Six more players have accepted invitations to play in the 33rd
annual Big 30 Don Raabe Charities Classic.

Dean Purcell of Cameron County, Caleb Morris of Coudersport and
Robbie Saxman of Eisenhower have been added to the Pennsylvania
roster.

Purcell was a 6-2, 280-pound tackle/nose guard for the Red
Raiders.

He will attend the Universal Technical Institute at Exton to
become a Ford mechanic.

He received a varsity letter in football the last three years
and also is a recipient of the “Tom Malizia 54 Award.”

“I want to play in the Big 30 Game because I love the game,”
Purcell said. “Also, all my older friends played in the Game.”

He got his thrills playing football by “making big hits on the
people in the other color jerseys.”

Among his hobbies he likes to hunt and fish. The Pittsburgh
Steelers is his favorite team and Hines Ward his favorite
player.

Morris was a 6-0, 190-pound kicker for the Falcons.

His education plans are undecided at this time.

He was named to the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald Big 30 All-Star
team and twice named to the AML All-Star team. Also, he was on the
Ohio-Pennsylvania State kicking camp champions team and was
Coudersport’s pitcher of the year in 2005.

Morris says he wants to play in the Big 30 Game because “it is
an honor to play in the Game.”

His biggest thrills were playing in four AML title games and one
District 9 championship game.

He enjoys outdoor activities, hunting and football.

Penn State is his favorite team while his favorite player is
Larry Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Saxman was a 6-1, 195-pound tight end and defensive end for the
Knights.

He will attend Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in
mechanical engineering. He is on the honor roll and was on the
Region II all-star team.

“Playing in the Big 30 Game gives me one more chance to play
football,” Saxman noted.

“Game night is my biggest thrill. Friday night proves if all the
practicing pays off.”

His hobbies are snowboarding, hunting and drawing. The Buffalo
Bills is his favorite team and Aaron Schobel his favorite
player.

The additions to the New York roster include Jon Smith of Olean
Walsh, Alex Mele of Cuba-Rushford and Dan Fabiny of Wellsville.

Smith was a 5-11, 175-pound offensive tackle and linebacker for
the Eagles.

He was selected to the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald Big 30 team in
both his junior and senior years. He was league defensive MVP and
received his team’s MVP leadership award.

When asked why he wants to play in the Big 30 Game, he said, “I
love football and my dad also played in the first Big 30 Game and
it’s cool that 32 years later I’m playing in it.”

Smith enjoys football and baseball. His favorite player is Jerry
Rice.

Mele, 6-2, 205 pounds, was a tackle on offense and linebacker
and end on defense.

He will major in finance at the City of New York’s Baruch
campus. He is a member of the National Honor Society and has been
on the High Honor Roll all four years of high school.

Mele was honorable mention all-star at linebacker and offensive
lineman in Livingston County in 2005.

“It is an honor and privilege to play in this game and it
enables me to play one more game of football,” Mele emphasized.
“This game also doubles as a charity, so it is even more exciting
knowing I will have contributed to the community.”

His biggest thrill was being part of the line that enabled their
back to run for over 1,000 yards.

He enjoys all sports and watching the San Diego Chargers.
LaDainian Tomlinson is his favorite player.

Fabiny was a 6-3, 180-pound wide receiver and running back on
offense and played end and linebacker on defense for the Lions.

He will attend Alfred State and major in graphic design
concentrating in animations. Fabiny was a Livingston Conference
Athletic Association all-star.

“Playing in the Big 30 Game is to play with the best and
continue with the sport to become better,” Fabiny said.

He gets a thrill out of hitting, passing, running, scoring and
hearing the crowd roar.

His spare time is spent lifting and running. The Buffalo Bills
is his favorite team.

Today’s additions bring the total players to 54, with 27 players
on each team.

The game pits graduated seniors from Pennsylvania against
graduated seniors from New York. This year’s game will be played at
7:30 pm Aug. 5 at Bradford High’s Parkway Field.