Mangus, Crosby prepare for annual Shrine Bowl game

Recent Lovell High School graduate Jared Mangus and head coach Nicc Crosby have headed to Casper for the 51st annual Shrine Bowl to be held on Saturday, June 8, at 2 p.m. at Natrona County High School.

Mangus will compete along with other top seniors in Wyoming football from around the state regardless of class for an all-star style game, raising money in the process for the Shriners Children’s Hospitals.

The duo will be a part of the North squad, which leads the series all-time with a record of 26-20-3.

Mangus was the leading running back for the Bulldogs last fall with 835 yards rushing on 162 carries, 5.2 yards per carry, with 10 touchdowns on the ground last season.

He was fourth in the state with 92.8 yards per game and caught 21 passes for another 321 yards and four touchdowns through the air.

He also served as the team’s punter and kicker and returned both kickoffs and punts that resulted in two touchdowns.

Defensively, Mangus locked down opponents from the corner position and led the team with five interceptions.

Crosby predicts that Mangus will see majority of his field time during the game as cornerback on defense and should also have opportunities to be involved on special teams.

“I really hope he gets the opportunity to show what he can do with the ball in his hands as a returner, but we will have to see how that shakes out,” Crosby said.

For Crosby, this will be the third time he has been selected to coach in the event, but it will be his first time since 2018 to participate since the 2020 game was cancelled due to the pandemic.

“I look forward to meeting some of the amazing people who are able to benefit from the care they receive at Shriners Hospital,” Crosby said.

“It’s great to be a part of an event that helps fund such a great cause, and I am excited to work with so many outstanding athletes and coaches and look forward to learning from them,” he added.