Laramie Plainsmen supporters will get a chance to cheer on two familiar names this weekend as Nick Mayes plays in the Annual Wyoming vs. Montana All-Star basketball series on Friday in Sheridan and Wes Dalles participates in the 38th Annual Shrine Bowl on Saturday in Casper.

Although he's not sure what to expect from Sheridan College head men's basketball coach Steve Smiley, Nick Mayes says he's ready for a week of hard practices considers his participation to be a final fling before college and a chance to experience playing the game once again. Mayes was 6th in class 4A in scoring with 12.7 points per game, 2nd in class $A in rebounding at 7.3 per game and averaged 1.9 steals per game according to wyopreps.com. This will be the start of a few all-star games for Mayes as he will also play for the south team at the Wyoming Coaches Association All-Star Game and for the Colorado Junior National Team at an All-Star game in Ohio later this summer.

Before heading up to Sheridan, Mayes admitted he's a little nervous about playing with guys he's only played against, but he's expects it to be a blast and is excited to represent his school:

It's a big, big honor, especially coming from Laramie. There's only a few kids in that past that have done it and it's huge. I mean, I'm gonna be playing with Taran Brown, with Zach Rosette, some of the best around the state and it's big to up there with those big names.
-Nick Mayes

As a part of the Wyoming All-Star team, Mayes will indeed play with the Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year, Taran Brown, who led the Gillette Camels to a 4A state title over Laramie in March. Three players from Natrona are on the roster in Jordan dick, Kyle Vinich and Andrew Martin. They're joined by Zach Rosette of Rock Springs, Raith Duram of Sheridan, Colby Wollenman of Big Horn, Aaron Tyser of Buffalo and Jay Brown of St. Stephens.

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Wes Dalles will play for the south team in the Shrine Bowl as a representative of Laramie High School. The series is at tight as it can be at 17-17-3after the north team squeaked out a 27-26 victory over the south team in 2010. Coach Scott Schultz of Wheatland has told Dalles he'll be playing nose guard as the south team tries to take the series lead.

For Dalles, this is an opportunity to not only have a fun experience, but to also get to know some future teammates. In February Dalles signed to play defensive end at Chadron State College. Fellow south teammates who will have also signed at Chadron include Josh Brom of Cheyenne Central, Justin Melton of Douglas and Jerit DeGering of Lusk. Future Chadron teammates on the north team are Travis Calkin of Cody, Brek Carper of Gillette, Clay Cundall of Greybull and Cole Montgomery of Natrona.

Playing with and against the best players of the state means Dalles will get to see how he fares against them and he can't wait for the chance:

I'm excited to get up there and play and hopefully tear some heads off.
-Wes Dalles

In addition to the extra time on the gridiron, Dalles said he was looking forward to the trip to the Shriner's Hospital so he could meet some of the kids and make a difference in their lives. Participants in the Shrine Bowl take the trip to Salt Lake City every year to visit the patients and physically see what the Shriner's Organization does.

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