Bishop Garrigan senior Trayton Cink’s high school football career will include one more game, as Cink prepares for the 53rd annual Iowa Shrine Bowl.
The Shrine Bowl is an all-star football game recognizing senior athletes across the state of Iowa, and is held annually at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, as this year’s rendition of the game takes place on July 19th at 4 P.M. The game also serves as a fundraiser for the Shriners Children’s Hospitals, as over 125 thousand dollars were raised in 2024.
Dean Jacobsen, the president of the board of directors for the Shrine Bowl football game, describes the selection process as one that takes over 1000 players into consideration.
The selection process not only takes into account performance on the field, but also in the way the players represent their schools by “playing the game the right way,” according to Jacobsen.
Cink talked about the process of finding out about both his nomination and eventual selection.
Cink previously attended the Shrine Bowl as a fan in 2019, watching former Algona Bulldog Skyler Groen compete in the game, but says he didn’t know a whole lot more about the game prior to his selection this year.
Jacobsen says the Shrine Bowls across the county do a great job of both honoring senior athletes, and supporting an important cause.
Cink stood out on the gridiron this season, leading Bishop Garrigan with 143 carries for 1244 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground, while averaging 8.7 yards per carry and helping guide the Golden Bears to a return trip to the UNI-Dome in the 8-player class. Cink has aspirations to play football at the next level, and feels the track and field season plus summer workouts will allow him to stay in shape for the Shrine Bowl game.
Cink is one of three players from the 8-player class on the North Shrine Bowl team, joining Pryce Rochford of Edgewood-Colesburg and Michael Boyd of Gladbrook-Reinbeck.
All of the players participating in the game will attend camp in the week leading up to the game which includes practice and numerous activities leading up to the July 19th kickoff.
