Choc Maddock plays for North in Shrine Bowl

The Shrine Bowl held Saturday at the Natrona County High School football stadium was anything but an average high school football game.

The 42nd annual bowl game brought together Wyoming's best high school senior football athletes to compete North against South. Hot Springs County 2015 graduating senior, Choc Maddock was nominated by coach Rob Anderson to be a part of the week-long activities.

Shrine Bowl nominees spent a week getting to know and practicing with their new teammates from around the state.

Maddock and many of the athletes started the week with the opinion that they were just there to play football – not to make friends; but by the end of the week, the athletes became bonded over more than just a game.

The Shrine Bowl experience comes at no cost to the competitors, which includes a trip to the Shriners Children's Hospital in Salt Lake.

Athletes spend a day touring the facility, meeting the residents and get a special look at how the money they are raising makes a difference. All proceeds from the game go directly to Shriners Hospitals for Children with over $450,000 raised to date.

The competition was fierce, but North defeated South 40-14. Maddock (North team) described the game as tough - both mentally and physically - but also incredibly fun to play with kids at that high of a skill level. Maddock said, "It was an honor to be nominated. This game was bigger than any of us there. It was a really humbling experience that I would do over and over again."