Big 33 Game

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PA Roster

Last Name First Name School Position Ht Wt H.S. Coach College

Alexander A.J. Altoona Area ATH 5-11 185 Phil Riccio
Baldwin Jonathan Aliquippa WR 6-6 215 Mike Zmijanac Pittsburgh
Carraway Vaughn Muhlenberg WR 6-3 170 John Yocum
Dill R. J. Trinity (D-3) OL/DL 6-6 285 Jeff Boger Maryland
Eachus Nate Hazleton Area LB 5-11 195 Rocco Petrone
Edwards Jewhan Roman Catholic DE 6-3 210 Jim Murphy Minnesota
Fedell Austin North Allegheny OL/DL 6-2 270 Art Walker, Jr.
Graham Hubie West Scranton OL/DL 6-4 230 Mike DeAntonia Illinois
Gumbita Robbie Mount Pleasant OL/DL 6-5 300 Mark Lyons
Hale Shayne Gateway LB 6-3 235 Terry Smith Pittsburgh
Holley Jarred Easton Area DB 5-9 165 Steve Shiffert
Jackson John Central Bucks South TE 6-4 240 Bart Szarko
Johnson Chris Roman Catholic DB 6-0 200 Jim Murphy
Jones Mike Bishop McDevitt (D-3) RB 6-1 225 Jeff Weachter Syracuse
Moody Nick Roman Catholic DB 6-1 220 Jim Murphy Florida State
Nix Lucas Thomas Jefferson OL/DL 6-6 290 Bill Cherpak Pittsburgh
Potts Joshua Harrisburg DB 6-0 175 George Chaump
Pryor Terrelle Jeannette QB 6-6 220 Ray Reitz
Reynolds Eric Central Bucks South RB 5-10 195 Bart Szarko Boston College
Robinson Adrian Harrisburg DE 6-2 225 George Chaump
Saddler Cameron Gateway ATH 5-7 160 Terry Smith Pittsburgh
Sands Tyler Boyertown OL/DL 6-5 290 Ron Zeiber Illinois
Shanahan Mike Norwin WR 6-5 195 Dan Conwell Pittsburgh
Soldner David Manheim Township K 6-1 175 Mike Melnyk
Stankiewitch Matt Blue Mountain OL/DL 6-4 295 Chuck Kutz Penn State
Sunseri Tino Pittsburgh Central Catholic QB 6-0 180 Terry Totten Pittsburgh
Taglianetti Andrew Pittsburgh Central Catholic DB 5-11 175 Terry Totten
Tribue Wayne Luis Central York OL/DL 6-4 285 Brad Livingston Temple
Ware Brandon Harrisburg OL/DL 6-5 340 George Chaump
Weaver Brandon Trinity (D-7) DE 6-2 217 Ed Dalton Ohio U
Wedderburn Mark Cardinal O'Hara DE 6-5 235 Dan Algeo Penn State
Williams Quentin Pittsburgh Central Catholic TE 6-3 235 Terry Totten
Wilson Christian Montour RB 6-3 235 Lou Cerro Michigan
Yancich Mike Trinity (D-7) LB 6-2 220 Ed Dalton Penn State

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Full Ohio roster: http://www.big33.org/DOCS/2008%20Ohio%20Roster.pdf

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Big 33 Classic Player Preview - Western PA Football By Joshua Funk

The Big 33 All-Star Classic is set to kick off Saturday, June 14th. Just days before Pennsylvania's finest take the field against some of the better athetes the Buckeye State has to offer, here are some preview snippets for each player:

The Players
AJ Alexander, Altoona Area HS - Ran for 1,011 yards and had 267 return yards. He also lined up at quarterback on some occasions. He helped the Mountain Lions to a 7-3 regular season record in 2007.

Jonathan Baldwin, Aliquippa HS - This 6'6, 233-pound beast of a man will continue playing his football at Pitt, and the Big-33 game marks the second high-profile high school all-star game Baldwin has played in. The Quips' star receiver caught a 46-yard touchdown pass in the US Army All-American game in San Antonio back in January.

