March 18, 2024

CMB’s Kemp to play in annual Shrine Bowl

This & That

Another Collins-Maxwell/Baxter football player has been chosen to play in the Iowa Shrine Bowl.

CMB senior Bryce Kemp will step onto the UNI-Dome football field on July 25, and take part in the 43rd installment of the annual Iowa all-star football game.

Kemp will play with some of the best senior football players that Iowa has to offer, including future Iowa Hawkeye and two-time state-champion quarterback Ryan Boyle of Dowling Catholic, future Northern Iowa running back Trevor Allen of Waukee, state wrestling champion Jake Marnin of Southeast Polk and fellow district stud Ryan Sarver of Albia.

Kemp will likely play wide receiver, which means he could catch passes from Boyle or Alex Nielsen, a Class 3A all-stater from Creston/Orient-Macksburg.

“We have been blessed to have many of our athletes get recognized to play in this game,” said CMB coach Rob Luther, who was an assistant coach in the game back in 2003. “It’s a great opportunity for Bryce to meet other great football players, but there is more to this week than just a football game, too,”

Kemp was one of the reasons CMB went through the regular season undefeated for the first time in program history. He scored a touchdown five different ways and finished with 46 catches, 950 yards and eight scores as the Raiders’ primary receiver.

He also rushed for 222 yards and three scores, threw a TD pass, returned a kickoff for a score and had two interception returns for scores. Kemp led the team in tackles with 69 and also had four sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Kemp will play for the South squad in the shrine bowl. His head coach will be Wade King of Davenport Assumption. The North team will be coached by Scott Frerichs of New Hampton, but the roster for his squad was not available on the Iowa Shrine Bowl website.

Kemp is an Eastern Michigan commit and can officially sign his National Letter of Intent on Feb. 4. He recently visited and received a scholarship offer from Northern Iowa as well as Illinois State, but Kemp turned down both schools, according to Luther. The CMB coach also said Kemp is scheduled to visit Iowa this weekend but is still committed to EMU.

Other CMB student-athletes also are planning on signing football scholarships on Feb. 4.

First-team offensive lineman Patrick Girard has committed to Morningside College, while first-team all-state kicker Joey Nissen will play for Grand View University.

Third-team all-state lineman Clayton Weltha has not picked a school yet, but he is deciding between Simpson, Wartburg, William Penn and Buena Vista.

Someone may need to tell my wife I won’t be available on Valentine’s Day. And then run away as fast as you can.

District wrestling tournaments were already scheduled for that day and then Monday the IGHSAU released its basketball pairings and the opening round of regionals for Prairie City-Monroe, Colfax-Mingo and CMB are later that night.

She is used to me working all day on weekends and probably won’t be too shocked that Valentine’s Day will have to be celebrated on a different day.

That’s the life of a sports writer.

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536
or thyde@newtondailynews.com