His childhood summers were spent in Warwick, he plays for Washington ? and his season could end in Hawaii.

Rising Redskins star Antonio Pierce has been named a second alternate for the NFC Pro Bowl team and stands a good chance of making it down to Honololu in February for the end-of-season spectacular.

Pierce, whose father Cleo Burrows lives in Southampton, said this week he would be ?shocked? if he made the Pro Bowl team ? but anyone who has watched his powerful performances would not share this sense of surprise at yesterday?s announcement.

The Arizona graduate is fast becoming the player of the year for the Redskins, and his team-leading 73 tackles ? fourth highest in the NFL ? has played no small part in ensuring the 5-9 Redskins still have the second best defence in the NFL.

If that wasn?t enough, Pierce, who spent his summers in Warwick playing soccer as a youngster, scored his first pro touchdown on Sunday, running a Ken Dorsey interception 78 yards for a first half score that propelled the Redskins to a 26-16 victory over the 49ers.

?His numbers speak for themselves,? said Redskins spokesman William Norman.

?He has done great for us and has set career highs in pretty much every category this year. He came on for an injured player and has made the middle linebacker position his own. He is a supersmart player and he is really making a name for himself.

?Everyone at the club is really pleased for him and being named as an alternate for the Pro Bowl with all the great linebackers in the NFC is a real honour.?

Pierce?s selection is all the more remarkable due to his unremarkable start with the Redskins.

The 6ft 1ins, 240 lbs Bermudian completed just 70 tackles in his first three years with the club, his appearances were limited and he looked destined, like so many other undrafted free agents, to spend his life on special teams or in the fringes.

But it all changed in 2004 for Pierce with an injury to Michael Barrow.

Pierce was brought in as cover as middle linebacker ? the quarterback of the defence ? and has never looked back.

?He has been outstanding for us,? said head coach Joe Gibbs.

?Our defensive coaches think he?s smart enough to play linebacker at any position. He gets our defensive players lined up in the right places in those critical situations where it can get real confusing.?

A view shared by assistant head coach for defence Gregg Williams.

?We practice with a fast pace and getting the play calls in quickly is important. I get about halfway through the signals, I do about one or two movements, and all of a sudden Antonio just turns around, ignores me and calls the play,? he said.

?He?s ahead and he knows what I?m thinking. We?re talking about a smart player.?

A smart player whose contract is up at the end of the season.

Although neither party are prepared to go into detail, it is understood furious negotiation are going on behind the scenes to keep Pierce at FedEx Field ? and away from any opposition interested in the free agent.

?It is something we won?t talk about until the season is over,? said a club official.

?There is still football to be played and we are not going to talk about this until then.?

By the time the Pro Bowl comes around, Pierce should already be wrapped up in a long-term contract paying enough big bucks to justify his remarkable rise to success from relative obscurity in just one impact season.

A starting spot in Hawaii would be the perfect end to his year, and despite being named as second alternate, he has every chance of getting there.

With the usual spate of injuries and withdrawals that the final weeks of the season and the play-offs can create, it is not unheard of for second alternates to make their conference side.

And there is not one player or coach in Washington who doesn?t think Pierce deserves it.

I?m lovin it: Antonio speaks. See tomorrow?s Royal Gazette.