The 33rd annual Big 30 Don Raabe Charities Classic rosters
reached the halfway point today with six more players accepting
invitations to play in the game.
Among the Pennsylvania additions is Kyle Oakes of Kane Area High
School. Oakes, 5-9, 155 pounds, was a running back and defensive
back for the Wolves.
He was selected to the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald Big 30 all-star
team in 2005, the AML All-star team twice and was runner-up for the
District 9 player of the week numerous times.
Oakes will attend a Bible school in Export, while studying for
the ministry.
“I love having the opportunity to play this wonderful game one
more time,” Oakes said when asked why he wants to play in the Big
30 Game. “It’s hard to let it go after playing for 11 years.”
Beating rival Johnsonburg ranks as his biggest thrill playing
high school football.
His hobbies include hunting, fishing and studying the Bible. The
Buffalo Bills is his favorite team and Jim Kelly his favorite
player.
Ed Renninger, another addition to the Pennsylvania team, is from
Sheffield Area High School. He is 6-2 and 215 pounds, and was an
offensive lineman and linebacker for the Wolverines.
Renninger is an AML All-star and was the most improved player in
10th grade. His junior season, he recorded the most sacks and
received the leadership award.
When asked why he wants to play in the Big 30 Game he replied,
“I love to play football. Big hits, any big hit thrills me.”
The Buffalo Bills is his favorite team while Bill Romanowski and
Takeo Spikes are his favorite players.
Rounding out the Pennsy roster is Shad Boschert of St. Marys
Area High School.
Boschert is a 6-0, 180-pound wide receiver and linebacker for
the Flying Dutch.
He is an Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald Big 30 all-star and a
District 9 first-team all-star.
“It will be fun to play with the most talented players in the
area,” Boschert said when asked why he wants to play in the Big 30
Game. His biggest thrill was achieving the first winning season in
19 years.
Boschert will attend Clarion University as a finance major and
play football.
The Cleveland Browns is his favorite team and Braylon Edwards
his favorite player.
Additions to the New York roster include Vinnie Smith, Bryan
Shoup and Wes Stark.
Smith of Ellicottville Central School, is 5-10 and 185 pounds.
He was an offensive tackle and linebacker.
He was selected to the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald Big 30 all-star
team and to the first-team New York State. In addition, he was
defensive player of the game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
When asked why he wanted to play in the Big 30 Game, Smith
replied, “I love playing football and it should be a lot of fun to
play with kids from other schools.”
His biggest thrill was playing three straight years at Ralph
Wilson Stadium.
Smith will be a physical education major at SUNY Brockport. He
is ranked first in this year’s senior class at Ellicottville and is
also the number one New York State Class D scholar athlete.
He enjoys riding four-wheelers, hanging out with friends,
mountain biking and walking his dogs.
His favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys and Roy Williams is his
favorite player.
Shoup, who is 6-1 and 180 pounds, is from Olean High School.
He played tackle on the offensive side of the ball and end on
the defensive side for the Huskies. He was selected to the Class B
South Division first-team offense.
He says wants to play in the Big 30 Game because “it is an
important event in the area that helps raise money for local
charities.”
He “gets a thrill just being on the field and playing a game
that I have enjoyed since I have been little.”
He will continue his education at Jamestown Community College.
His hobbies include hunting, fishing and snowboarding.
The Pittsburgh Steelers is his favorite team while Hines Ward is
his favorite player.
Completing today’s New York roster addition is Stark, a 5-11,
180-pound senior from Salamanca Central School.
He plays guard on offense and end on defense. In 10th grade, he
was the defensive player of the year. His junior season he was the
most improved player. He received the “Unsung Hero” award his
senior year.
“I want to push myself both physically and mentally and just
have a good time doing it,” Stark said.
His biggest thrill occurred during the third game his junior
year when he recorded two sacks and nine tackles.
He plans to continue his education studying sports journalism
and becoming a sports writer.
Among his hobbies he enjoys basketball, weightlifting and
PlayStation 2.
The Buffalo Bills is his favorite team and Aaron Schoebel his
favorite player.
These additions bring the number of players to 42 – 21
aside.
When the rosters are complete, some 80 players – 40 aside – will
have accepted invitations to play in the Raabe Classic.
This year’s game will be played at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5 at Bradford
High’s Parkway Field. The game pits graduated seniors from
Pennsylvania against graduated seniors from New York.
