This all-star game was about defense. The West team did build a 14-0 lead, then nearly allowed the East to rally but hung on, thanks to a Mason Arlington interception, and a Brady Armstrong sack that sealed a 14-7 win, the fifth straight for the West team. 

There was one touchdown in the first half, thanks to a 25-yard touchdown pass from Helena Capital quarterback Merek Mihelish to fellow Bruins standout Dylan Almquist, giving the West a 7-0 lead at intermission.

In the third quarter, Arlington made his presence felt on offense, completing a reverse pass to Frenchtown quarterback Brody Hardy, the game’s MVP, setting up a first-and-goal for the West. A few plays later, Jefferson’s Luke Oxarart cashed in with a five-yard touchdown run, making it 14-0.

However, the East got a spark after a fourth-down stop. The West attempted a fourth-and-one at its own 39 late in the third quarter. After that backfired, Malta’s Stockton Oxarart eventually connected with Luke Kelley of Centerville on a 10-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-7 with 12:42 left in the fourth quarter. 

After a three-and-out, the East team created another first-and-goal opportunity, but on third down, Arlington made a diving interception.

The East got the ball back again with just over two minutes left, but Armstrong, the West Defensive MVP, clinched the win with his second sack of the fourth quarter on the East’s final fourth down attempt, preserving the 14-7 win.

Here are six takeaways. 

Everyone knows the saying that defense wins championships, but it wins all-star games, too, or at least, it’s the reason the West won on Saturday night.

“This was a great group,” West head coach Kyle Mihelish said. “They are a one-time group, meaning you tell them something one time and they get it.”

After pitching a first-half shutout, limiting the East team to just a few first downs, Mihelish decided to gamble on a fourth down, in part because he trusted his defense.

“In a different circumstance I probably wouldn’t have gone for it,” Mihleish said. “I thought our defense was playing lights out and I thought we could get a yard. But I probably got too greedy. I told the guys those seven points were on me, but it worked out because the defense kept playing well.”

Two stops while nursing a 14-7 lead salted away the win for the West. Yet, the East team was dominant on defense too, especially in the fourth quarter, pitching a shutout, forcing a turnover on downs, as well as two three-and-outs when they were desperately needed.

“Offensively we struggled a bit,” Mihelish said. “They (East) were moving around and slanting a bit. They brought some pressure and had a great game plan. Both defenses played well.”

Over the past two seasons, Almquist, the future Montana Tech wide receiver, caught 87 passes for 1,342 and 16 touchdowns from Merek Mihelish.

On Saturday night, the Capital quarterback and receiver connected one more time, breaking through with a score in the second quarter for the West team.

Almquist had three receptions total in the game, including two that went for at least 20 yards. The tandem hooked up three times for touchdowns in the Class AA state championship game, so it was fitting that Mihelish and Almquist paired up for one final high school touchdown.

“That was pretty cool,” Mihelish said. “Having one last touchdown to Dylan…that was special.”

Mihelish and Alqmuist were just two of 16 Montana Tech signees to play in the game for the East or West, so there’s a good chance we haven’t seen the final touchdown connection between the two Capital greats.

Two players for the Jefferson Panthers made their presence felt in the Shrine Game on Saturday night, starting with Luke Oxarart, the West Offensive MVP.

On the drive that produced the game-winning touchdown, not only did the Montana City native catch a pass for a key first down, but the future Montana State Bobcat also hit pay dirt from five yards out. That rushing touchdown put the West in front 14-0 but also proved to be the winning margin.

Oxarart’s clutch contributions were matched by his teammate, Armstrong, a Providence wrestling signee. Playing in his last football game, Armstrong registered a sack on each of the last two drives, including one on the final defensive play of the game for the West. 

“It’s an unreal feeling,” Armstrong said. “I was thinking, ‘End it on top, end it on top.’”

Armstrong certainly did that, calling game for the West squad. 

Both teams went into their bag of tricks during the second half of the Shrine Game. First, it was the West team completing a reverse pass, which led to its second score of the game.

Arlington’s pass to Hardy was the longest play of the game, covering close to 40 yards. However, the East team used a shovel pass from Malta’s Stockton Oxarart to his Mustang teammate Blaine Downing to convert a key-fourth down, generating an explosive play that set up the East with a first-and-goal opportunity to tie the game or take the lead, which it wasn’t able to convert. 

The defenses flat-out dominated, which is why both teams had to get creative to advance the ball down the field. 

Plenty of all-star games are decided before the final minutes and in each of the past few seasons, the Shrine Game score has been lopsided by the fourth quarter. 

That wasn’t the case this year, which was the first game decided by single digits since 2019. The East team, sparked by its fourth-down stop in the third quarter, turned a two-score game into a thriller.

Grant Vigen got hot down the stretch, completing a couple of passes that reminded everyone why he’s a Division-1 quarterback. Stockton Oxarart also provided a spark when he found his teammate on a fourth-down conversion on a shovel pass no one saw coming.

Kelley, the Centerville wideout, also made some a few key plays in the fourth quarter, on top of a touchdown that required beating two defenders to the goal line.

Momentum shifted at that point. Ultimately, the East fell short, but thanks to some stellar play over the final 20 minutes, the 78th Shrine Game was one of the most exciting in recent memory. 

Close games generally come down to a play here or there. Saturday’s East-West Shrine Game was no different. 

Fortunately, for the West, Arlington, the Florence standout, was on their side.

“It’s truly a blessing,” he said. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it (the team). I got the call on Christmas Day and I knew that was one thing I wasn’t going to miss.”

Arlington took advantage of his opportunity. Not only did he complete the longest pass of the game, he also made the game-clinching interception. 

“We repped that in practice,” Arlington said of the reverse pass. “Coach said, ‘You get one shot.’ So I was like, ‘Alright, I got it.’”

And he did. The ball was on the money. Still, with just over two minutes left, the outcome was in doubt, until the diving interception clinched a West victory.

“Going into the game, I was thinking about an interception,” Arlington said. “And when I saw that ball, I was like, ‘Heck yeah. Got my opportunity. Don’t miss.”

He didn’t and not long after, the West team was celebrating a 14-7 win.