And now Clearfield is being recognized for its outstanding season in a pair of all-star games this weekend.

Nick Redden is playing in the prestigious Big 33 Classic in Hershey, while Bison head coach Tim Janocko is leading the Pennsylvania squad. A pair of Clearfield cheerleaders (Chelsea Billotte and Shiann McGovern) are also making the trip to Chocolatetown after being selected to cheer for Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, Bison quarterback Jarrin Campman is one of two signal callers on the West roster at the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) East-West Game in Altoona.

"It's a huge week for Clearfield ... getting state recognition with two kids playing and two cheerleaders going," Janocko said. ‘ESPN is doing a story and the game is televised nationally. It's great for our program."

The Bisons have had a few participants in the games over the years - Chad Kroell (1995) and Dave Richards (2003) at the Big 33, and Tanner Kelly (2005) and Beau Ryan (2006) at the East-West Game, and Janocko was head coach of the East-West game in 2006. But never have the Bisons been this heavily represented in a single season.

"It's very gratifying," said Janocko, who was also an assistant at the Big 33 Classic in 2001. "It's kind of like we've arrived. After all these years, the Clearfield football program is being recognized."

Originally, both Redden and Campman just missed the cut for the respective all-star games. But each were given the call very quickly when players had to opt out of the games.

Redden, who was initially slated to play in the East-West Game was actually the first person to tell Campman that he had been asked to join his teammate in Altoona. Campman was ranked as the fifth-best senior quarterback in the state by the coaches association but just missed making the contest originally as only two quarterbacks are taken for each all-star game.

Redden gave the East-West information packet to Campman the night of the West Branch prom, which they were both attending.

"They gave me a packet to give to Jarrin, and I let him know they were asking him to play in the East-West Game. "It was real cool. He was like, ‘that's great.' We get to play together again.'"

But not long after Campman got the call to Altoona, Redden was called away as an injury opened a spot on the Pennsylvania roster of the Big 33 Classic, which is now in its 51st year.

"Last Tuesday, I got a call that a kid went down, and was asked if I wanted to play in the Big 33," Redden said. "I jumped on it. It didn't really sink in until later that day. I was like, ‘wow, I actually made it.' It's the best 33 players in the state against the best 33 in Ohio. I was real excited."

Campman is also quite happy to be playing in one of the top all-star games in the state.

"It's really nice getting picked for something like this," Campman said. "Between the Big 33 and East-West, you're part of the top 100 players in Pennsylvania. "It's nice to be recognized, and to get to play with these caliber of athletes."

Campman, who will share time at quarterback with Thomas Jefferson's Tyler Wehner, is staying with Tyrone head football coach John Franco, whose family is one of the host families for the event. Franco is also the head coach for the West squad, which gives Campman a little extra time to prepare for the game.

"It's nice to talk about the football stuff with him," Campman said.

Redden also has a bit of an advantage at the Big 33 as the only player on the team that knew exactly what he was getting into with Janocko at the helm, and it helped him quickly make friends with his new teammates.

"It's real special," Redden said. "A lot of guys never get to play with their coach again. I have another chance to play for Coach Janocko."

"And when the other guys found out, they were all coming up to me asking what he's like during practice. "It's great playing for him again."

Of course, playing for Janocko once more also means that Redden is likely to be scrutinized just a bit more than his teammates.

"It was easier to come in because I knew the offense and how it would be coached," Redden said. "But expectations are way higher. He knows what I can do."

"There's no question he knows what I expect," Coach Janocko said. "I have always had very high expectations of Nick, but he always comes through."

Redden is hoping to see quite a bit of action come game time.

"I've been working a lot of the reps at center and doing the long-snapping," he said.

"He's got a good chance to see a lot of playing time," Janocko said. "He may even be starting."

For both Campman and Redden, the week leading up to the games has been filled with much more than preparing for football.

"They really cater to us," Campman said. "We are going to DelGrosso Park one day, and the host families are putting together different parties each night and taking care of us."

"We are having a family night where all the guys are getting together with their host families and having a cookout," Redden said. "We're going to an adventure sports place where they have batting cages and stuff like that.

"And we're going to Hersheypark where we're teamed up with special needs kids."

But come Friday and Saturday night, it will be about the all-star games.

"I'm very happy for Jarrin and Nick," Janocko said. "It's a huge testament to them and the work they put in."

Kickoff for the East-West Game is slated for tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Mansion Park.

The Big 33 Classic begins Saturday night at 7 at Hersheypark Stadium.