Buffs’ “Fuge”Chairez gets official Shrine Bowl football game invitation

BUFFS ROUNDUP: Monday, Feb. 10, 2020

FOOTBALL

Senior Refugio (Fuge) Chairez on Friday, Feb. 7, received his official invitation to participate in the 2020 Kansas Shrine Bowl football game.

The 36th edition of the Shrine Bowl, which pits the best graduated seniors from the West and East Kansas high schools, will be played July 18, 2020, at Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl in Topeka. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

Chairez, a 6-1, 298-pound lineman, played mostly on offense for the Buffaloes in 2019. He did play sparingly on the defensive side of the ball as well. He was one of the Buffs’ top linemen, garnering all-Western Athletic Conference first-team honors.

Garden City Buffalo football player Refugio “Fuge” Chairez accepts his invitation from the Kansas Shriners to participate in the 2020 Kansas Shrine Bowl in Topeka in July. To the right of Chairez is Buffs’ assistant head coach/offensive line coach Erik Base. (Photo by Tylee Biera)

A starter since his freshman season, Chairez also earned honorable mention honors by both the Topeka Capital-Journal and Wichita Eagle newspapers in his senior season.

Chairez opted to graduate at the December semester break in order to be able to enroll and attend classes at Garden City Community College in the spring of 2020. This will allow him to participate in spring drills for the Broncbusters. He had been a 2019 Class 6A state wrestling champion at 285 pounds.

Chairez becomes the 38th Garden City Buffalo player to be chosen to play in the Shrine Bowl. That ranks tied for 12th among all Kansas high schools. The most recent selection was Demarcus Elliott, who played in the 2018 Shrine Bowl, and now is the starting nose guard at the University of Indiana.

Members of the Kansas Shriners were in attendance at the Homecoming basketball game on Feb. 7 to present Chairez with his official invitation during halftime ceremonies of the boys basketball game.

Congratulations to Fuge!