Number Of Orange And Black Reunions At PSFCA HOF Ceremony And Big 33 Game (06/21/17)
It was a big day for Orange and Black reunions, on Saturday, June 17th, in Harrisburg, at the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Big 33 Classic (Pennsylvania vs Maryland) Football All-Star Game. And it made no difference if the reunion was East Brady Bulldog Orange and Black, Clarion Bobcat Orange and Black or a combination of the two.
Bulldogs who attended:
Dave Moody, Barry Anderson, David Kerschbaumer, Debbie Kerschbaumer Henry, Terry Henry, Jim Kelly, Brian Henry, Bill Olcus, Ed McClaine
Reunion 1
Former East Brady and Seneca Valley Coach Terry Henry was honored for his prolific coaching career at the early afternoon ceremony, at the Red Lion Hotel with induction into the Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2017. Joining Coach Henry on the platform was his good friend and former quarterback and linebacker Jim Kelly. The Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback from the USFL Houston Gamblers and NFL Buffalo Bills had the honor of being Coach Henry’s presenter.
Attending the ceremony, in addition to Coach Henry, his wife Debbie and Kelly, were several men who played for Henry as members the Bulldogs. Coach Henry mentioned them by name during his speech: Dave Moody, Barry Anderson, Dave Kerschbaumer (Debbie’s brother and Karns City’s girls basketball coach), Kelly, Brian Henry, Bill Olcus and Ed McClaine.
Nate McClaine, Dave Kerschbaumer, Dave, Coach Henry, Coach Wiser, Jim Kelly
Reunion 2
Also attending the ceremony was Clarion Area Head Coach Larry Wiser, along with yours truly and my son and Larry’s line coach Nate McClaine. Coach Wiser, a PSFCA committee member, is a friend of Coach Henry and fellow Hall of Famer (Class of 2011). The two, along with Kerschbaumer have been staff members of Kelly’s Youth Football Camps.
Reunion 3
The Big 33 had a special time before the game for alumni, with a meal in the “Alumni Tent” prior to the game. Kelly is a Big 33 alumnus (1978). Clarion Bobcat John Marshall, a Big 33 alumnus (1983) also attended, along with his wife, as did Coach Wiser, who was and assistant coach on the 2016 Pennsylvania Squad.
Nate McClaine – East/West( 2004); John Marshall – Big 33 (1983); Coach Larry Wiser – East/West (2010), Big 33 (2016)
Reunion 4
Marshall, Wiser and Nate McClaine joined for a photo prior to the game. Marshall is Clarion’s last Big 33 player. Theo Lawrence (1972) and Chuck Ruslavage (1981) are also Big 33 Alums. McClaine is Clarion’s last player in the other PSFCA sponsored Statewide All-Star Showcase, The East /West Game, having played in 2004. His former teammate Kyle Cathcart was selected to the East/West Game in 2002, but couldn’t play due to injury. Coach Wiser was an assistant coach in both the East/West and Big 33 Games. He coached in the 2010 East/West Game and the 2016 Big 33 Classic.
Class of 2017 Coaches being introduced at halftime
Reunion 5
Coach Henry and Kelly had a final time together on the field during the game. Kelly was in charge of the ceremonial coin toss and Coach Henry was introduced, along with other members of this year’s Hall of Fame Class, Bill Elder, Stan Kucharski and Ernie Fetzer, at halftime. Fellow inductee Walt Nottingham was unable to attend the ceremony or game.
For me this was an extremely memorable event. It was great seeing the friendship between members of these two former rival schools, hearing some of the stories throughout the afternoon and evening, through speeches or conversations, of some of the history surrounding some of the various individuals mentioned above. Absolutely a wonderful experience. Oh, by the way, Pennsylvania won 44-33.
Coach Henry and Jim Kelly with Hall of Fame Rings (Coach’s PSFCA ring, Jim’s Pro Football Hall of Fame ring)
PSFCA Hall of Famers, Coach Wiser and Coach Henry and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly