PREP FOOTBALL Big 33 officials await decision on Ohio game

The Pennsylvania coaches are not happy with Ohio's selection process.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Big 33 game officials have been told that Ohio wants to remain Pennsylvania's opponent in the annual high school all-star football game.
However, Big 33 executive director Mickey Minnich said his organization will not decide on an opponent for the 2007 game until it meets with the Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association on June 24 in Altoona.
Minnich recently met with the Maryland Football Coaches Association and said Maryland is eager to resume a Big 33 series that ran from 1985 through 1992.
The Ohio Football Coaches Association's executive committee voted unanimously to continue taking part in the Big 33 game.
Best players stay home
However, Minnich previously criticized Ohio's selection process for the game after its coaches decided to pick the top 44 players for their own North-South game before choosing the Big 33 team.
Ohio coaches have agreed to alter the selection process for future games. However, Minnich had already initiated contact with other state associations, including Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan.
Minnich has said New Jersey would be a good opponent, but the mid-June date conflicts with numerous high school graduations in that state.
A New Jersey-Pennsylvania or Maryland-Pennsylvania matchup would be far more attractive for players from eastern Pennsylvania than those from western Pennsylvania, who would likely prefer an Ohio or Michigan matchup.
Games on same date
This year, the Ohio North-South game and Big 33 game are both scheduled for June 17.
Big 33 was forced to move from its usual late-July date after the NCAA approved a rule allowing incoming freshmen to draw on their athletic scholarships to attend summer classes.
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