Vaughan Carraway, Muhlenberg HS - He was one of the best vertical threats in Berks County, totalling up 818 yards receving on 49 receptions to go along with 13 touchdowns. He added 204 rushing yards scored 19 total touchdowns for the Muhls.

RJ Dill, Camp Hill Trinity HS - Dill, a 285-pound monster on the line, helped pave the way for a 12-0 start to Trinity's 2007 season. The Shamrocks finished as District 3 "AA" runners-up last season.

Nate Eachus, Hazleton Area HS - He's the best running back out of District 2 since Berwick's Brant Quick, perhaps better. Eachus ran for 2,196 yards and scored 31 touchdowns. 842 of those yards came in the Cougars' 2/4/11 "AAAA" playoff run against Easton, Liberty, and Parkland.

Austin Fedell, North Allegheny HS - He paved the way for the Tigers' ground attack, spear-headed by a physical running back named Carl DiCiantis. Fedell's blocking helped NA amass an average of 247 rushing yards per game, en route to a second straight WPIAL semi-final berth.

Robbie Gumbita, Mount Pleasant Area HS - The two-time defending "AAA" Keystone Conference champions got many big contributions from this hulking 6'5, 300-pound lineman.

Jarred Holley, Easton Area HS - He was one of the most sought-after cornerbacks in the Keystone State. Everybody tried to avoid throwing the ball his way, but yet the Rovers' defensive back totaled 46 tackles and 2 INTs.

John Jackson, Central Bucks South HS - He was seldom used as a receiving threat in the Titans' running-oriented offense, but he did register 80 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. Jackson paved the way for a ground attack which chewed up over 306 yards per game.

Chris Johnson, Roman Catholic HS - Johnson was the field general for the purple and gold offense which scored 385 points and was crowned as the PCL Red Division champions. Johnson threw for 1,380 yards and 18 scores a season ago.

Mike Jones, Bishop McDevitt HS - Jones was lightning quick, and could be used in a variety of ways, whether receiving, returning kicks, or taking handoffs out of the backfield. The slippery Crusader back gained 1,390 rushing yards, 337 receiving yards, and scored 23 touchdowns for the Crusaders, a tradtional Mid-Penn power.

John Laub, Parkland HS - He set a school single-season record for passing yards, over 2,200 of them, in helping the Trojans reach its second PIAA finals since 2002.

Philip Long, Souderton HS - Souderton has been known for staunch defenses. In 11 games last season, the Indians held 9 of 11 opponents to 14 points or less. Long chipped in on the defensive effort with 42 tackles and 3 sacks, and boasts an imposing 6'1, 297-pound frame.

Pete Massaro, Marple-Newtown HS - This 6'1, 240-pound Division-1 lineman will continue his football career at Penn State.

Lucas Nix, Thomas Jefferson HS - Nix was a driving force behind Thomas Jefferson's battering ground attack. Benefitting from the coaching of a former Division-1 offensive lineman in head coach Bill Cherpak, Nix helped block for two 1,000 yard rushers and lead TJ to its second PIAA championship in Class "AAA."

Josh Potts, Harrisburg HS - He helped Harrisburg win its first-ever District 3 championship in dominating fashion over Governor Mifflin, and will continue his football career in Philadelphia at Villanova.

Antwuan Reed, Greater Johnstown HS - Reed was hands down one of the most electrifying running backs in the scope of District 6 big schools in his time for GJ. Reed ran for over 1,900 yards and scored 23 touchdowns in 2007, and has run for more than 3,300 yards in his briliant career.

Eric Reynolds, Central Bucks South HS - Reynolds was a one-man wrecking crew for the Titans, who finished 11-1 in 2007. Reynolds ran for 2,832 yards, good enough for second-best in the state behind Jeremiah Young's 3,344. Reynolds scored 38 touchdowns and averaged over 236 yards per game.

Adrian Robinson, Harrisburg HS - Robinson was one of the Cougars' team leaders on defense, helping the silver and black win its first District 3 championship and reach its first-ever PIAA semi-finals against Pittsburgh Central Catholic. Robinson will continue to play football at Temple.

