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A pair of West Salem seniors, Hunter Burke and Jacob Welch, have been picked to join other elite football players from around the state of Wisconsin to play in the 2008 WCFA All Star Football game.

Both standouts who played key roles in the Panthers’ state championship season, also plan to play football at the next level. Burke plans to walk on for the Iowa State football team, and Welch hopes to make an impact at Division 3 UW-La Crosse.

The All Star invitation gives them both the chance to play a game they love for a great cause as the game is also a fundraiser for the Shriners’ Children’s Hospital.

With the season Burke and Welch each had, it’s not hard to believe they were named to the All Star game. Burke, with 1,954 yards paired with 27 touchdowns, made him an easy choice on the team. And for Welch, with a breakout year, his running game opened up the field for Dan Schneider to look for him as a deep threat.

With their dedication to the game, Burke and Welch left everything they had on the field. They helped lead the Panthers to a state title in the Division 4 WIAA championship against Kettle-Moraine-Lutheran last fall, winning 52-14.

Welch, with 63 catches for 1,260 yards and 19 touchdowns, was one of many scoring threats for West Salem. Welch also had a great game at state with 122 receiving yards on five catches. Burke’s stand-out game of the season was against the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Redmen for 263 total yards — 156 rushing, 107 receiving — where he scored three touchdowns in a 36-12 win for the Panthers.

This duo for the Panthers, which dominated opposing defenses, will have their day in the sun at the All Star game on July 19 in Oshkosh.

Last year, the game raised $80,000.