Jekielek playing in Senior Classic
Kane's Cora Jekielek is among the 40 players from Pennsylvania and New York who will compete in Sunday's Big 30 Basketball Senior Classic at Portville Central High School in New York.
Jekielek's brother Andy, scored 17 points in PA'S 109-96 victory last year.
The girls play at 2 p.m. and the boys at 4 p.m.
John Hepfer, a former Otto-eldred coach, will lead the PA girls. Joining Jekielek are Izzy Catalone from St. Marys, Otto-eldred's Katie Sheeler, Anna Merry, Brooke Close, and Bri Heller, Evin Stauffer from Port Allegany, Coudersport's Emma Chambers, Abby Lutz from Smethport, and Norther Potter's Rebecca Martin.
Former Cameron County coach Don Sestina will guide the Keystone State boys. The roster includes Ridgway's Aaron Sorg, Aaron Myers from Johnsonburg, Elk County Catholics Michael Jacobs and Adam Straub, Cameron County's Camdyn Allison, Drew Evans from Port Allegany, Smethport's Preston Alfieri, Conner Finch from Sheffield, and Otto-eldred's Austin Cousins.
The event began in 2015. It wasn't played in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Last year, the PA boys won 10996, which evened the series 3-3. The Empire State girls were 64-35 victors. They've won the last five.
The NY 35-second shot clocks will be used. Three PA referees will officiate the girls and a crew from New York, the boys. The format is alternated each year.
The game is not directly tied to the Big 30 Charities Classic football game. However, the group does select players for the pigskin game. In addition, the organization gives $7,000 in scholarships to various athletes through the Big 30 area, including MCKean, Elk, Cameron, Potter, and Warren in Pennsylvania and Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties in New York. There are three categories for the scholarships – academic (student-athletes in any sport), the Classic scholarships, and the 12th Man Award given to a football player in both states.
2023 Big 30 Senior Classic Rosters Girls
Pennsylvania: #2 Anna Merry (Otto-eldred), #3 Brooke Close (Otto-eldred), #4 Katie Sheeler (Otto-eldred), #5 Izzy Catalone (St. Marys), #11 Cora Jekielek (Kane), #15 Emma Chambers (Coudersport), #24 Rebecca Martin (Northern Potter), #30 Abby Lutz (Smethport), #34 Bri Heller (Otto-eldred).
New York: #00 Teagan Kosinski (Portville), #1 Kyra Pence (Randolph), #2 Madison Callen (AlleganyLimestone), #3 Vanessa Hall (Andover-whitesville), #4 Megan Jackson (Franklinville), #10 Alyssa Boldt (Pioneer), #11 Jessica Prentice (Houghton Academy), #21 Emily Robbins (Wellsville), #23 Taylor Searle (Cuba-rushford), #24 Leah Williams (Olean).
New York: #00 Teagan Kosinski (Portville), #1 Kyra Pence (Randolph), #2 Madison Callen (AlleganyLimestone), #3 Vanessa Hall (Andover-whitesville), #4 Megan Jackson (Franklinville), #10 Alyssa Boldt (Pioneer), #11 Jessica Prentice (Houghton Academy), #21 Emily Robbins (Wellsville), #23 Taylor Searle (Cuba-rushford), #24 Leah Williams (Olean).
Boys
Pennsylvania: #0 Aaron Myers (Johnsonburg), #2 Austin Cousins (Otto-eldred), #3 Preston Alfieri (Smethport), #4 Aaron Sorg (Ridgway), #5 Camdyn Allison (Cameron County), #12 Drew Evans (Port Allegany), #13 Michael Jacobs (Elk County Catholic), #20 Tanner Fox (St. Marys), #22 Connor Finish (Sheffield), #35 Adam
Straub (Elk County Catholic).
New York: #2 Mitchell Ward (Fillmore), #3 Kyle Stover (Pioneer), #4 Jacob Smith (CubaRushford), #5 Anthony Decapua (AlleganyLimestone), #11 Jack Derose (Olean), #12 Carson Conley (Randolph), #20 Logan Dunbar (Wellsville), #22 Thomas Bates (Olean), #23 Jaiden Huntington (Randolph), #30 Andy Herrick (Salamanca).