Apr 17, 2020 2 min read

For the second consecutive year, the BeeGraphix all-star football game has been canceled.

Last year, a lack of numbers was the reason for the cancellation. The coronavirus pandemic forced organizers to cancel this year’s event, which was scheduled for June 13 at Trinity’s Hiller Field.

“Once the Big 33 Game and the East-West game was canceled we followed suit,” said Tri-County Football Coaches’ Association president and McGuffey head coach Ed Dalton. “It’s very sad because we thought we had this thing lined up and it would be the start of a new tradition. We really had it rolling.”

It is now called the BeeGraphix Great 38 All-Star game, pitting 38 players from the Tri-County Football Coaches’ Association against those from the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association.

In previous BeeGraphix all-star games, the 26 teams that make up the TCFCA were separated geographically and would play one another in a North-versus-South format.

The Westmoreland team will be players from Belle Vernon, Burrell, Derry, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Central Catholic, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Jeannette, Kiski Area, Kiski School, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland and Valley.

“I think both sides are disappointed,” Dalton said. “We invited 38 players and got 35. In the past, at least for a few seasons, it was 50-50 at best. We did a lot of proactive things. We still had a good waiting list of players.”

Earlier in the week, the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association canceled both of its all-star games, the Big 33 Classic and the East-West Game. Considered one of the most prestigious high school football all-star games in the country, the Big 33 has been played every year since 1957.

“It is with deep regret that the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association must cancel all of our major events surrounding the Memorial Day Weekend 2020, just weeks away,” Big 33 executive director Garry Cathell said in a release. “Due to the uncertainty of the weeks ahead with coronavirus constraints placed upon each individual, our schools, families and the organizations and businesses that help make this holiday weekend one of the best in the country, we cannot move forward in holding these events or our exciting football games. Our top priority is the health, safety and welfare of all our participants, families, workers, sponsors and fans.”

The only local player in the Big 33 Classic was Peters Township wide receiver Josh Casilli.