14 WPIAL players chosen for 2022 Big 33 Football Classic

By: Chris Harlan
Tuesday, March 1, 2022 | 10:53 AM

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Fourteen players from the WPIAL were selected Tuesday for the Big 33 Football Classic, including four from Mt. Lebanon’s state championship team and two from Penn-Trafford.

Mt. Lebanon quarterback Joey Daniels, running back Alex Tecza, wide receiver Eli Heidenreich and defensive tackle William Harvey were picked for the May 30 high school football all-star game at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg.

They’re joined by Penn-Trafford teammates Cade Yacamelli (OLB) and Jack Jollie (ILB), along with Pine-Richland’s Jeremiah Hasley (ILB) and Jalen Klemm (OL), Woodland Hills’ Deontae Williams (WR), Belle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock (ATH), Thomas Jefferson’s Nick Bryan (OL), Moon’s Trent Fraley (OL), Gateway’s Patrick Body (DB) and Hampton’s Matt DeMatteo (P).

The team was announced Tuesday. Pennsylvania’s opponent, Maryland, will announce it roster later.

The Big 33 is the headliner of three Memorial Day weekend all-star games organized by the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association. Separate small-school and big-school East-West games are scheduled for May 29, also at Bishop McDevitt.

East-West roster will be announced Thursday.

The Big 33 started in 1957. The game has a star-studded alumni list, and its claim to fame includes that every Super Bowl has has at least one former Big 33 player.

The game was held the past five years at Central Dauphin’s Landis Field, but organizers moved the event to Bishop McDevitt’s Rocco Ortenzio Stadium.

Pennsylvania roster

Offense

Pos, Player, High School, Ht., Wt., College

QB, Joey Daniels, Mt. Lebanon, 5-9, 175, undecided

QB, Ethan Kohler, Perkiomen Valley, 6-3, 200, Walsh

RB, Sam Brown, La Salle College, 6-3, 205, Rutgers

RB, Alex Tecza, Mt. Lebanon, 6-0, 195, Navy

TE, Aiden Mack, Wyomissing, 6-4, 220, Bucknell

TE, Trenton Dunnick, Central York, 6-2, 235, East Stroudsburg

WR, Eli Heidenreich, Mt. Lebanon, 6-0, 195, Navy

WR, Mario Easterly, Bishop McDevitt, 6-0, 185, Old Dominion

WR, Anthony Ivey, Manheim Township, 5-10, 190, Penn State

WR, Deontae Williams, Woodland Hills, 6-0, 187, undecided

ATH, Devin Whitlock, Belle Vernon, 5-8, 178, Pitt

OL, Drew Shelton, Downingtown West, 6-6, 300, Penn State

OL, Ryan Brubaker, Cocalico, 6-6, 285, South Carolina

OL, Nick Bryan, Thomas Jefferson, 6-3, 270, Kent State

OL, Trent Fraley, Moon, 6-3, 290, Marshall

OL, Brad Harris, St. Joseph’s Prep, 6-4, 280, Rutgers

OL, Justin Kanyuk, Bethlehem Catholic, 6-6, 305, North Carolina

OL, Jalen Klemm, Pine-Richland, 6-5, 260, Kansas State

Defense

DT, William Harvey, Mt. Lebanon, 6-3, 280, undecided

DT, Lavon Johnson, Allentown Central Catholic, 6-4, 320, undecided

DT, Dylan Jones, Bishop Shanahan, 6-3, 270, Central Connecticut State

DE, Nathan Voorhis, Stroudsburg, 6-4, 255, UConn

DE, Enai White, Imhotep Charter, 6-5, 230, Texas A&M

DE, Keon Wylie, Imhotep Charter, 6-3, 210, Penn State

ILB, Jeremiah Hasley, Pine-Richland, 6-3, 225, Duke

ILB, Jack Jollie, Penn-Trafford, 6-1, 210, undecided

ILB, Ryan Russo, Bishop McDevitt, 6-2, 215, Rutgers

OLB, Abdul Carter, La Salle College, 6-4, 240, Penn State

OLB, Ken Talley, Northeast, 6-2, 220, Penn State

OLB, Cade Yacamelli, Penn-Trafford, 6-0, 205, Wisconsin

DB, LeBron Bessick, Coatesville, 6-0, 170, Central Michigan

DB, Patrick Body, Gateway, 6-2, 180, Cincinnati

DB, Mehki Flowers, Central Dauphin East, 6-1, 190, Penn State

DB, Keenan Nelson, St. Joseph’s Prep, 6-1, 205, South Carolina

DB, Treyshawn Smith, Central York, 6-3, 170, undecided

Special teams

K, Nathan Kirkwood, Greencastle-Antrim, 6-2, 160, undecided

P, Matt DeMatteo, Hampton, 5-10, 160, undecided

LS, Blaise Sokach-Minnick, Wyoming Area, 6-3, 205, Penn State

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.