Led by the unbeaten Kane Wolves with six players, Pennsylvania held the advantage in the voting for the 2016 Olean Times Herald Big 30 All-Star Team with 18 players landing berths on the squad as compared to 13 for New York.
The 31-player team was hammered out by over two dozen committee members Nov. 6 in Bradford at the Italian American Progressive Club. It marked the first time the selection meeting was not held in Olean.
A two-thirds majority of votes was necessary to make the team.
Players making the squad came from 13 schools with seven from Pennsylvania and six from New York.
The selection of six Kane players came as no surprise. The Wolves won the Allegheny Mountain League title for their 10th straight victory and opened the District 9 Class AA playoffs with a convincing triumph over Moniteau to go to 11-0 on the season at the time of the selection meeting.
The Wolves placed four players on the offensive unit, one on the defense and had their kicker selected as the optional 31st pick on the Big 30 Team.
Grabbing one of the quarterback slots was Reed Williams who has passed for over 1,500 yards, with teammate Davis Gardner being one of his favorite targets. Gardner also earned a spot on the team at split end.
Spearheading the ground game, which has piled up more than 2,500 yards, was junior running back Erik DeLong, a unanimous selection for the team. DeLong has over 1,400 rushing yards.
Also on offense, the Wolves were represented by lineman Keaton Rounsville, who was the key pass and run blocker for the team this season.
On defense the Wolves’ Toby Fox made it on the line, and rounding out the Kane players was Joe Johnson at kicker. At the time of the meeting, Johnson had made 41 of 44 extra points, had one field goal on the season and four touchbacks on kickoffs.
Regular season unbeaten, Olean led three teams who landed four players on the team.
The Huskies (8-1) put three players on offense and one on defense.
Garrett Boldt joined Kane’s Reed at quarterback, while Olean’s Jordan McLaughlin and Darius Williams were two of the linemen who helped make Boldt a dual threat as a runner and passer.
On defense, Dylan Vincent landed a berth at linebacker.
A surprise this season was Ridgway which placed four players on the team. At the time of the meeting the Elkers were 8-2 and preparing for their District 9 Class A semifinal game.
Ridgway impressed voters on defense where Colton McClain (lineman), Justin Kasmierski (end) and Joey Elinski (linebacker) all made the unit.
The Elkers put Neil MacDonald, who had rushed for nearly 900 yards at the time of the meeting, on the offense at running back.
Completing the trio of teams with four players on the squad was Franklinville-Ellicottville (7-3).
The Titans’ quartet, all placed on the offense, was led by Brock Blecha, who joined Kane’s Reed and Olean’s Boldt as the Big 30 squad’s third quarterback. Blecha threw for nearly 1,200 yards and ran for another 500.
Joining Blecha were teammates Griffin Chudy (running back), Dooley Brennan (split end) and Preston Hutchinson (lineman).
The four teams listed above accounted for 18 of the 31 players selected and, at the time of the meeting, had a combined record of 34-6.
Placing two players each on the elite squad were four teams.
Elk Catholic, 7-3 and still playing in the District 9 Class A playoffs at the time of the meeting, put Doug Schatz and Joe Kucenski on the defense. Schatz made it as a lineman and Kucenski at end.
Otto-Eldred, which made a run at the end of the season to capture the AML North Division title, put Seth Drummond on the offense at running back and Grant West on defense at linebacker.
Coudersport, which lost to O-E in the battle for that North crown, put its two representatives on the defense. Aaron Wolfinger made it as a linebacker and teammate Jared Green as a defensive back.
Rounding out the foursome was Cuba-Rushford, which placed both of its players on the offensive unit. Trevor Smith made the team at running back and Dylan Jones as a lineman.
Completing the Big 30 team were five schools with one player each.
Bradford’s Mitchell Vleminckx filled a defensive back slot, St. Marys’ Matt Marconi made it on offense at running back, Allegany-Limestone’s Marcus Grove was put on the defense at linebacker, Bolivar-Richburg’s Jacob Smith also made it on defense at linebacker and Pioneer’s Todd Thompson filled a running back slot on offense.
The team will be honored at the annual OTH Big 30 Testimonial on Nov. 16 at Good Times of Olean. Activities will begin at 6 p.m. At the same time, winners of Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Lineman of the Year and the school Sportsmanship Award, will also be announced.
