Players
Where the Dawgs went
Powlus to Notre Dame. Orlando to West Virginia and the NFL. Kelchner, Felder, Wilkerson, and the rest.
Big 33 roster is on its own page. Berwick and the Big 33 →
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Headliner · NFL · West Virginia
Joseph “Bo” Orlando
QB / DB (HS); safety (college / NFL)
Senior 1983 — 13–0 USA Today national champions
College
West Virginia Mountaineers, safety, 1985–1988. First-team All-American 1988. WVU Sports Hall of Fame.
Pro
NFL — Houston Oilers 1989–1994 (6th round, 157th overall, 1989), San Diego Chargers 1995, Cincinnati Bengals 1996–1997, Pittsburgh Steelers 1998. Pro Football Reference: 129 games, 10 interceptions, 301 tackles.
Joseph John “Bo” Orlando. Dual-threat Berwick quarterback who still made All-State at defensive back. Big 33 Classic, July 21, 1984. Now athletic director at Berwick Area High School. 2023 Big 33 honorary chairman.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · hot.wvu.edu · pro-football-reference.com · easternpafootball.com
NFL and other pro football
T
Paul Stenn (Paul James Stenko)
1930s (MVP, 1936)
College. Villanova
Pro. NFL — New York Giants (1942), Washington Redskins (1946), Pittsburgh Steelers (1947), Chicago Bears (1948–1951)
Berwick High MVP in football and basketball in 1936. Later a PIAA official and teacher back in Berwick.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · luzernecountysportshalloffame.com · statscrew.com
QB
Jake Kelchner
Senior 1988 (15–0, first PIAA title)
College. Notre Dame (1989–1990, did not play); West Virginia (1992–1993, including the 1993 undefeated regular season and Sugar Bowl)
Pro. Cincinnati Bengals camp 1994; CFL Las Vegas Posse; Arena Football League (Tampa Bay Storm, ArenaBowl IX champion 1995); WLAF/NFL Europe Barcelona Dragons 1997.
Pennsylvania high school player of the year in 1988. Big 33, 1989.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pafootballnews.com
OG
Tom Robsock
Around 1990 (Big 33 that year)
College. West Virginia (roster 1991; lettered 1992–1994). Hometown listed as Berwick, PA.
Pro. WLAF / NFL Europe — Barcelona Dragons 1996–1998 (All-WLAF 1997).
Curry obituaries list Robsock among the Berwick linemen he sent to West Virginia.
Sources: wvustats.com · profootballarchives.com · goerie.com
QB
Ron Powlus
Senior 1992 (15–0 national and state champions)
College. Notre Dame (1993–1997). Started 42 games; 7,602 passing yards, 52 TDs.
Pro. Undrafted 1998. NFL practice squads / camps: Tennessee Oilers, St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles. NFL Europe: Amsterdam Admirals, 2000. No regular-season NFL pass.
Parade, Gatorade, and USA Today national player of the year, 1992. Big 33, 1993. Later Notre Dame quarterbacks coach and athletics administrator.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fightingirish.com · web.archive.org
OL
Gus Felder
1996–1997 state champions; class of 1998
College. Penn State (lettered 1999–2002; All-Big Ten 2001 and 2002)
Pro. Brief NFL stint with the Cleveland Browns, then a college strength / player-development coaching career.
All-America offensive lineman at Berwick. North Philadelphia native who transferred to Berwick. Big 33, 1998.
