Derek Rempe did everything for the East squad during Saturday’s Shrine Bowl at Welch Stadium except reach an extra foot for a touchdown.
The Emporia State signee had the momentum-changing interception, a 53-yard return and also picked up the East’s Most Outstanding Player award from his safety position.
Still, he couldn’t help but be a little disappointed to be stopped just one yard short of a defender’s dream — the interception return for a touchdown.
“My eyes got pretty big when I saw that end zone,” Rempe said. “I tried to jump. The guy just came out of nowhere and got me.”
It still took an athletic effort to even get the pick.
With his team trailing 21-14 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Rempe came up with arguably his team’s biggest play on a 3rd and 12.
The Centralia product leaped high in the air on a deep pass by Brett Steven and came down with the interception.
“Some of the plays you know it’s going to be a pass, and that one I knew,” Rempe said. “I saw the two routes and broke on it.”
With plenty of blockers in front of him, Rempe sprinted all the way to the West 1-yard-line before being knocked out of bounds by Andrew Braxton.
Along with the pick, Rempe led the East squad with eight tackles. He also added a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
ESU’s other signee, Adam VandeVelde, had a solid night ruined by the memories of his final play.
VandeVelde, who had three solo tackles, was the cornerback on the West’s game-deciding two-point conversion pass to Mykael Thompson.
After getting a late break on the ball, VandeVelde stretched out in vain as Thompson caught a pass from Cole Cherryholmes to make it 29-28 West.
“I felt all right till the end there. It’s not a good taste in your mouth,” VandeVelde said. “… I didn’t see the ball. I should have turned a little earlier.”
VandeVelde’s highlight came in the second quarter, as he dragged Steven out of bounds for a sack and 4-yard loss.
The St. Marys graduate said his hope was to remain on the defensive side of the football once he arrived at ESU.
“Hopefully it’s not too long before I’m back,“ VandeVelde said. “I need to redeem myself somehow.”
The two players — who often lined up on the same side of the defense — both said the Shrine Bowl gave them an opportunity to become closer as teammates.
They were already acquaintances before: VandeVelde dates Rempe’s cousin, so both had seen each other at a Christmas get-together.
“Hopefully I can be doing this in a few more years,” Rempe said. “It’d be cool to see this safety/cornerback (combination) later on.”
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