"Mr. High School Sports" - PA's Penn-Ohio Roster Released
By Matt Popchock
We're still a couple months or so from the opening kickoff, but believe it or not, it's already time to begin thinking about the 2011 high school football season. How does Mr. High School Sports know? The Pennsylvania roster for the 32nd annual Penn-Ohio All-Star Football Classic has been finalized.
The game is set for Thursday, June 30, at 7:30 PM at Geneva College's Reeves Field in Beaver Falls. Players and coaches from both teams will be introduced beginning at 7:00.
Beaver head football coach Jeff Beltz will coach the Pennsylvania squad. This past fall he guided the Bobcats to a third-place finish in the WPIAL Class AA Midwestern Conference and an 8-3 overall record, including a berth in the WPIAL Quarterfinals.
Beltz's team of all-stars, the top seniors from programs based mostly in Beaver County, will try add to what has become yet another proud tradition for high school football in western Pennsylvania. The PA team holds a 22-9 all-time series edge entering the 2011 contest.
Here is the Pennsylvania team roster, along with a few highlights:
(Number/Name/School/Position(s)/Height/Weight/College Commitment)
1 Michael Kupper Central Valley TE/DB 5'10" 185 Penn State Behrend
2 Carlin Henderson Beaver Falls WR/DB 6'0" 170 Slippery Rock University
3 Nathan Mick Beaver TE/PK/P 6'1" 190 Robert Morris University
4 Derek Lehocky Freedom QB/DB 5'11" 165 Thiel College
5 Eric Moscipan Shenango TE/LB 6'3" 215 Robert Morris University
7 Joe Savage Ambridge WR/DB 5'9" 160 Undecided
8 Malik King Cornell WR/DB 5'10" 165 Clarion University
9 Justin Tress Blackhawk WR/DB 5'10" 185 Kent State University
10 Jasson Adamson Rochester QB/DB 6'0" 170 California University (PA)
11 Christian Farris Hopewell WR/DB 6'4" 185 Slippery Rock University
13 Aaron McKinney West Allegheny RB/DB 5'9" 180 Lock Haven University
15 Marcus Little Beaver WR/OLB 6'5" 210 Undecided
17 Lukas Turley Central Valley RB/LB 6'2" 220 West Liberty University
18 Donald McKenzie Aliquippa TE/LB 6'0" 200 Undecided
19 Ryan Scialabba South Side WR/DB 5'10" 165 Allegheny College
21 Delshawn Popowich Freedom RB/DB 5'9" 165 Bethany College
22 Jared DeSensi Riverside RB/DB 5'9" 200 Undecided
23 Aaron Grymes Shenango WR/DB 5'10" 190 Slippery Rock University
26 Darious Walker Aliquippa RB/DB 5/9" 180 Mercyhurst College
35 Trey Collier Beaver Falls OL/OLB 6'0" 225 West Virginia Wesleyan
40 Matt Critchlow Hopewell TE/LB 6'1" 220 Penn State University
44 C.J. Revtai West Allegheny RB/LB 6'2" 225 California University (PA)
50 Sam Mansfield Riverside OL/DL 6'2" 230 Mount Union College
52 Brandon Short New Brighton OL/LB 6'4" 240 Clarion University
55 Cody Orlowski Western Beaver OL/DL 6'1" 311 Community College BC
57 Nate Shuster Blackhawk OL/DL 6'2" 250 Akron
58 Greg Kaulius West Allegheny OL/DL 6'5" 230 John Carroll University
61 Dean Dinell Beaver Falls OL/DL 5'10" 240 Thiel College
63 Paul Pavlinich Beaver OL/DL 6'1" 235 Robert Morris University
65 Kyle Henderson Moon OL/DL 6'5" 240 Slippery Rock University
66 Jesse Battaglia Rochester OL/DL 6'4" 270 Allegheny College
70 Travis Gallagher Blackhawk OL/DL 6'4" 245 Slippery Rock University
75 Travis Karenbauer Ellwood City OL/DL 6'4" 320 Seton Hill University
77 Nathan Murphy Mohawk OL/DL 5'10" 265
82 Joe Marcello Central Valley TE/OLB 6'1" 200 Community College BC
NOTES: Central Valley, last year's Cinderella district champ in Class AAA, is well-represented with three players integral to that title run, including tailback/linebacker Lukas Turley, who ran for 419 yards and two TD's in the playoffs and posted 11 tackles in the Final against Montour. Host program Beaver Falls also has three representatives, most notably receiver/defensive back Carlin Henderson, who also saw time under center in 2010. Henderson went 53-of-104 for 869 yards and four TD's during the regular season as the Tigers' QB. Needless to say, stepping out of Rushel Shell's voluminous shadow is not easy, but Hopewell receiver/defensive back Christian Farris did it well...well enough, at least, to make this team. Farris averaged 13.4 yards per catch on a team that didn't throw much (and didn't have to). West Allegheny's title defense ended prematurely back in November, but the Indians have two seniors on this roster who helped keep their season afloat when Player-of-the-Year Mike Caputo went down with his leg injury. One of them is offensive jack-of-all-trades Aaron McKinney, who, while wearing Caputo's No. 7 jersey at one point, amassed 930 rushing yards and 19 rush TD's in 2010. One of Aliquippa's two reps is tailback Darius Walker, who was a big key to the Quips' run to a second consecutive second-place finish in Class AA. He accounted for over 600 of the team's 1,800-plus rushing yards. Converted quarterback/defensive back Jason Adamsson led Rochester to another appearance at Heinz Field by throwing for over 1,000 yards and 16 TD's. Having receiver/defensive back Malik King, who averaged 12.4 yards per catch last season, on this team is another sign of progress for Cornell, which, not long ago, was one of the least successful programs in the district until last year's inspiring playoff berth.
The game is co-sponsored by the Midwestern Athletic Conference Coaches' Association of Pennsylvania and the Quad County Coaches' Association of Ohio. Proceeds will benefit scholarships for athletes on both teams, including All-Midwestern Conference first-team honorees.
Be sure to check back with Mr. High School Sports later this month for more on this event, and more on the annual Big 33 Classic, another prestigious all-star game kicking off later this month.
(Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/mpopchock)