Sources: huskers.com · miamihurricanes.com · thetimes-tribune.com
College destinations
| Name | Pos | Berwick | College | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph “Bo” Orlando | QB / DB (HS); safety (college / NFL) | Senior 1983 — 13–0 USA Today national champions | West Virginia Mountaineers, safety, 1985–1988. First-team All-American 1988. WVU Sports Hall of Fame. | NFL — Houston Oilers 1989–1994 (6th round, 157th overall, 1989), San Diego Chargers 1995, Cincinnati Bengals 1996–1997, Pittsburgh Steelers 1998. Pro Football Reference: 129 games, 10 interceptions, 301 tackles. |
| Paul Stenn (Paul James Stenko) | T | 1930s (MVP, 1936) | Villanova | NFL — New York Giants (1942), Washington Redskins (1946), Pittsburgh Steelers (1947), Chicago Bears (1948–1951) |
| Jake Kelchner | QB | Senior 1988 (15–0, first PIAA title) | Notre Dame (1989–1990, did not play); West Virginia (1992–1993, including the 1993 undefeated regular season and Sugar Bowl) | Cincinnati Bengals camp 1994; CFL Las Vegas Posse; Arena Football League (Tampa Bay Storm, ArenaBowl IX champion 1995); WLAF/NFL Europe Barcelona Dragons 1997. |
| Tom Robsock | OG | Around 1990 (Big 33 that year) | West Virginia (roster 1991; lettered 1992–1994). Hometown listed as Berwick, PA. | WLAF / NFL Europe — Barcelona Dragons 1996–1998 (All-WLAF 1997). |
| Ron Powlus | QB | Senior 1992 (15–0 national and state champions) | Notre Dame (1993–1997). Started 42 games; 7,602 passing yards, 52 TDs. | Undrafted 1998. NFL practice squads / camps: Tennessee Oilers, St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles. NFL Europe: Amsterdam Admirals, 2000. No regular-season NFL pass. |
| Chris Orlando | WR / DB | Senior 1992 | University of Pittsburgh | — |
| Jason Soboleski | FB / LB | Senior 1992 | University of Pittsburgh | — |
| Dave Robbins | QB | Junior 1994; senior 1995 (15–0 national champions) | Boston College (rostered 1997–1999; hometown Nescopeck, PA / Berwick Area HS) | — |
| Gus Felder | OL | 1996–1997 state champions; class of 1998 | Penn State (lettered 1999–2002; All-Big Ten 2001 and 2002) | Brief NFL stint with the Cleveland Browns, then a college strength / player-development coaching career. |
| Frank Jankowski | QB | Late 1990s–2002 (Villanova bio: 5,912 career pass yards, 47 TDs at Berwick Area) | Villanova (football; ESPN lists 2005–2006). Also on the Villanova baseball roster. | — |
| Roy Dennis | DE | Around 2010 (two-time first-team AAA All-State) | Bloomsburg (2011 recruiting class) | — |
| C.J. Curry | QB (HS); LB / H-back (college) | Class of 2014; varsity QB 2012–2013 | East Stroudsburg, then King’s College (outside linebacker, later tight end / H-back) | — |
| Ty’Meere Wilkerson | RB | Junior 2024; senior 2025 (11–1) | University of New Hampshire (2026 freshman roster) | — |
Chris Orlando
WR / DB · Senior 1992
Caught three first-half touchdowns from Powlus in the 1992 state final. All-State defensive back. Big 33, 1993.
Sources: citizensvoice.com · pafootballnews.com
Jason Soboleski
FB / LB · Senior 1992
First-team All-State linebacker. Sprained ankle early in the 1992 state final. Big 33, 1993.
Sources: citizensvoice.com · pafootballnews.com
Dave Robbins
QB · Junior 1994; senior 1995 (15–0 national champions)
All-State quarterback on the 1995 national-title team. Big 33, 1996 (fan-site compilation lists a Big 33 passing-yards mark of 251). Later a Curry assistant.
Sources: bceagles.com · pafootballnews.com · inquirer.com
Frank Jankowski
QB · Late 1990s–2002 (Villanova bio: 5,912 career pass yards, 47 TDs at Berwick Area)
One of the 4,000-yard passers listed on Curry career summaries. Born Bethlehem; hometown Berwick.
Sources: villanova.com · espn.in
Roy Dennis
DE · Around 2010 (two-time first-team AAA All-State)
2010: 63 tackles, 24 TFL, 17 sacks. WVC and Press Enterprise Defensive Player of the Year.
Sources: bloomsburgathletics.com
C.J. Curry
QB (HS); LB / H-back (college) · Class of 2014; varsity QB 2012–2013
Grandson of George Curry. Appointed Berwick head coach January 2024. 2025: 11–1, conference champions.
Sources: citizensvoice.com · nepafootball.com
Ty’Meere Wilkerson
RB · Junior 2024; senior 2025 (11–1)
First Berwick Big 33 player since 2002. PA Football News: 2,845 rushing yards and 40 TDs as a senior; 390 yards vs. Williamsport (school records, previously Brant Quick, 2004).
Sources: unhwildcats.com · pafootballnews.com · big33.org