The 48th annual Big 30 All-Star Charities Classic, set for the night of Aug. 6 at Bradford High’s Parkway Field, has announced a couple of late additions to this year’s game.
The former Big 30 All-Star Football Game, founded by the late Don Raabe, matches graduated senior stars from each side of the border with the series tied, 22-22-3, though Pennsylvania hasn’t lost to New York since the 2015 renewal.
Proceeds benefit area charities and, over the first 47 years, the game has donated more than $1.8 million to local causes.
Going into last month’s Media Day, a full roster of 84 players — 42 to each squad — had already been named to this year’s renewal. However, subsequent roster increases have led to the addition of five new players, including a replacement — two from New York and one from Pennslyvania.
The duo from New York is Pioneer’s Brody Hopkins and Bolivar-Richburg’s Landon Danaher.
Pennsylvania’s additions are Otto-Eldred’s Cohen Walker, Cameron County’s Derek Cherry and Ridgway’s Hunter Wall.
WALKER was a 6-foot-1, 220-pound two-way tackle who was both a football and basketball captain who will attend the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Cherry was a 6-foot, 180-pound offensive lineman/defensive lineman-linebacker who was CCHS’ Most Improved Player and winner of the John Simon Award
An honor roll student, he will join the Air Force.
Wall was a 5-foot-10, 200-pound guard-linebacker who was a District 9 Large-School All-Star who earned Pennsylvania All-State honors. A Big 30 All-Star he was also chosen to participate in this year’s Frank Varischetti All-Star Game after finishing his senior season fifth in the state in tackles.
He has yet to choose a college but will major in mechanical engineering and hopes to play football.
Of the Charities Classic Wall said, “I always wanted to play in the game since I was little knowing how much of an accomplishment it is.”
His favorite memory playing football was “back-to-back 20-plus tackle games.”
HOPKINS was a 6-foot, 185-pound quarterback/safety who was a Section 6 Class B-South All-Star at both safety (second team) and third team (quarterback). Brody, who was a three-sport captain, plans to study cyber security and play football at Hilbert.
Of the Charities Classic, he said, “I’m excited to play one last game with my teammates and to fulfill a dream to play in the Big 30 Game.”
His favorite moment in football was “playing Cheektowaga as a sophomore in the playoffs and getting the win with 12 seconds left to go.”
Danaher was a 6-foot, 180-pound wide receiver/safety who was a three-time Allegany County All-Star in basketball, a two-time MVP, a 1,000-point scorer and was second-team All-Big 30.
In baseball he was a two-time sectional winner and named to both the Big 30 and Division 1 All-Stars.
Danaher will enroll in the ROTC program at Florida Atlantic University, from which he has a scholarship.
His favorite memory playing football was “beating Canisteo in the 2020 sectionals.”
