Jeannette two-sport senior athlete Kymon’e Brown appears to be leaning toward football over basketball for college.
That is because more schools are leaning in on him.
Brown, the shifty playmaking quarterback and defensive back, now has three NCAA Division I scholarship offers.
Robert Morris reached out last week, following spread-out offers from Albany and Navy. Albany offered in mid-January, Navy in March.
The two-time TribLive Westmoreland Football Player of the Year and reigning TribLive Westmoreland Boys Athlete of the Year, Brown (6-foot, 170 pounds) also is a standout point guard for the WPIAL 2A champion Jayhawks.
He was set to visit Albany this weekend.
National Signing Day is Wednesday.
Shaffer hired
Scott Shaffer is making a crosstown trek from one WPIAL boys soccer program to another.
Shaffer, who led Derry’s co-ed team since 2022, is the new coach at Latrobe.
The Unity Township resident was an assistant at Latrobe for a year under Tom Kennedy before he went to Derry.
“Latrobe is a great school with teachers and administrators that have given our children a solid education,” Shaffer said. “Supporting soccer is my way to give back to the community. I was familiar with the Latrobe soccer program because of ties to the district.”
Shaffer began coaching in 2010 with Latrobe Parks & Recreation and became a staff coach at Loyalhanna United Soccer Club in ’16. He still coaches in the in-house and travel programs and is president of the club.
He relishes his time at Derry, despite dealing with lower roster numbers of late.
“The players and families at Derry were very supportive, and while the program continues to grow, I was proud of what the players were able to accomplish,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer, an electrical engineer for FirstEnergy Service Corporation in substation design, is a Mt. Pleasant grad, where he played soccer for three years.
He played intramural soccer at Penn State.
D-I offers at Norwin
Two Norwin football players picked up Division I offers last week, something that is becoming a yearly occurrence in the program.
Seniors Josh Lenart and Michael DeFazio have opportunities to play at a higher level. Lehigh wants Lenart, a 6-2, 210-pound linebacker, while DeFazio (6-3, 210) has an offer from Mercyhurst. He is a tight end/H-back/linebacker.
Football opener
At least one local football season opener has been determined for 2026.
A Week Zero matchup will feature Greensburg Central Catholic at Yough.
That’s the spirit
The PIAA announced its Champion Coach of the Year award winner for competitive spirit. It is Kathy Perry, the cheerleading coach at Derry.
Perry works as the director of special services and is the former principal at the high school.
Perry was honored at a banquet earlier this month at Summit Arena in Johnstown.
Recruiting
• A pair of Penn-Trafford football players made college commitments to D-III schools.
Nate Desmond, the Warriors’ quarterback, chose Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind.
One of his receivers, Nico Casciato, is headed to Grove City, a popular landing spot for P-T players in recent years.
• Ty Whoric, a wide receiver and strong safety at Southmoreland, announced a commitment to Division III Allegheny College. Whoric had 15 receptions for 252 yards and three touchdowns last season to go with 42 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions.
• Sara Blossey, a softball player at Latrobe, will continue her playing career at Point Park. Blossey last season batted a team-best .518 with 24 RBIs.
• Ligonier Valley senior lineman Tony Lonas (5-9, 225) has an opportunity to play at Lebanon Valley, a member of the Division III Middle Atlantic Conference. Lebanon Valley is in Anville (Pa.).
• Penn-Trafford softball player Mackenzie Cox will play at Division III Saint Francis (Pa.). She was a catcher last season on the Warriors’ PIAA 5A championship team.