KINGSTON — The Buccaneer football seasson is long over, however, this has not stopped Ben Hanson from making school history on the grid iron.

On Monday, the KHS senior was selected to play at the East v. West 2A, A, B “Earl Barden” All-Star Classic as an offensive tackle. The humble 6 foot 3 inch full-bearded student is the first Buccaneer football player to be selected for the All-Star team.

Though he signed a form recently agreeing he would be available to play, the competition for the team was more than he expected.

“I had no idea what the competition would be like for this,” Hanson said.

Hanson is one of 38 students selected for the West squad, which encompasses players from 2A, 2B and 1A, 1B leagues.

During the 2010-11 season, he accumulated 24 pancake blocks as a tight end.

He is the only student from the North Kitsap area selected for the team and one of two selected in the Olympic League. Isaac Yamamoto, a Sequim High School student, is the second from the league and will play defensive running back.

“It’s a major step and great honor to go on for our team and the players who couldn’t go,” Hanson said.

The number of players chosen per league is based on overall team performance for each team in that league. Students from other leagues such as Evergreen and Northwest will represent their schools with eight and 11 players respectively. Along with performance, a total of 17 2A league players were allowed on the team.

Hanson was not the only one excited to hear the news.

Before arriving home from school, Jim Hanson had read his son was accepted on to the team. Though he did not get the opportunity to be the first to give his son the news, he had trouble containing his excitement.

“I think I was more excited than my wife,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, she was excited; but I couldn’t sit down.”

“I just let out a big ‘wow,’” he said.

Hanson’s parents have attended every football game since he began playing for the team four years ago. Jim Hanson said to watch the young program develop into a playoff team this year was impressive and the chance for the All-Star team is a nice wrap-up for Hanson’s high school career.

“He really made steady progress every year,” said Dan Novick, the KHS head football coach and 2A Olympic League representative for the All-Star game. “It was the prototypical kind of growth you like to see.”

Hanson’s first year of football began as a player on the C team during his freshman year. Despite never playing football on a team before high school, Novick said his natural build and concentration on the field helped him advance. During the Bucs record season in 2010, Novick said the combination of Hanson and Freddy Rodolf were a reputable force on the turf.

“He is very quiet … He liked to let his playing do the talking,” Novick said. “We will definitely miss him next year.”

Besides football, Hanson also participates on the track and field team and swimming team. He said he originally joined the swim team during his freshman year when the North Kitsap Community Pool was suspected of closing down; so he could say he competed there. Though it has not closed down yet, he decided to just stick with the team.

After high school, Hanson plans on attending Eastern Washington University to major in forensic science. If possible, he said he wants to double major in chemistry as well.

All-Star game

When: 1 p.m. June 25

Where: Zaepfel Stadium, 702 N 40th Ave., Yakima

Cost: $6 adult, $4 for people 12 and under at the door.