Demitrius Bronson and Tyler Weinbrecht of Kentwood, and JoAsh Peko of Kentlake will be part of the West squad for the annual East-West All-State football game.
The game will be played on July 3 at Central Valley High Stadium in Spokane.
Bronson, a running back bound for the University of Washington, was the co-Offensive Back of the Year in the South Puget Sound League North Division, sharing the honor with Federal Way quarterback Justin Southern, who also will play for the West.
Bronson, at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, was churning along toward what he had hoped would be a 2,000-yard season when he sprained his ankle just before halftime of Kentwood’s game against Federal Way last Oct. 4. He missed the second half of that contest and all of the next two before returning for the regular-season finale against Kentlake and the Conquerors’ regional playoff game against Snohomish.
Bronson, who also was named to the all-state team at linebacker, finished with 12 touchdowns and 1,450 yards. Kentwood wound up with a 6-4 overall record.
Weinbrecht, who’s 6-3 and 225, was named the Defensive Lineman of the Year in the North. He played tight end and defensive end the Conquerors, scoring two touchdowns.
Peko, a 5-10, 265-pounder, was a second-team defensive lineman for Kentlake. He joins the West team as a lineman on both sides of the ball.
KW-JFK highlight Kickoff Classic
The Kentwood Conquerors will be on center stage Sept. 6, when it opens the 2008 season against Class 3A powerhouse Kennedy in the Emerald City Kickoff at Qwest Field in Seattle.
The 4 p.m. showdown is one of the marquee games of this year’s event. Other contests are Class 1A Cascade Christian vs. Class 2A Fife at 9:30 a.m.; Class 3A Eastside Catholic vs. Class 4A Eisenhower at noon; Class 4A Puyallup vs. Class 4A Bellarmine Prep at 3 p.m.; and Hawaii’s Punahou vs. Class 4A Central Kitsap at 8 p.m.
The Kentwood-Kennedy game pits two of the state’s most tradition-rich programs. Until last year, when they lost to Nathan Hale in a state-qualifying game, 21-14, Kennedy had earned state berths in 15 straight seasons. The Lancers took second in 2006.
Kentwood, which won state titles in 2000 and 2001, hasn’t advanced to state since 2005, when its run of seven straight state berths came to an end.
“I think it’s a pretty neat opportunity for the kids,” Kentwood coach Rex Norris said. “They’re pretty excited about it. We’re notoriously slow starters … but it could be something that ends that trend.”
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