East Rolls in Shrine Bowl as Mattern Father-Son Duo Shares Final Game
MAYVILLE, N.D. (KVRR) — The 2026 North Dakota Shrine Bowl gave some of the state’s top seniors one final opportunity to suit up as high school football players. For Shanley quarterback Jax Mattern, it was also a chance to share one last game with his father on the sidelines.
The East put together a dominant performance in the 11-man game, rolling to a 48-12 victory over the West on Saturday at Jerome Berg Field in Mayville.
Mattern, who will continue his football career at Concordia College, helped lead the East offense in the convincing win while playing under the direction of his father, East head coach Troy Mattern.
“It was a really exciting week all around, but obviously good to get the win there at the end,” Jax said. “It’s just a great group of guys that we were able to play with, get to hang out with this week, become really good friends, let alone teammates. So it was just fun to get a win with those guys and be able to compete one more time as a high schooler.”
The Shrine Bowl marked the final game of Jax’s high school career and the final time he would receive play calls from his father.
“These last four years, my dad has been very special,” Jax said. “It’s meant everything to me. The lessons he taught me are stuff that you can’t learn if your dad isn’t the head coach. So it was good to be able to get out here one last time with him and compete with him, calling plays for me.”
Troy Mattern has led Shanley since 2017 and experienced a similar moment with his older son, Cooper, during the 2021 Shrine Bowl. Saturday’s victory gave him one more opportunity to coach a son before he heads off to Concordia, just as Cooper did.
“As a coach, there’s all these special moments. To be able to share that as a dad, it’s really cool,” Troy said. “To be able to share that with both Cooper and Jax, and both wins, it’s a really cool experience. Now it’s the end of another great chapter with both my kids.”
While the East’s lopsided victory provided plenty of memorable football moments, those involved with the Shrine Bowl know the game’s mission extends far beyond the scoreboard.
The annual event raises awareness and support for Shriners Children’s, helping provide specialized care for children and families throughout North Dakota, western Minnesota and beyond.
“The football game is a big, important part of it, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the Shrine. It’s all about the kids,” Troy said. “We were able to use the football platform to promote what Shriners does. To have those kids come in and speak to these players, they were truly an inspiration. That’s what it’s all about.”
For the Mattern family, Saturday’s win capped off another special chapter. For the players, it was one final high school football game. And for the Shrine Bowl, it was another year of using football to make a difference far beyond the field.
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Earlier in the day, the East also cruised to a victory in the 9-man Shrine Bowl, defeating the West 64-30. New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock quarterback Easton Benz and South Border quarterback Berkley Frantz led the offensive showcase, helping the East put up 64 points in the high-scoring win.
HIGHLIGHTS (click): 9-man highlights
HIGHLIGHTS (click): 11-man highlights
