Wilson’s Cam Jones selected for Pennsylvania’s Big 33 Classic
Multi-talented Cam Jones became the 24th player from Wilson named to Pennsylvania’s Big 33 football team when the roster for the 66th annual Big 33 Football Classic was announced Thursday morning.
Jones is one of 38 players selected for the Pennsylvania squad and the only one from the 37-team Lancaster-Lebanon League. He is listed as a defensive back, though certainly will be utilized on special teams as a kick returner.
Jones, a Holy Cross recruit, was named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers’ Class 6A All-State team for the second straight year.
The 5-11, 183-pound senior was named Berks Player of the Year after rushing for 999 yards and scoring 25 touchdowns. He was named Outstanding Back, Offensive Back of the Year and Defensive Back of the Year in Section 1 of Lancaster-Lebanon League, and was a four-way all-league pick. He was also named as a long snapper. The only time he came off the field for the Bulldogs was on kickoff coverage and PATs.
“As I said many times, he was kind of special,” Wilson coach Doug Dahms said after Jones was named to the All-State team. “He was just a great team leader. He was the hardest-working kid on the team and that’s what you need out of your best player.”
The Big 33 Classic will be played Sunday, May 28, at Bishop McDevitt high school. Kickoff is at either 6 or 7 p.m.; that has yet to be finalized. Pennsylvania will against play Maryland.
Two of Berks’ best candidates for the game, Wyomissing’s Jven Williams and Exeter’s Joey Schlaffer, are not eligible for the game. Each enrolled at Penn State in January.
Aiden Mack of Wyomissing, who’s now playing tight end at the University of Richmond, represented Berks football last season. Gov. Mifflin’s Cam’Ron Stewart, now playing defensive end at Rutgers, was Pennsylvania’s MVP in the 2021 game.
The 2020 game was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Other recent Berks selections include Brandon George of Berks Catholic (2019) and Cooper Lutz of Berks Catholic (2018).
Jones did everything for the Bulldogs, and did them well, distinguishing himself as one of the program’s top cover corners, as the league’s top running back and perhaps the greatest — and no doubt most productive — kick returner in Berks history.
“He has all the tools,” said Dahms. “Big, strong, fast. Not afraid to hit. Brought everything. That’s just the way he is.”
Jones was a three-year starter at cornerback, and so teams rarely challenged him. He began the season on offense at wide receiver but moved to running back after an injury to another player and ended up leading Section 1 backs in rushing, and averaging 9.2 yards per carry.
It was as a return man that he truly set himself apart. He returned five punts for touchdowns, a Berks record. Making that state even more amazing is that he did that on just six attempts, as opposing teams tried their best to kick away from him. He Averaged 59.7 yards per punt return.
“What he did for us just from a special teams standpoint put us on the map,” Dahms said. “Everyone was afraid of our special teams. If there’s a better return man, I don’t know who it is.”
Jones was Wilson’s first two-time All-State pick since Iggy Reynoso, in 2016-17, and one of just a handful in program history. He joins all-time greats such as Jim Fehling, a first-team All-State lineman in 1970 and 1971; Chad Henne, a second-team pick as a junior and a first-team pick as a senior, in 2002 and 2003, respectively; linebacker Ike Schannauer, a first-team pick in 2014 and 2015; and linebacker Colton Weaver, a second-team pick in 2007 and a first-team pick in 2008.
Mike Farr of Schuylkill Haven will be the head coach for Pennsylvania.
There is just one Penn State recruit on the team: Defensive end Jamiel Lyons of Roman Catholic. Nittany Lions coach James Franklin in recent years has encouraged his top players in recent years.
Jones is one of nine players selected from District 3 schools; Bishop McDevitt has three selections, Harrisburg two.
Rosters for the PSFCA East/West game will be announced Saturday.
The East/West all-star games will be played Sunday, May 21, at Bishop McDevitt High School. Kickoff for the East/West small school game is noon; kickoff for the big school game is 5.
The small school game includes players from schools in Class 1A, 2A, and 3A; the big school game includes players from schools in Class 4A, 5A and 6A.
All three games were played on Memorial Day weekend in recent years, with the Big 33 on Memorial Day afternoon. Cattrell said the organization decided to split the games up.
Every NFL Super Bowl has featured a Big 33 alum. This year’s game included Henne, a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Woodland Hills running back Miles Sanders, of the Philadelphia Eagles. Also, Kansas City general manager Brett Veach played at Mount Carmel and Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark played at Glenville, Ohio, in 2011 when Pennsylvania played the Buckeye State.
Former Washington Redskins lineman Russ Grimm holds the record among Big 33 alum, with six Super Bowl appearances – four as a player, two as a coach.
