Six more area seniors have have accepted invitations to take
part in the 34th annual Don Raabe Big 30 Charities Classic.

Joining the Pennsylvania roster will be Isaac Cary of
Coudersport High School, Derek McCullough of Elk County Catholic
High School and Ben Paul of Warren High.

Added to the New York roster are Rob Solan from
Allegany-Limestone Central School, Matt Crandall of
Cattaraugus-Little Valley Central School and Cuba-Rushford Central
School’s Derek Edwards.

Cary is 6’1″, 220 pounds and plays center and defensive end. He
was named an Olean Times Herald Big 30 All-star in 2005 and 2006
and was named Big 30 lineman of the year in 2006. He was also named
Coudersport’s lineman of the year in 2004 and was named lineman of
the week seven times during his high school career.

Cary also earned the Keystone Degree and Star Greenhand
award.

He plans to attend college and major in elementary
education.

According to Cary, he wants to play in the Classic because “the
Big 30 Game has a proud tradition in which it would be an honor to
contribute my abilities. I know that by playing I will have a
better understanding of its importance.”

Cary says his biggest thrill was “beating Curwensville five
times in a row my junior and senior year.”

His hobbies include hunting, fishing, four-wheeling, lifting and
running, as well as spending time with his family and going to see
his brother.

Cary says his favorite team is the Green Bay Packers and his
favorite player is Brett Favre.

McCullough is a 5’7″, 155-pound running back and outside
linebacker. He plans to attend Clarion University and major in
education.

McCullough was named Who’s Who among American High School
Athletes and was awarded the coaches award his senior year in
football. He was a four-year letterwinner in wrestling and a
two-year letterwinner in both baseball and football.

He says he is excited at the chance to play in one more football
game. He looks forward to meeting his new teammates and getting
back on the field for one last time.

McCullough believes his biggest thrill was intercepting a pass
while playing St. Marys and ending its scoring drive and enabling
ECC to defeat the Dutchmen 13-0.

McCullough enjoys golf, hunting, fishing, camping and
waterskiing.

His favorite player is Hines Ward and his favorite team is the
Pittsburgh Steelers.

Paul is a 6’3″, 175-pound wide receiver and defensive back.

Paul was named first team all-region wide receiver and was named
Warren’s offensive MVP. He was also a Blue Hammer Award winner and
was named most improved player in basketball.

Paul plans to attend Gannon University, majoring in sports and
exercise science.

He wants to play in the Big 30 Game because “I have always loved
to play football and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play one
last game.”

Paul believes his biggest thrill was when Warren beat Meadville
in six overtimes his sophomore year. He was the starting
quarterback and scored three touchdowns in the overtimes.

Paul enjoys hanging out with friends and playing video
games.

His favorite teams are Penn State and Syracuse, and his favorite
players are Bob Sanders and Calvin Johnson.

On the New York side, there’s Solan, a 6’3″, 190-pound wide
receiver and defensive end.

He was named a member of the scholar-athlete team for the fall
of 2006 and winter of 2007 and was also named to the All-Western
New York Academic team.

Solan plans to study chemical engineering in college.

He sees playing in the Big 30 Game as his chance to play
football one last time.

Solan says his biggest thrill was “watching our team win the ‘C’
Bowl my senior year.”

He enjoys reading, running and swimming in his free time.

His favorite team is the Buffalo Bills.

For Crandall, his reason for playing is simple: The Big 30 Game
is a great cause and he loves to play football.

Crandall is 6′ and 200 pounds and plays as both a running back
and linebacker.

He plans to major in physical therapy at Ithaca College.

Crandall was a member of the National Honor Society, was on the
High Honor Roll, was the Olean Times Herald Big 30 player of the
year for 2006, was a first team all-state running back and was
Class ‘D’ West offensive player of the year. Crandall was also a
finalist for the Connolly Cup.

His biggest thrill was “winning the Section 6 championship this
past fall at Ralph Wilson Stadium.”

Crandall enjoys weightlifting, listening to music, eating,
relaxing and hanging out with friends in his free time.

His favorite team is the Cincinnati Bengals.

Edwards, a 5’11”, 160-pound quarterback and defensive back,
plans to attend Niagara University as a secondary education/history
major.

He is a member of the National Honor Society, was awarded a
four-year ROTC scholarship and was named a Big 30 baseball
all-star. Edwards was also a four-year varsity starter in football,
basketball and baseball and is an Expressway and Allegheny County
all-star.

Edwards wants to play in the Charities Classic because “the Big
30 Game has been a goal of mine since I was a little boy playing
midgets.”

He believes his biggest thrill was “the touchdown I scored in
overtime to win my last high school game at Canisteo/Greenwood. Up
until then we had never beaten Canisteo/Greenwood during my high
school football career.”

Edwards’ hobbies include football, basketball, baseball and
playing Madden football.

Edwards likes the Buffalo Bills, and his favorite player is
Michael Vick.