BIG 33 Passers should prevail in game

Fitch has two players in the all-star contest.
HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) -- The game rules dictate that passing must be a big part of both teams' offenses in the Big 33 all-star game.
Thanks to Mike and Ben Mauk and Art Tragesser, that wouldn't have been a problem in the latest renewal of the Ohio vs. Pennsylvania high school football rivalry, even if it wasn't dictated by the game's organizers.
Pennsylvania and Ohio meet Saturday night in Hershey for the 11th straight year in the Big 33 game, which has been played under varying formats during its 46 years of existence. Pennsylvania has won three straight games and leads the current series 6-4 following last year's surprisingly easy 40-17 victory.
Austintown Fitch's Davanzo Tate and Mike McGlynn, and Zach Mariacher of New Castle are area players in the game.
Big 33 rules require teams to throw the ball at least 40 percent of the time, which shouldn't be a problem for record-setting Ohio quarterback Ben Mauk.
Mauk, who led Kenton to consecutive Ohio Division IV championships, set national records last season by throwing for 6,540 yards and 76 touchdowns. He ended his prep career with 17,354 yards and 179 touchdowns, an average of more than 4,338 yards per season. Mauk is a Wake Forest recruit.
It's unlikely his Big 33 coach will put up the red light for Mauk; Ohio's coach is Ben's father, Mike Mauk, of Kenton.
Pa. standout
Pennsylvania will counter with a big star of its own in running back Austin Scott, who led Parkland to the PIAA Class AAAA championship. Scott, a Penn State recruit, set state records last season with 3,853 yards, 53 touchdowns and 322 points. His rushing total was the fourth highest in U.S. high school football history.
That doesn't mean Pennsylvania won't throw the ball. Tragesser, the Pennsylvania coach from Penn-Trafford High, also is a devotee of the run-and-shoot offense, just as Mike Mauk is. He has two excellent throwing quarterbacks in Bethlehem Catholic's Adam Bednarik and Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt's Marcus Stone.
Bednarik, a backup until late in his junior season, threw for 2,365 yards and 27 touchdowns last season and has signed with West Virginia. Stone, a North Carolina State recruit, threw for 5,871 yards and 67 touchdowns in his career.
Both teams also have skilled defensive players. Among the best for Pennsylvania are linebacker Paul Posluszny, a Penn State recruit who led Hopewell to the PIAA Class AAA championship, and Perry Traditional Academy's Eric Wicks, a West Virginia recruit who made 22 interceptions last season.
The Pennsylvania team is not particularly diverse, with nine of the 34 players coming from just four schools, including three from PIAA Class AAAA runner-up Woodland Hills: defensive back Ryan Mundy (Michigan), defensive lineman Mark Malloy (Kent State) and linebacker Mark Yezovich (Pittsburgh).
Other Pennsylvania schools with multiple players are Bishop McDevitt (Stone and defensive back Vince Beamer), Central Dauphin (wide receivers Brent Wise and Ardon Bransford) and Parkland (Scott and defensive lineman Cody Decker).
Future Buckeyes
Seven Ohio players are headed to NCAA champion Ohio State: cornerback Tony Gonzalez, defensive linemen Brandon Maupin and David Patterson, linebacker Reggie Smith, safety Curt Lukens, wide receiver Devin Jordan and offensive lineman Kirk Barton.
Other top Ohio players include linebacker Shawn Crable (Michigan, Massillon Washington High), wide receiver Ernie Wheelwright (Minnesota, Walnut Ridge High), running back Justin Valentine (Minnesota, Columbus Eastmoor High) and wide receiver Chinedum Ndukwe (Notre Dame, Dublin Coffman High).