Hoff to Play in Annual PSFCA East-West Game
By David DiPasqua, Jr.
NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – This year marks the 15th Annual PSFCA East-West All-Star game, which is set to take place on Sunday, May 1st, at Cupples Stadium on the south side of Pittsburgh at 1 p.m.
Marple Newtown’s Abel Hoff will represent the Tigers as well as the Central Athletic League on the East roster.
The Shippensburg commit is a two-time All Delco selection, breaking several county records, school records, and propelling the Tigers to their first District One Class AAA victory in program history.
Additionally, Hoff was a 2015-16 Pennsylvania Mini Maxwell Award winner. Players are evaluated for this honor based on football performance, academics, and community service.
As a junior, Hoff recorded 70 receptions to set a single-season Delaware County record. The previous record was held by Ridley product, Devon Preston since 1990.
In his senior campaign, Hoff broke the county record once again by registering 72 catches for 1,119 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hoff secured second place all-time with 150 carer receptions in the county, while also ranking fifth with a career 2,099 receiving yards.
Hoff is the first Tiger to participate in the game since Cimirrow Moat back in 2012.
Below is a brief history of the East-West game, by EasternPAFootball.com’s David Minka.
Game History
The first game was held at Mansion Park in Altoona in June of 2001, after members of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) approached the Allegheny Mountains Convention & Visitors Bureau to help organize and produce a sister game to the Big 33 Game. The Big 33 Game features the top players in the state against players from Ohio. Unfortunately only 34 players can be selected to represent Pennsylvania, and in a state with a rich football tradition many quality players are left out. Thus, the PSFCA East West All Star Game was conceived giving the honor to play in a statewide, prestigious all star game to 68 more players.
Players
The players selected to play in the game truly represent some of the finest football talent in Pennsylvania. Past player have gone on to play for college powerhouse teams such as Penn State, University of Maryland, Ohio State, Pitt, Notre Dame, Syracuse University, Cornell University, U. S. Naval Academy and University of Michigan. The game has also been a showcase for Ivy League athletes, with players going on to Princeton and Yale. Our first class of alumni was eligible for the NFL draft in April of 2005 and several have begun their professional careers with the NFL.
