Columbus graduate Maurico Ramirez (No. 2) awaits the snap of the ball during a game versus Lousia County rival Wapello this past fall. Photo by KCII Sports Nate Gonner.

Of the five players from the KCII listening area selected to this year’s Iowa Shrine Bowl, three will continue playing the sport at the collegiate level this fall. Both Maurico Ramirez of Columbus and Keegan Pullis of Mount Pleasant have accepted walk-on positions for the Iowa State University Cyclones and first-year head coach Matt Campbell.

Ramirez, who holds Columbus’ career rushing yards record at 4,160, will be in the secondary for the Iowa Shrine Bowl South team. On this week’s PM Sports Page, Ramirez told KCII Sports he had scholarship offers from Division II and junior college teams, but playing for the Cyclones was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He says he hasn’t formally talked with his coaches about which position he will compete for but he expects to tryout for a defensive position. Ramirez’s career defensive numbers includes 95.5 total tackles, six tackles for loss, four interceptions, and one sack.

Pullis played along the Panther offensive and defensive lines for three seasons under head coach Shawn Streigle. Pullis, who is slated to be an offensive guard on the Iowa Shrine Bowl South team, received a preferred walk-on spot on the Cyclone Football team. On the PM Sports Page this week, Pullis said family ties played a big role in joining the Cyclone Football team, stating his parents are alumni and he has been attending Iowa State Football games since he was a child. Pulis is unsure of what position the Cyclone coaching staff will have him tryout for.

The Cyclones are set to open football practice on August 4. The 44th annual Iowa Shrine Bowl is set to kickoff at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls.