OLEAN, N.Y. – Seven teams had at least two selections and a
total of 18 schools are represented on the annual Olean Times
Herald Big 30 All-Star Football Team announced this week.
The OTH committee, which numbers over two dozen members, held
its annual meeting on Nov. 5 to select this year’s team.
Committeemen travel around the area during the regular season
evaluating players, who can be sophomores, juniors or seniors. In
recent years a mid-season meeting has been held to put out names of
prospective candidates for the elite team.
An offensive unit and a defensive unit are selected with a total
of 30 players being chosen. Because of the important roll specialty
teams play in a team’s success, in recent years, an optional 31st
slot has been added for a kicker if there is a strong
candidate.
Parity among the players has reached a high point in the
selections, with domination by just two or three teams unlikely to
take place. In the past as many as six players came from one
team.
Now, however, members concentrate more on individual talent and
athleticism looking for players at small schools who would be
capable of playing for larger ones. Team records or the level at
which they compete do not come into play as heavily as in the
past.
This year, unbeaten Coudersport led the way in the voting with
four players.
Representing the 10-0 Falcons, who claimed the Allegheny
Mountain League title for their 10th straight win, are Chris
Cavallari and Isaac Cary on offense and Kody Frederick and Drew
Levavasseur on the defense.
Four teams landed three players on the team.
In alphabetical order, Allegany-Limestone placed Chris Grace and
Blake Eaton on the offense and Eric Rockwood was put on the team as
the kicker.
Bradford, followed with running back Taylor O’Brien and lineman
Steven Reinhardt making the offensive unit and lineman Rob Pire
being placed on the defensive squad.
Reinhardt is the only sophomore named to this year’s team, while
O’Brien and Pire join seven juniors who earned selections.
Despite his youth, Reinhardt impressed committeemen with his
footwork on the offensive line while carrying 260 pounds on a 6-3
frame. O’Brien rushed for over 1,000 yards in the regular season
from his fullback position and Pire was credited with 93 tackles
and four sacks as a defensive lineman.
Cattaraugus-Little Valley also put three players on the team
with Matt Crandall making the offensive squad and Bryan Fite and
Clifton Krotz landing positions on the defense.
Johnsonburg rounded out the quartet of teams with three players.
Representing the Rams were Calvin Grumley on the offense and Judd
Zilcosky and Nathan Weber on the defense.
This was the second year that Zilcosky made the squad, after
being named in 2005 as a junior.
Two schools placed two players each on the team, Ridgway with
Jerico Weitzel and Dan Lindgren on offense, and Bolivar-Richburg
with Kameron Konert on offense and Bill Erwin on the defense.
Completing the list are 11 schools with one player each.
Alphabetically they are Cameron County (John Malizia, defense),
Elk County Catholic (Craig Kronenwetter, offense); Ellicottville
(Billy Roosa, offense); Gowanda (Jamie Wallschlaeger, defense);
Hinsdale (Dustin Washington, offense); Kane (D.J. Horton, defense);
Pioneer (Ron Malicki, offense); Portville (Brandon Yarnes,
defense); Randolph (Tim McElwain), defense); Salamanca (Mike
Crandall, defense), and West Valley (Matt McCarthy, defense).
