2002 BIG 30 ALL-STAR FOOTBALL TEAM

OLEAN, NY – Sixteen players playing in District 9 football leagues have been selected to the Big 30 All-Star team.

Kane, Coudersport and Eisenhower had three players each selected to the team, while Ridgway had two players. Elk County Catholic, Bradford, Port Allegany, St. Marys and Smethport each had one player on the team.

Center Jared Cecchetti (Jr., 6-2, 240), quarterback Tyler Smith (Sr., 5-8, 140) and defensive end Mike Jamerson (Sr., 6-3, 235) represent Kane, the District 9 Class A runner-up, the AML Champion and the AML South Champion, on the team.

Quarterback Ben Cary (Sr., 6-3, 210), running back Zack Hershey (Sr. 5-10, 170) and linebacker Zach Pucci (Sr., 5-10, 190) made the team from Kane, the AML North Champion and AML runner-up.

Place kicker/punter Jason Passinger (So., 5-9, 140), linebacker Jacoby Curtis (Sr., 5-10, 175) and linebacker Jake Rulander (Sr., 5-10, 170) represent Eisenhower, the District 10 Class A champion, on the team.

Offensive lineman Dan Bjorquist (Sr., 6-3, 265) and linebacker Josh Mercer (Sr., 5-10, 185) are the Ridgway representatives.

Offensive lineman Andy Herbstritt (Sr., 6-1, 220) is Elk County Catholic representative, while running back Doug Surra (Sr., 5-6, 15) represents St. Marys.

Defensive back Shawn Colligan (Sr., 6-1, 175) is the lone representative for Bradford, and linebacker Adam Rohrer (Sr., 5-10, 185) represents Port Allegany. Defensive end Nick Vandermark (Sr., 5-11, 240) is Smethport’s representative.

Vandermark is the only player from District 9 leagues to be a returning member of the team.

In all, 31 players are on the Big 30 team, 15 offensive players, 15 defensive players and 1 special teams player.

The Big 30 team is chosen by the Big 30 All-Star Selection Committee, comprised of former coaches, game officials, members of the media and a handful of carefully picked observers. The committee met Nov. 10 and picked the All-Star Team. Players in the New York/Pennsylvania coverage area of the Olean Times-Herald are eligible for the team. In District 9 those teams include all the teams in the AML North, Kane, Cameron County, St. Marys, Johnsonburg, Ridgway and Elk County Catholic.

The All-Star team along with the major award winners, including Coach of the Year, will be honored Tuesday Nov. 19 at the 55th annual Olean Times-Herald Football Testimonial at the St. Bonaventure University Clubhouse.

OFFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

PLAYER

SCHOOL

YR

POS

HT

WT

Dan Bjorquist

Ridgway

Sr.

OL

6-3

265

Sean Carr

Portville (NY)

Sr.

OL

5-10

205

Ben Cary

Coudersport

Sr.

QB

6-3

210

Jared Cecchetti

Kane

Jr.

C

6-2

240

Ben Gilroy

Olean (NY)

Sr.

RB

6-3

225

Adam Hellwig

Portville (NY)

Sr.

RB

5-9

165

Andy Herbstritt

Elk Co. Cath.

Sr.

OL

6-1

220

Zach Hershey

Coudersport

Sr.

RB

5-10

170

Zach Johnson

Olean (NY)

Sr.

OL

6-4

250

x-Brandon Kiffer

Olean (NY)

Sr.

QB

6-2

185

Tom Palcic

Gowanda (NY)

Sr.

RB

5-10

170

Jason Passinger

Eisenhower

So.

K-P

5-9

140

David Perkins

Wellsville (NY)

Sr.

RB

5-11

175

Tyler Smith

Kane

Sr.

QB

5-8

140

Doug Surra

St. Marys

Sr.

RB

5-6

150

James Wright

Olean (NY)

Jr.

WR

6-1

175

DEFENSE

PLAYER

SCHOOL

YR

POS

HT

WT

Bobby Bell

Olean (NY)

Sr.

DB

5-10

165

Shawn Colligan

Bradford

Sr.

DB

6-1

175

Jacoby Curtis

Eisenhower

Sr.

LB

5-10

175

Scott Forster

Cattaraugus-Little Valley (NY)

Sr.

LB

5-10

175

Nino Giambrone

Pioneer (NY)

Sr.

DL

6-3

285

Mike Jamerson

Kane

Sr.

DE

6-3

235

Tommy Kallenbach

Olean (NY)

Sr.

LB

5-11

190

Jim Lee

Olean (NY)

Sr.

DL

6-4

240

Josh Mercer

Ridgway

Sr.

LB

5-10

185

Josh Oakes

Ellicottville (NY)

Sr.

DL

5-10

220

Zach Pucci

Coudersport

Sr.

LB

5-10

190

Adam Rohrer

Port Allegany

Sr.

LB

5-10

185

x-Matt Rosier

Pioneer (NY)

Sr.

DE

6-1

210

Jake Rulander

Eisenhower

Sr.

LB

5-10

170

x-Nick Vandermark

Smethport

Sr.

DE

5-11

240

X – Made All-Star Team in 2001