BRANHAM AND WILLOW GLEN PLAYERS IN ALL STAR GAME

Duce Ferrante of Branham, Eric Zetterquist of Willow Glen in 32nd Annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game

Class of 2006 Branham High School graduate Duce Ferrante and class of 2006 Willow Glen High School graduate Eric Zetterquist have been selected to represent their high schools in the 32nd Annual Silicon Valley Classic, Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on Wednesday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. at San Jose City College. They will join the South team as they try to add an 18th overall win against the North Squad, which currently holds 12 wins total. The teams are composed of the best graduating high school football players in the Silicon Valley.

Duce Ferrante, a 6-foot, 2-inch 170-pound quarterback, was named First Team All League (QB) in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. He received Team Best Back Award too. Ferrante will attend San Jose State University in the fall.

“Ferrante is an outstanding playmaker, a dual threat capable of beating defenses with his arm as well as his legs,” said South head coach Jason Tenner. “He’s a good-sized quarterback, which has worked to his benefit, and has a strong arm which has proven to be an advantage for Branham through out their season.”

Eric Zetterquist, a 5-foot, 11-inch 225-pound linebacker, was named First Team All League (LB) in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Willow Glen Rams recognized him as Most Valuable Player. He will attend De Anza College in the fall.

“Eric was the best player on a good Willow Glen defense. He is an athletic linebacker with the ability to play sideline to sideline,” said South head coach Jason Tenner. “This guy goes after the ball with intensity.”

Charlie Wedemeyer is a former college football player and the 1960s Prep Player of the Decade in Hawaii. He attended Punahou Academy and Michigan State University on athletic scholarships.

In 1977, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and was given three years to live. He is still alive today and is the founder of the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach. The program’s mission is to fight ALS. He will be at the game to encourage players and show his support for this grand tradition.

Past stars include former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman; former San Francisco 49ers Jeff Garcia, Brent Jones, and Carl Monroe; former Dallas Cowboy Doug Cosbie; and current 49er Jeff Ulbrich.

Tickets for the 32nd Annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game are $15 and can be purchased at several locations as well as at the gate. All proceeds from the game will benefit the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach and other local charities sponsored by the Almaden Valley Rotary Club. For more information about this event, visit www.youthclassic.org.