Ty Burford Selected To Play In 33rd Annual Lezzer Lumber Classic Football All-Star Game (06/07/17)

Recent Clarion Area High School graduate Ty Burford has been selected to play in the 33rd Annual Central Pennsylvania Football Coaches Association (CPFCA) Lezzer Lumber Classic Football All-Star Game.

(Photo submitted) Ty Burford, at the NFF and College Hall of Fame banquet, flanked by his parents Laura and Brian Burford and Coach Larry Wiser

The game will be played at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium, on Friday, June 23rd. Kickoff is set for 7:00PM.

The CPFCA has thirty-one participating schools throughout the central part of the state, ranging from Clarion Area to the west and Bald Eagle Area to the east, Southern Huntingdon to the south and Brockway to the north. An indication of how evenly matched and competitive this game has been can be seen in that the South leads the North 17-15 after 32 games and the North lead the South in points scored, 648-646.

Ty, the son of Brian and Laura Burford of Marianne Estates, a 6’3″ 175 lb wide receiver and cornerback, will compete on the North Squad, under head coach Tim Jonocko from Clearfield. As a receiver, this past season, Ty had 25 receptions for 611 yards (24.4 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns (nearly half of his catches went for touchdowns).

For his senior season exploits, Ty was named Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference (KSAC) Big School All-Conference at wide receiver and cornerback, Tri-County Sunday/Courier Express All-Stars First Team at wide receiver and WesternPaFootball.Net All-Western PA Honorable Mention at wide receiver.

Ty was Clarion Area’s Western Pennsylvania Football Conference Scholar Athlete Award Winner and also Clarion Area’s National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Central Pennsylvania Chapter Scholar Athlete Award Winner. He plans on attending Penn State Behrend in the fall.

(Ty will also participate in the 2nd Annual Frank Varischetti All-Star Game (KSAC vs AML), on Friday, June 30th, at Brockway with several other Bobcat players and coaches. CSZ will carry an article on that game, at the end of the week. We encourage the entire Clarion Community to turn out to both games in support of our Bobcat All-Stars.)

Also participating on this year’s North Squad, from the KSAC, is Brookville’s Seth Snyder. Fellow Raiders Josh Keesecker and Seth Ray are alternates.

(Congratulations, Ty!!!!)

This is Clarion’s 12th year of participation in the CPFCA, starting in 2006. Bobcat Kevin Grejda was the 2010 Defensive MVP for North Squad, which won 23-7. The 2014 North Team, which won 24-7, had a number of Clarion Area participants. Coach Larry Wiser was the head coach and a number of his Bobcat assistants were on the staff. Clarion Area players scored every point for the North that year.

CLARION AREA ‘S NORTH SQUAD SELECTIONS

2006:  Chris McSwain – linebacker, Rick Schmader – defensive lineman

2007: Brad Rapp – linebacker, Tyler Schwab – wide receiver

2008: Eric Gredja – linebacker (didn’t play due to injury), Scott Larson – offensive line

2009: Mark Divins – offensive line, Jon Kemmer – running back/linebacker (didn’t play due to injury), Larry Wiser – assistant coach

2010: Kevin Grejda – fullback/defensive end (North Defensive MVP), Bubba Rue – running back/linebacker, Bryan Biertempfel – alternate, Larry Wiser – assistant coach

2011: Cameron Slike – offensive lineman

2012: Brandon Heeter – quarterback (didn’t play), Ian Matson – offensive lineman/defensive lineman (didn’t play due to injury)

2014: Cody Hearst – wide receiver/strong safety, Benton Reichart – offensive tackle/defensive tackle, Damien Slike – running back/linebacker, Antonio Troese – wide receiver/kicker, Larry Wiser – head coach, Nate McClaine – assistant coach, Scott Miller – assistant coach, Benny Murtha – ball boy, Keith Murtha – assistant coach, Don Skunda – assistant coach, Kevin “Fonzie” Slike – equipment manager, Todd Smith – assistant coach

2015: Destin Strauser – running back/linebacker, Ian Corbett (didn’t play)

2016: Brendan Miller – defensive back, Scott Miller – assistant coach

2017: Ty Burford – wide receiver/defensive back

CPFCA PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

North: Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Brookville, CentralMountain, Clarion, Clearfield, Curwensville, DuBois, Glendale, Moshannon Valley, Penns Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola, Punxsutawney, State College,West Branch, Brockway

South: Altoona, Bellwood-Antis, Bishop Carroll, Central Martinsburg, Central Cambria, Claysburg-Kimmel, Hollidaysburg, Huntingdon, Juniata Valley, Mifflin County, Mount Union, Penn Cambria, Southern Huntingdon, Tyrone, Williamsburg