By Bruce Sayler
That Ryan Peoples is going to play in the 79th Montana East-West Shrine Game was practically promised at birth.
His dad, Doug, played in the 1986 game and his recently passed grandfather, Butte civic hero Don Peoples Sr., was among the 1957 game participants. Even before Don, though, Jim Peoples lined up in the original East-West Shrine Game in 1947. Jim was the older brother of Don Sr.
An uncle, Kevin Peoples, was in the 1989 game and cousin Danny Peoples played in 2015. All played or the West, which is riding a five-game streak into Saturday’s 2026 edition.
“It’ll be six after Saturday,” Ryan Peoples quipped Wednesday at Naranche Stadium where he and fellow West quarterback Vince Paffhausen, also Butte-rooted, alternated at the offensive controls in the fourth day of practice.
Even that situation tints to family.
“Vinnie’s my cousin,” Ryan Peoples said with a grin, “well, not really, but he’s my (half)sister Shelby’s (Paffhausen) cousin, so he …”
Vince Paffhausen starred at Missoula Hellgate. His dad is former Butte High and Montana State standout athlete Todd Paffhausen. Shelby’s dad is Todd’s younger brother, Josh, who quarterbacked Butte High to the 1991 state Class AA football championship and later played for Montana. Shelby’s mom, the former Becky Lyons, is now married to Doug Peoples. The Paffhausens also have a long and historical multigenerational contribution to the resident Butte sports scene, particularly in football.
The kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday at Naranche Stadium, hosting the game for the third time. It was held in Great Falls last year and is slated for Billings next year in the three-city rotation the event follows.
The parade, in Uptown Butte, is to start at 10 a.m. on East Granite, travel to Montana Street, then turn back to the west on Broadway, ending at Utah Street. The Shriners Parade is celebrated annually as the one of the best for spectators, particularly the littler kids.
Ryan Peoples is enjoying the week leading up to Saturday already.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s been great being around all the kids I competed against, now being with the best players all on the same team.”
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound QB said the offensive scheme he is drilling on this week is fairly familiar to him. West Team head coach Tyler Murray recently was named offensive coordinator at Montana Western of the NAIA Frontier Conference after a tenure as head coach of East Helena’s high school team, one that didn’t exist until earlier this decade.
“Same concept, different verbiage,” Peoples said of the offense West is using. “Learning the verbiage has been the hard part, so far. But, I’m getting the hang of it.
“It is all coming together pretty well. This morning (practice) was really good.”
Peoples passed for more than 3,000 yards and for 32 touchdowns in his two years as the Maroons’ starting quarterback where he played for his uncle, head coach Don Peoples Jr., and his dad, Doug, the longtime offensive assistant at BC. In a Class A All-State and Southwestern A All-Conference senior season, Peoples passed for 1,618 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 216 of 412 attempts.
He saw duty as a freshman and then was a starting receiver for Butte Central before taking over the QB spot and earning his offer to continue his career at Montana Tech.
Peoples was also a three-year starter on the BC boys’ basketball team and participated in track. He used the track routine and conditioning this past spring to stay I shape for his choice to continue in football.
He almost pulled double-duty for his commitments this week. He officially began his Montana Tech workouts at 4:50 a.m. on June 1 in the Orediggers’ weight room. Kyle Samson, Montana Tech coach, gave him this week off, however, to concentrate on playing in the Shrine Game, Peoples said.
From a football perspective, being picked for the game means a lot, he relayed, but the reason for the game makes the opportunity grander. All money raised goes to the Shriners Children’s Spokane hospital and it usually amounts to a donation well into six figures, thanks largely to the Butte chapter’s infusion of participation in the event more than 15 years ago.
“It’s more than a game, it’s for the Kids,” reads the motto on the flyers.
Peoples trumpeted agreement.
“I’m happy to represent something even bigger than football,” he said. “It’s for the cause.”
His grandfather, Don Peoples Sr., served the Butte community in education, civic leadership and is the private sector after leaving the Butte-Silver Bow County Chief Executive office. He remained active in sports, including the Shrine Game in which he was a game official on multiple occasions.
“So, it’s cool that I get to play in this, the last of this generation of Peoples to play in this (Shrine Game),” Ryan Peoples savored.
Teammates filed by on the way to the locker room and a TV reporter awaited his turn at an interview with the QB, who offered one final remark with a grin and a twinkle of the eye – but mostly with enthusiasm:
“Go West!”
