West Catholic’s Rovny Dasilva, will play in the Big 33 game in June (photo from Twitter)

BY ROCK HOFFMAN

The list of Pennsylvania high school football all-stars who will suit up for the Big 33 Game has been released. The 61st Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) Big 33 Football Classic will be June 16th at Central Dauphin School District’s Landis Field in Harrisburg and pit the team from the Keystone State against a group of select players from Maryland (to be announced later) with kick off set for 7 p.m.

“Witnessing the caliber of players coming together for a week to not only play one of American’s favorite sports,” said Garry Cathell, executive director of PSFCA, “but also to give back through our unique Buddy Program and through community visits, is truly remarkable and rewarding.”

Among the 38 players named are 11 from the Philadelphia region and six from other parts of the state who will play collegiality in the region. Four players are from PIAA Class 5A state champion Archbishop Wood while two played for St. Joseph’s Prep, the 6A state champ and The FootballStories Southeastern Pennsylvania Team of the Year.

The 11 locals are:
LB Rovny Dasilva, West Catholic (undecided)
RB Rahsul Faison, Pottsgrove (Stony Brook University)
ATH Justin Henley, North Penn (Delaware)
OL Adam Klein, Eposciple Academy (Temple)
QB Marquez McCray, St. Joseph’s Prep (Sacred Heart University)
LB Matt Palmer, Archbishop Wood (Delaware)
RB Nasir Peoples, Archbishop Wood (Virginia Tech)
DE Bill Shaeffer, Archbishop Wood (Lafayette)
DE Rayshad Wallace, St. Joseph’s Prep (undecided)
OL Tom Walsh, Archbishop Wood (Delaware)
DB Avery Young, Coatesville (Rutgers)

The future local college players are:

WR Jose Barbon, Temple (Conestoga Valley)
WR Dezmond Boykin, Villanova (Whitehall)
LB Layton Jordon, Temple (McKeesport)
DB James Lawson, Villanova (Bishop McDevitt(Harrisburg))
LB Noah Plack-Tallerico, Delaware (South Fayette)
DB Kahlil Weathers, Penn (Pittsburgh Central Catholic)

The Dauphin County Board of Commissioners support the game with a yearly tourism grant insuring the game stays in Dauphin County.

“Our local equivalent to the Super Bowl,” said Board Chairman Jeff Haste, “the Big 33 game is the cornerstone of our region’s growing sports tourism industry and we’ll continue to support it.”

“The impact of the Big 33 goes far beyond the game, giving children with disabilities a chance to connect with star athletes,” added Commissioner George P. Hartwick, III. “The overall benefit to our region makes this great event a priority for us.’’

Money raised from the game and the events surrounding it support the Buddy Program, which connects kids with special needs with all-star athletes in football, cheerleading and beyond and since there has never been a Super Bowl without a Big 33 alum, there’s a chance that one of the players in this year’s Big 33 will be holding the Lombardi Trophy someday.

Email Rock Hoffman at Rock@footballstories.com