The members of this week’s additions to the Big 30 Charities Classic rosters feature talent from both Pennsylvania and New York, including Coudersport’s top runner and the reigning Big 30 Player of the Year.
Brock Wilson of Coudersport starred at running back on offense and linebacker and safety on defense for the Falcons. He will be attending Alfred University, where he will be majoring in marketing while also playing football for the Saxons. Wilson was named to the AML all-star team and was thrilled to have his name called for the Big 30 Classic.
“I’m honored to be chosen to play in the Big 30 game and represent my school and my state,” he said.
Wilson’s most memorable moment on the gridiron came when his 2-point conversion helped defeat Bradford High in overtime. His favorite football team is the Michigan Wolverines and his favorite player is their star player Jabrill Peppers.
Olean’s Garrett Boldt headlines the New York portion of the roster additions.
Among Boldt’s many accolades include being named the Big 30 Player of the Year, a 2016 Connelly Cup finalist and a 2016 first-team All-New York Class B selection by the sportswriters of New York. Boldt plans to attend Division-I Campbell University in North Carolina where he will study criminal justice and play baseball on scholarship.
Boldt’s accomplishments on the diamond include being named to the Big 30 baseball team as well as offensive MVP for baseball last year.
While he will continue his baseball career in college, Boldt says that football is his favorite sport and that he would give anything to play one more game with his brothers.
The other additions to the Pa. roster feature Ty-Del Green (Port Allegany), Thomas Warren (Eisenhower) and Jacob Anderson (Ridgway-Johnsonburg).
Green plans on attending Pittsburgh Technical College and major in electrical engineering. After graduation he hopes to work for either St. Jude of UPMC hospitals.
Green was named an AML all-star in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.
“I’m looking forward to playing under the lights one more time and playing with some of the guys I’ve battled for years,” he said.
His most memorable moment was being a part of the last Port Allegany junior varsity football team.
Warren hopes to earn a master’s degree in nursing. At Ike, he was a three-year letterwinner and Ironman award winner. He was also named first team all-region at tight end and second team all-region at linebacker. Warren’s best memory is of playing football with his brother for four years and beating Mercyhurst Prep in his freshman year.
Anderson is looking to teach the sport of football at some level down the road.
“I want to show how it can be a privilege to play at any level,” he said.
Anderson, a linebacker who attends Johnsonburg and plays for Ridgway in the schools’ cooperative agreement, helped the Elkers to this year’s District 9 title and is also an honor student. A fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Hall of Famer Jack Ham, Anderson says his favorite moments playing the game involved seeing the way football influenced people from two rival schools.
Rounding out things on the N.Y. side were Niko Pannes (Southwestern), Dooley Brennan (Franklinville) and Preston Hutchinson (Ellicottville).
After entering the ROTC program at college, Pannes hopes to enter the military after graduation.
He was named all-state for football in both his junior and senior seasons, as well as being named the Section 6 defensive player of the game in the playoffs.
Pannes is Southwestern’s all-time receiving leader and also holds the school record for most receptions in a game. His most memorable moment was the game-winning catch he made against Cleveland Hill that sent Southwestern to Sectionals at Ralph Wilson Stadium in his sophomore year.
Brennan also plans on joining the military and hopes to see the world.
He was named Franklinville’s offensive MVP in 2015, while also being named to the Big 30 all-star first team in 2016. Brennan earned the defensive MVP of the Sectional title game in 2016.
The Miami Dolphins fan’s favorite memory was playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium in his junior year.
Hutchinson will attend either Alfred University or Penn State University. He was a two-time Big 30 selection, as well as a two-time first team Section 6 all-star and Trench Trophy Finalist. Hutchinson was also a third team All-Western New York selection and a second team All-State selection.
His most memorable moments were playing three straight years at New Era Stadium and winning the Sectional Championship in 2015.
With these additions there have now been 65 players named to the game – 33 from New York and 32 from Pennsylvania. There will eventually be around 40 players named to each team. A series of 11 practices will begin on July 20 in preparation for the game.
This year’s contest will be held at 7 p.m. on Aug. 5 at Bradford High’s Parkway Field.
For more information on the Classic, visit www.Big30football.org.
