A little more is on the line Saturday night than who wins and who loses when the Salina Bombers head to Dodg City to play the Law. The Prairie Week Trophy is also at stake.
After the game representatives from the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce and the Dodge City Area Chamber of Commerce will present the winning team with the Prairie Wheel Trophy.
David Ploutz, a retired Highway Patrol Captain from Dodge City, designed the trophy and will be on hand to help unveil it prior to Saturday’s game.
Over the past few months, the leaders of the two Chambers discussed the arrival of the Dodge City Law to the CPIFL and each expressed pride for his hometown team.
Dennis Lauver from the Salina Chamber and Dan Schenkein from the Dodge City Chamber decided that the winner should be able to claim a trophy that symbolizes the two cities’ shared history and heritage.
“Wheels of progress have been a part of the settlement, development, and growth of Western Kansas,” Schenkein said. “Each of our communities has a proud heritage of the both the Native Americans and the European settlement of our region. The Prairie Wheel is the symbol of freedom, growth, prosperity, security, and the quality of life enjoyed by the residents of our area.”
Lauver shared Schenkein sentiments and believes that the trophy will be coveted by both teams.
“Salina and Dodge City have so much in common and we have been linked historically by the Santa Fe Trail. I think this trophy will be something that the winners can be proud to possess and something that the winning team’s fans can be proud of,” Lauver said.
Both of the Chamber leaders have made arrangements to store the trophy in their respective offices. “The Prairie Wheel will be a terrific addition to the décor of the Dodge City office,” Schenkein said.
“The trophy will look great in our office, too,” Lauver said. “It might be best to just leave the Prairie Wheel in Salina because we think the Bombers will consistently defeat Dodge City. Dodge City fans are welcome to visit Salina to see the trophy.”
