(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to sports locally and nationally, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next edition’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from June 30, 2001).

By Jon Fleck

Special to the Times News

ALTOONA - When it comes to football, bigger is usually better.

Don’t tell that to Al Donadi, though.

At 5-9, 175 pounds, the Marian Catholic halfback was the smallest player on the field Saturday night, but his impact was huge.

Donadi exploded for 186 all-purpose yards to help the East All-Stars roll past its West counterparts, 31-3, in the first-ever Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star football game. Donadi’s performance earned him Most Valuable Player honors for the East squad.

“With all the other great players out there, it’s hard to believe,” said Donadi about being named MVP. “I never really expect anything. I just go out there and give it my best. Running behind a line like the one we had made it easy. The holes were huge.”

The East dominated the line of scrimmage allowing Donadi and the rest of the skill position players to shine.

Quarterback Mike Connor out of Strath Haven completed 8-of-15 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns, while St. Joseph Prep QB Mike McGann went 5-of-10 for 86 yards.

Germantown Academy receiver Steve Holmes hauled in a team-high four receptions for 112 yards, and Berwick’s Ben Culver caught three passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns.

It was Donadi, however, who did it all for the East Offense. He ran the ball 15 times for 68 yards and one touchdown, caught three passes for 67 yards, and returned two kickoffs for an additional 51 yards.

The bulk of Donadi’s yardage came in the third quarter when the East took total command of the game, turning a 10-3 halftime score into a rout. He started by returning the second half kickoff 28 yards to give the East great field position near midfield.

“The first one I returned was to the left side, and it seemed to open up some. I told the guys on the left that it should open up again and sure enough it did. I just took it as far as I could,” Donadi said.

Donadi ended the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, outracing the West defenders to the corner of the endzone.

“It was supposed to go up the middle, but the defense collapsed so I bounced outside,” he said.

As the East offense rolled up 415 total yards, its defense held the West to a mere 125 yards of total offense. The West didn’t crack the 100-yard mark until the final minute of play.

RJ Piskorik out of Wyoming Valley West was in the West backfield all evening, accounting for four of the East’s six sacks. Piskorik also tied for the team lead with eight tackles along with Plymouth Whitemarsh defensive lineman Jeff Fox and defensive back Andrew Guman out of Allentown Central Catholic.

With the East leading 17-3, Marian Catholic’s Stan Dakosty intercepted a poorly thrown halfback option pass and returned it 24 yards to put the East in business once again.

McGann threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Boiling Springs tight end Derek Miller at the start of the fourth quarter to give the East a commanding 24-3 lead.

Donadi’s stellar second half more than made up for his first-half miscue. Backed up near its own goal line, East coach Mike Williams called for Donadi to take a pitch and throw the ball across the field to the quarterback. The pass was intercepted at the East 14, setting up the West’s lone score. That was the lone blemish on an otherwise terrific performance.

“I wasn’t about to take a safety. I should have thrown it out of bounds. That was my fault,” he said.

In addition to Donadi and Dakosty, who played safety for the East, other TIMES NEWS players in the game were Northern Lehigh’s Bo Tkach and Brent Hudson.

Tkach was limited to returning punts because of a wrist injury he suffered in last week’s McDonald’s All-Star Classic. He brought back one punt for four yards, but didn’t play in the defensive secondary, where he had been scheduled to start.

Hudson saw action on the offensive and defensive lines.

Lehighton’s Luke Sterling was also selected to play in the game, but had to sit out after suffering an ACL injury in last week’s McDonald’s All-Star Classic.