Big 33: Outburst gives Ohio Big 33 win
Pennsylvania rally comes up short in classic
Sunday, July 24, 2005

By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


HERSHEY, Pa. -- Pennsylvania used a no-huddle offense for much of last night's Big 33 Football Classic. The problem for Pennsylvania was it also used no defense for part of the game.

Ohio scored 28 points in the first nine minutes of the contest and Pennsylvania could never recover. Pennsylvania made a valiant comeback, but Ohio held on for a 34-28 victory in front of 15,667 fans at Hersheypark Stadium.

Pennsylvania's MVP was running back/defensive back LaRod Stephens-Howling, a Pitt recruit from Johnstown High School. Stephens-Howling caught two passes for 93 yards, including one of 77 yards for a touchdown. He also was Pennsylvania's second-leading tackler with six.

Quarterback Rob Schoenhoft, an Ohio State recruit from Saint Xavier High School, was Ohio's MVP. He completed 11 of 20 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

This was the 48th annual Big 33, which matches top high school graduates from Pennsylvania against Ohio. The game lived up to its "Classic" billing in the first quarter -- a classic blowout. Ohio jumped out to a 28-7 lead before Pennsylvania's defense settled down and the offense came alive to make things interesting. But Ohio came away with its third consecutive victory against Pennsylvania.

"People had been mentioning that we were one of the fastest Ohio teams in Big 33 history," Schoenhoft said. "We knew we had an advantage with the speed and we used it. But [Pennsylvania] got acquainted to the speed in the second half and gave us some trouble."

Ohio had 332 yards offense in the first half, but only 42 in the second half. For the game, Pennsylvania outgained Ohio, 466-374.

Clairton's Dana Brown led Pennsylvania in rushing with 77 yards on nine carries and Aliquippa's Tommie Campbell caught a team-high four passes for 48 yards.

"You know what the difference was? We just didn't get enough pressure on their quarterback in the first half and because of that, Ohio was able to get to their deep routes," said Sean Lee, a Pennsylvania linebacker from Upper St. Clair who had a team-high seven tackles.

Pennsylvania trailed by 34-21 at halftime, but Pennsylvania managed the only touchdown of the second half when Penn Hills' Ed Collington, a West Virginia recruit, scored on a 1-yard run. The extra-point kick made it 34-28 with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

Pennsylvania was on the Ohio 16 later in the third quarter, but Central Catholic quarterback Shane Murray, a Pitt recruit, fumbled on a keeper and Ohio defensive back Bryan Williams, another Pitt recruit, recovered and returned it to the 32.

Williams, a product of Buchtel High in Akron, intercepted a pass at the Ohio 20-yard line to snuff out another scoring Pennsylvania scoring threat midway through the fourth quarter. He knocked down a fourth-down pass at the Ohio 5-yard line late in the game.

"It took us a little while to get used to things on defense," said Bob Palko, the Pennsylvania head coach from West Allegheny High School. "But the bottom line is we didn't make the plays when we had to. We had our chances in the second half. All-star games are about making plays, and Ohio made the plays in the first half."

The first half took one hour and 40 minutes to complete. It probably seemed like an eternity for Pennsylvania's defense. Ohio scored five touchdowns in the first 17 minutes and took a 34-21 lead into halftime.

Schoenhoft was 8 of 14 for 237 yards in the first half and had touchdown passes of 74 yards to Warren Hardin receiver Mario Manningham (Michigan) and 23 yards to Glen Oaks' Brian Hartline (Ohio State).

Withrow's Dante Love (Ball State) also scored on a 5-yard run and Ursuline defensive back Derrick Stewart (Cincinnati) returned an interception 55 yards for a score to give Ohio a 28-7 lead with 3:15 still remaining in the first quarter.

Pennsylvania actually had the lead first, scoring on the game's first play when Collington took a swing pass from Murray and turned it into a 70-yard touchdown play.

After falling behind by 21 points, Pennsylvania got back into the game on two long scoring plays. Stephens-Howling turned a short pass from Murray into a 77-yard score late in the first quarter. Seton-LaSalle receiver Carmen Connolly (West Virginia) fought off a couple defenders and caught a 72-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Jefferson quarterback Brad Dawson (IUP) in the second. Connolly finished with three catches for 104 yards.

But Ohio scored once more before the half when Love took a handoff and pulled up to throw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Jared Martin with 7:51 left in the second quarter.

It was Ohio's final score of the game.

UC's recruit performance (based on my observations):

#6 Donnel McKenzie : played for PA team. didn't notice him.
#6 Curtis Smith : sack late in the game to slow down PA's drive
#7 Brad Jones : interception during same drive (nullified by penalty)
#10 Jared Martin : touchdown reception
#13 Dominic Goodman : solid backup QB to Schoenhoft
#16 Derick Stewart : interception and 50 yd return for touchdown
#20 Mike Mickens: didn't notice him
#37 Terrill Byrd : I saw him on several plays, but not sure about sacks, tackles, etc.
#72 Steve Gawronski : not sure. didn't notice him.

All in all, the Bearcats were well represented.

School's recruits were as follows:
Cincinnati : 9
Ohio State: 8
Pitt: 7
West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan St., Penn State: 3 each

The Pennsylvaina starts played the Texas stars several years ago. I think there were three games the closest of which was a 40+ point spread. Pannsylvani canceled the series when they found out that Texas was sending a team to play the Oklahoma Stars as well and thus they were being creamed by a watered down all star team. You would get the same results today.

Yes, and Florida would kick Texas' ***, Coog. What's your point?

Quote:The Pennsylvaina starts played the Texas stars several years ago. I think there were three games the closest of which was a 40+ point spread. Pannsylvani canceled the series when they found out that Texas was sending a team to play the Oklahoma Stars as well and thus they were being creamed by a watered down all star team. You would get the same results today.

-- What does that have to do with the Big 33 game between Pa and Ohio?



Jackson

TopCoog Wrote:The Pennsylvaina starts played the Texas stars several years ago. I think there were three games the closest of which was a 40+ point spread. Pannsylvani canceled the series when they found out that Texas was sending a team to play the Oklahoma Stars as well and thus they were being creamed by a watered down all star team. You would get the same results today.

Coog, you need to do your homework.

There were 4 games between Texas and PA. Texas won the series going 3-1. None of the games had a 40 point spread.

Jim

Well has Top Coog ever posted anything factual?

Cardfan, Our second all star team would be a decent game with Fla..... I know this is a message board but lets try to be a little realistic.