Cameron Saddler, Gateway HS - Saddler was a dynamic playmaker for the Gators, who reached its 10th WPIAL finals and second in the last 4 years. #5 totaled 2,310 all-purpose yards despite missing a couple of games with a hamstring injury and scored 28 touchdowns.

Mike Shanahan, Norwin HS - The Knights' talented 6'4 wide receiver led the team in both receptions and receiving yards. He helped Norwin turn in one of its best regular seasons in school history and earn a berth in the WPIAL playoffs.

David Soldner, Manheim Township HS - He's easily the best place-kicker in Blue Streaks history, and is one of the top graduating kickers in all of District 3. Soldner connected on 38-of-40 extra points, but, more impressively, connected on 22 field goals. Soldner scored 104 points on the season.

Matt Stankiewitch, Blue Mountain HS - This 295-pound lineman played for a tough, hard-nosed coal region football team, and his style of play fit the Eagles' philosophy very, very well. This star lineman will continue playing at Penn State.

Tino Sunseri, Pittsburgh Central Catholic HS - Sunseri played for a Vikings' team that was double-loaded -- not only could the Vikings beat you with a workman-like ground game, but a vicious passing attack. Sunseri threw for 1,962 yards and 23 touchdowns in helping a Viking offense score a school-record 612 points last season.

Andrew Taglienetti, Pittsburgh Central Catholic HS - Taglienetti finished as one of 2 Central backs with over 1,000 rushing yards. He was also a threat as a defensive back and a receiver out of the backfield. Taglienetti scored 17 touchdowns for the PIAA champions.

Wayne Tribue, Central York HS - Tribue was one of the biggest, and best, linemen in York County. The 290-pound lineman is the only York County representative on this year's Big-33 roster.

Dan Vaughan, Pittsburgh Central Catholic HS - Vaughan was a fullback and defensive end for Central Catholic, running for 759 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. Vaughan was one of 3 Viking running backs to score 10 or more touchdowns -- Andrew Taglienetti and sophomore Jeff Knox were the others.

Brandon Ware, Harrisburg HS - Ware was hard to miss along the Harrisburg line this season. Standing in at 6'5 and 340 pounds, just lining up opposite this Cougar would seem intimidating. He was a driving force in the blocking for a Cougar offense featuring weapons like running back Cameron Artis-Payne.

Corey Watts, North Allegheny HS - Watts doubled as a fullback and a linebacker for the WPIAL semi-finalist Tigers. He ran for 166 yards while also providing blocking for Carl DiCiantis. From his linebacker position, Watts racked up 59 tackles, and was one of the Tigers' key defensive leaders.

Brandon Weaver, Washington Trinity HS - Weaver played for a Hiller squad that garnered a lot of pre-season hype and some attention in a couple statewide polls. The Hillers qualified for the WPIAL "AAA" playoffs, reaching the second round before being eliminated.

Mark Wedderburn, Cardinal O'Hara HS - This 6'7 tight end hauled in 26 passes for 386 yards in the Lions' Wing-T offense a season ago. It's questionable whether Wedderburn's receiving stats would have been greater had star quarterback Tom Savage not missed half the season with an injury.

Quentin Williams, Pittsburgh Central Catholic HS - Williams is the fourth Viking selected to the Big-33 team, and he's very deserving. Williams hauled in 23 passes for 443 yards and 6 touchdowns last year.

Christian Wilson, Montour HS - Wilson was one of 11 Keystone State running backs to crack the 2,000-yard rushing mark last season. Wilsom ran for 2,021 yards and scored 25 touchdowns for the WPIAL runners-up. Wilson was also a stud linebacker for the Spartans.

Mike Yancich, Washington Trinity HS - Yancich was one of the best linebackers in the WPIAL last season, regardless of the classification. He racked up over 200 career tackles and is a Penn State commitment.

[StevePatterson]

Big 33 the High School All Star Classic Winner


Taking a look at the rosters of the two big High School All Star games this Saturday leads you to the conclusion that the Big 33 has won the battle of the High School All Star Classics.

Read More..

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LancasterOnline.com:Local Sports:Pennsylvania defeats Ohio in the Big 33

Performance in the Big 33 game is by no means a portent of individual success in college football.

