South Western High senior Mike Felton will be featured in a "who's who" package of Pennsylvania's elite in the 55th annual Big 33 Football Classic on Saturday, June 16, at Hersheypark Stadium.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Felton, who's headed to Temple University, has been salivating at the opportunity to play on this elevated stage since he was in eighth grade. That's when he went to see former William Penn standout Malik Generette.

Watching Generette, a receiver who played at Connecticut before recently transferring to Tennessee-Martin, Felton gained the motivation to one day be there himself.

"It is an amazing feeling and honor to play in this game," Felton said. "Growing up watching it, it was always my dream to make it into the game. It's nice for everything to come into fruition."

Felton will provide the Mustangs with some national visibility, as Pennsylvania seeks to avenge a thorough 50-14 washout by Ohio last year.

The Big 33 holds a tradition of excellence. Since the inception of the game, at least one former Big 33 player has played in each Super Bowl.

"We know the experience is going to be incredible for Mike because it bridges the gap between high school and (NCAA) Division I," said former South Western coach Don Seidenstricker, who served as a Big 33 coach in 1995 and 2001. "The players have the opportunity to play around talent that is equal to their own, which doesn't happen a lot in high school football. The activities that are

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planned for the players, it just stays with you for the rest of your life."

Among those activities is working with underprivileged children.

Felton is the lone safety on a roster that contains a pair of future Temple teammates in Cumberland Valley's Kyle Friend and Cardinal O'Hara's Damiere Shaw.

"The role I want to uptake is to be a leader and keep everyone in focus on our task at hand," Felton said. "I'm looking to play to the best of my ability and play at a high level."

Seidenstricker feels the defensive rules of the game will work in Felton's favor.

"I think it's going to be a simple thing as far as learning," Seidenstricker said. "(The rules) will play to his athleticism. Those are things like being able to read the offense, react and not necessarily get so bogged down in assignments."

His senior season, Felton was a man-child containing unrivaled versatility. On the season, Felton rushed for 1,033 yards and averaged 7.3 yards per carry.

Felton backboned the Mustangs' defensive unit, registering 6.8 tackles per game. In three years, Felton played four different positions on defense. He accounted for 13 points per game. Felton additionally averaged 41.5 yards per punt. He handled kickoffs, punt returns, kickoff returns and lined up as a receiver.

The end product in 2011 was a 5-0 YAIAA Division I record, a 9-3 overall record and South Western's 13th YAIAA division championship in 26 years.

zsmart@eveningsun.com; 717-637-3736, extension 143