Mansion Park to host games

The last team from the Mirror coverage area may have been eliminated from the PIAA football playoffs when Bedford lost to Greensburg Central Catholic in the Class AA quarterfinals on Friday night, but there will still be plenty of football in Altoona this week.

Two state semifinal games will be played next weekend at Mansion Park, District 6 football chairman Ray Wotkowski told the Mirror. On Friday night, Manheim Central of District 3 will face WPIAL champion West Allegheny in Class AAA at 7 p.m.; Manheim Central is led by Penn State linebacker recruit Dakota Royer.

State College will try to punch its ticket to the Class AAAA finals on Saturday at noon in a Mid-Penn Conference rematch with Cumberland Valley, which upset previously unbeaten Bishop McDevitt, 34-27, in overtime.

District 6 Class A champion Bishop McCort, meanwhile, will be in action Friday at 7 p.m. at State College's Memorial Field. The Crimson Crushers, 33-6 winners over Millersburg in the quarterfinals, play Tri-Valley.

Odrick recognized

UNIVERSITY PARK -Senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick (Lebanon) has become Penn State's 94th first team All-America selection.

The standout was selected to the American Football Coaches Association All-America Team, the first All-America squad to be announced for the 2009 campaign. The AFCA has selected an All-America team annually since 1945.

The 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year, Odrick is the 80th PSU football student-athlete to earn first team All-America recognition, a total of 94 times, dating back to W.T. (Mother) Dunn's selection to the Walter Camp All-America squad in 1906.