terrell said. "The problem with some of these kids is they're prima donnas and they think they're ready for the NFL when what they should be focused on is the game and the good that comes out of it."

Silver Lake linebacker Jeremy Body is also out with a knee injury. In all, the East had eight roster changes after announcing its roster — including four in the week before camp started. The West has had four roster changes.

Topeka lineman and Butler signee Tyrell Everett, Silver Lake wide receiver/defensive back Brit Dewey, Holton running back Gunnar McKenna and Emporia quarterback Brandon Gentz were brought in as replacements.

"We've got some really good replacements," said Glatczak, who was an assistant on last year's team. "We've got kids in that can really play and who want to be here."

This story was originally published July 30, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Exodus of talent for East."