The Super Bowl Streak Continues for Big 33 Classic

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

When Super Bowl XVI is played next Sunday in Indianapolis, officials of the Big 33 Classic that is played annually in Hershey, Pennsylvania will be once again celebrating.

What will they be celebrating?

The streak.

What streak?

For the 46th straight Super Bowl, a Big 33 alum will be playing on football's biggest stage!

It's quite a calling card for the Big 33 Classic that began back in 1958.

Through the years, Pennsylvania’s top 33 football players have squared-off with all-star teams from Maryland, Ohio and Texas. There have been games against an all-USA all-star team, plus sometimes the eastern part of the state battled the western part of the state for bragging rights.

For the past 19-years, the Big 33 has pitted the Keystone State against stars from Ohio. It’s been a very competitive series with Ohio winning ten games and Pennsylvania winning nine.

This year's game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots will feature an incredible number of eight former Big 33 participants, which would have been nine if Dan Koppen, Patriots' center was on injured reserve.

Here are the the former Big 33'ers that will take the field on Sunday:

New York Giants: (WR) Mario Manningham, (FB) Henry Hynoski, (LB) Chase Blackburn, (G) Chris Snee and (RB) Da'rel Scott

New England Patriots: (QB) Brian Hoyer, (P) Zoltan Mesko, (FB) Lousaka Polite and (C) Dan Koppen (injured reserve)

On January 12th, I spoke with Mike Brennan, head coach of the 2012 Pennsylvania all-stars.  During that interview, Brennan talked about the incredible streak.

Click here to listen to that interview.

This year's Big 33 Classic will be played June 16th.