He knew it was just an exhibition game, he knew there were risks involved by participating, but after quarterback Randy Wooster, of Eagle Grove, saw the kind of impact he and his fellow Shrine Bowl members had, he knew it was all worth it.

After throwing for 141 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown pass to Max Martino, of Cedar Rapids, and a 43-yard pass to Jared Wauters, of La Porte, then leading North Team to a 24-0 win over South team, Wooster stood on the field with his teammates knowing this would be his last game.

“I just about teared up at the end of this game,” Wooster said. “I knew it was going to be the last time I played football so I’m glad I left it all out on that football field. It hurts though because my injuries kept me from moving on to college to play football.”

For Wooster, it was a risk to be participating in the game. Though he never said it directly, his body language when he brought up the word concussion said it all:

He was nervous.

And after five concussions, why wouldn’t he be?

One bad hit during this game and he could suffer a serious injury that could change his life. But because Wooster built his reputation as a scrambling quarterback, it can only be expected he was going to take bad hits.

That is why it was so important for Wooster to be able to stay in the pocket and ultimately open the game with two quick strikes for touchdowns.

“[Throwing those two touchdowns] was unbelievable,” Wooster said. “I never expected to just come out and throw two touchdown passes right away in the first three minutes of the game. I’m normally a running quarterback and [South Team] was coming up for the run and I threw a [touchdown pass]. Unbelievable.”

After posting numbers like those, it was no surprise Wooster was a unanimous selection for North Team’s offensive MVP. But for him, the title and commemorative plaque he held was nothing: It was a true honor for him and his teammates to be participating in this game.

“I’ll never forget this,” Wooster said. “This is the most unbelievable experience I’ve ever had. I couldn’t believe how much the kids loved to hang out with us. It was a big-time honor. I didn’t know what to expect when I was coming here, but now I know what this game is really about: It’s not even about the football game.”

After spending time with the children from the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children and seeing the joy the players brought to them, both teams understood the gravity of this single week in July.

“It actually brought tears to my eyes [Friday] at the Shrine Bowl banquet,” said Jacob Gannon, who will play for Iowa State in the fall. “The Shrine King was there and to see his reaction and what this meant to him; it was special. I think everyone who was there felt the emotion.”

This feeling was not missed North Team’s assistant coach Mark Ehlers.

Despite being asked to elaborate on his feelings after winning the Shrine Bowl, Ehlers could not help but continue to talk about the players, the kids he met and how they touched their lives and the memories.

“If I were asked, I would come back and do this every year,” Ehlers said. “This experience was almost spiritual. I was so proud to see our players work with those kids who were less fortunate. Our players worked so well with those kids; it was kind of surreal.”

Once the game was over, interviews finished, pictures taken and conversations had, all the players walked back to the locker room.

Wooster was heading toward the Jacobson Building when one of his teammates called him over to talk.

The conversation was not long, all Wooster’s teammate asked was what he was going to do now. Wooster said, “I’m going to dance! I want to dance!” and started to do a short dance.

It may have been his last football game, there have been risks involved, but for one last time Wooster played the game he enjoyed so much and had so much fun doing it, he decided to do a little jig.