2017 Recap
Written by: Big 33 Staff on June 17, 2017.
The Big 33 Football Classic had a new look this year as Pennsylvania extended its winning streak over Maryland to three games with a 44-33 victory Saturday at Landis Field. Pennsylvania’s quarterbacks Grant Breneman and Reece Udinski celebrated the 60th anniversary of the all-star showcase with a combined 392 passing yards, with North Penn’s Udinski clearing MVP honors with a big second half.
Maryland’s defensive unit rotated with only five linemen after St. Frances defensive lineman B’Ahmad Miller (University of Maryland), one of the few Power Five options Team Maryland touted left the game with an injury early in the first quarter.
Evan Fochtman led a charge out of halftime that gave Maryland its lone lead of the night and convinced the players they could handle Pennsylvania’s test. Fochtman capped those efforts with a 7-yard rushing touchdown less than three minutes into the third quarter for a 21-17 advantage. But Cedar Cliff’s Breneman found St. Joe’s Prep wideout Terrance Greene for a 31-yard scoring strike less than four minutes later.
Middletown RB Jalen Thompson would cap a brisk six-play, 71-yard drive by plunging in from the Maryland 4. Maryland’s offense worked to come back from that deficit, which Pennsylvania stretched to as many as 17 points. Fochtman completed seven of his 15 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Jabari Laws (Army West Point), who led Wise to the Class 4A state championship in the fall, went 6-for-11 for 84 yards.
St. Joe’s Prep wideout Terrance Greene had two touchdown catches with a 71-yarder from Breneman, who completed 7 of 13 attempts for 217 yards. Pitt recruit Darian Street of Liberty added a 51-yarder from Udinski, who completed 7-of-13 for 217 yards and was named Pennsylvania’s MVP. The offense, led by Archbishop Wood coach Steve Devlin, featured more four-receiver formations after halftime.
Harrisburg’s Joel Davis led Pennsylvania with six catches for 132 yards and a touchdown. Greene had five catches and 162 yards. Archbishop Wood running back Shawn Thompson also found the end zone twice for Pennsylvania.
The 10 WPIAL players on the roster didn’t throw, catch or run for any of Pennsylvania’s six touchdowns. Woodland Hills safety Saeed Holt was involved often, but their greatest impact was noticeable up front. The WPIAL had six linemen on the roster.
When Pennsylvania scored 4 minutes later on a drive orchestrated by Udinski, the Keystone State entered the fourth ahead 30-21. The touchdown was a 4-yard run by Thompson, who rushed for 80 yards. A few plays later, Darian Street caught a 51-yarder and Pennsylvania led 37-21 with 6:43 left.