Dave Wannstedt can hope, though.

Wannstedt's University of Pittsburgh recruits were making plays all over the place as Pennsylvania blasted Ohio 31-16 in the 51st, and certainly longest, edition of the annual high school all-star game.

A crowd of about 7,000 watched at Hersheypark Stadium. For three hours and 38 minutes.

It was Pennsylvania's third straight win over Ohio. Pennsylvania now leads the current series with Ohio, which began in 1983, 9-7. Pennsylvania also went 3-2 with Ohio from 1972-76.

Since the game date was moved from late July in 2006, the Big 33 has had to complete for Ohio players with that state's popular North-South All-Star game, which was also played Saturday.

The disparity is starting to show. Pennsylvania won easily despite seeming almost incredibly disorganized, and playing without some of its own top stars, notably Jeannette quarterback Terrelle Pryor, an Ohio State recruit who undoubtedly would have drawn fans from both states (and perhaps even Ohio players) to Hershey.

Pryor chose not to participate, which left the stage to Pitt recruits like QB Tino Sunseri (Pittsburgh Central Catholic) and wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin (Aliquippa).

Pennsylvania scored first on a perfect throw from Sunseri, who led Baldwin beautifully. Baldwin cut to the far corner of the end zone for a 10-yard TD.

Two other big plays on that drive: a 27-yard connection from Sunseri to Baldwin on Pennsylvania's first play from scrimmage, and a cheap shot from Ohio linebacker B.J. Machen after an incomplete pass, that led to a near-brawl and 30 yards in personal-foul penalties against Ohio.

For a while, it looked as if the Pennsylvania offense was going to just throw it up there and hope Baldwin — who's 6-6, explosive and exuberant — would run under it. But soon other Pitt guys emerged.

Like linebacker Andrew Taglianetti (Pittsburgh Central Catholic), who blocked a field goal.

And wide receiver Mike Shanahan (Norwin), who made two first-half circus catches — one of them one-handed, while holding off an interfering defender — for 27 and 28 yards.

And defensive back Jarred Holley (Easton), who had two interceptions and was all over the place, most importantly corralling Ohio's speedy Isaiah Pead on a fake-punt run attempt.

Pennsylvania led 14-0 after a quarter, and made it 17-0 early in the second stanza on a 39-yard field goal by Manheim Township standout David Soldner.

It looked like a blowout when Pennsylvania converted a recovered fumble into a TD on a 2-yard plunge by Mike Jones (Bishop McDevitt, Syracuse) a few minutes later.

Ohio kept plugging, though. It did have tough, elusive running backs in Pead and Michael Shaw, a Michigan recruit who received the Ohio Most Valuable Player Award in voting by media members.

Ohio intercepted Sunseri late in the third quarter and put a little drive together, with Shaw scoring on a 7-yard sweep to make it 24-7.

In this game, a team down nine points or more may elect to receive a kickoff after scoring, so Ohio got it right back. The team drove inside the Pennsylvania 20 before Pitt power showed up again. Holley intercepted a pass in his own end zone.

Ohio had sneaked within 24-10 before Pennsylvania got the killer with about nine minutes left. Sunseri found Cameron Saddler on a deep passing route, laid it in there and watched Saddler make an electric open-field move to elude a safety before cruising to a 79-yard score.

Guess where Saddler's going to college?

Ohio scored on the last play of the game, a 13-yard connection between QB Zac Dysert and Ohio State recruit Taylor Rice.

Soldner, the game's only Lancaster-Lebanon League player, had a solid night. In addition to the field goal, he nailed all four of his extra-point attempts.

He was glad he came, as Big 33 players invariably are.

"I thought I kicked pretty well," Soldner said. "Our team had great chemistry. We really worked hard."

Soldner, a USA Today All-American, will attend Penn State as a preferred walk-on. For the rest of the summer, he said, he'll "go home, kick, run and lift."

The Pennsylvania MVP award went to defensive end Adrian Robinson, a Harrisburg High product who had 10 tackles and three sacks.

Robinson is going to Temple, not Pittsburgh, remarkably enough.