Mulford ready for Shrine challenge

For Matt Mulford, the football part of this Saturday’s Shrine Bowl is pretty neat.Yet, this is more than just a football game for Mulford and his fellow players who will take the UNI-Dome turf at 4 p.m.“I mean, I’m definitely looking forward to the game and putting on the pads and all that,” Mulford said, “but the cause is what it’s all about.”For 43 years, the Iowa Shrine Bowl has brought the best graduated high school seniors together for an all-star football game that features numerous players who are making the transition from prep to college football.Mulford, the recent New Hampton High School graduate, is no exception. An all-district and all-state player in 2015 for the Chickasaws, he will head to Wartburg College next month to become a Knight.“I think it will definitely help me football wise,” said the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Mulford, who will play for the North in Saturday’s game. “I know there’s a lot of good players who are going to be there and playing against the best can only help you.”The full story may be found in the July 19 Tribune.