There is nobody like Kennedy Catholic D1 football-bound brothers Lowen and Derek Colman-Brusa

As ruthless as they are on the field, they are equally sweet-natured and engaging away from the sport

Kennedy Catholic D1 brothers Lowen Colman-Brusa, left, and Derek Colman-Brusa have one more year playing together in high school in 2024. / Photo by Todd Milles

One of the cool aspects of the long-running Lakewood Cougars Championship 7-on-7 Passing Tournament is the event has a lineman challenge.

Which, in 2024, meant allowing Kennedy Catholic's NCAA Division I-bound brothers - Lowen and Derek Colman-Brusa - to be on display.

This July, the big-men competition ended in a tie between Kennedy Catholic and Class 2A champion Anacortes, meaning the championship would be decided by a two-man sled tussle playoff between the two schools.

The Colman-Brusa siblings won by a good five yards, then sprinted to where Lancers coach Pat Jones stood in the infield.

"They ran over to our 7-on-7 game and said, 'Coach, we got you a trophy!'" Jones said.

It represented the entire cycle of what you get with the Colman-Brusa brothers - ultra-competitive warriors in the battle, but kind and thoughtful teenagers once it's over.

Big-time colleges have noticed. Consider:

* Lowen, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound senior, is entering his fourth season as a starting tackle. He is also a University of Washington offensive-lineman commit.

* Derek, a 6-foot-5, 250-pounder, is one of the state's top prospects in the 2026 class. He is down to UW and Ohio State on colleges as a defensive end.

"On teams with a lot of lineman depth, (Derek) would be a great 'Y' receiver," Jones said. "He has great hands and is a good athlete. But we need him to be a tackle."

And yet, as much as the brothers have accomplished together, their recruiting paths have been distinct: Derek has seemingly been a coveted prospect since he entered the high school ranks while it wasn't until this spring when things heated up for Lowen.

Why? In the words of Jones, Lowen changed his diet to get leaner and more agile, and also changed his demeanor.

How so? He became the right-kind-of-meaner.

"Lowen is more jovial by nature, and a really, really nice guy," Jones said. "He is a very positive human being."

So positive, former Kennedy Catholic coach Sheldon Cross tried to change the teenager's on-field personality early in his prep career.

Back in 2021, when Lowen Colman-Brusa was a ninth grader, during team stretching at practice, Cross would run over and grab a boombox and place it right next to the newcomer. Then the coach would fire up blaring music from hard-rock band Sevendust, just to annoy the lineman.

"I was confused," Lowen Colmant-Brusa said. "I had no idea what he was doing."

But Cross kept at it - same mode, same music - and suddenly its intended message was being felt.

"(Cross) would say, 'Lowen, you play too nice, buddy!'" Colman-Brusa said. "For me, I was still growing into my body. I was a late bloomer from the beginning. On the other hand, Derek was an early bloomer and he was ready to go his freshman year.

"It took me a little bit to find out who I was. Over time, I have changed. A big part of that is my confidence level went up huge. It helped me play more freely. And once I was more free, I could feel my strength, my size and I was getting more (football) violent."

Now, both brothers (and best friends) are among the best players in the state - together. And they are ready to help the Lancers compete for a Class 4A championship after losing to eventual state winner Lake Stevens in the WIAA quarterfinals in 2023.

"We have a really good team, and we have a really good coach," Derek Colman-Brusa said, "With everything lining up now, we have a pretty good shot at taking 4A. We need to lock in and stay healthy."