2024 Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team: McKeesport’s Kemon Spell

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, July 22, 2024 | 5:04 PM

If McKeesport football coach Matt Miller is looking for a leader this season, sophomore Kemon Spell is ready to tackle the role.

Yes, a sophomore wants to be the team’s vocal North Star.

“I’m working on being the leader,” Spell said. “Someone needs to step up, and I want to do it.”

And he showed that Saturday at the Belle Vernon 7-on-7 tournament. In the championship game against Belle Vernon, he led the Tigers to a victory.

He scored two touchdowns and intercepted two passes.

Spell sure impressed Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak during his freshman season.

“I think he burnt us on a 60-yard run,” Cherpak said. “He’s really talented.”

Spell rushed for 579 yards and scored nine touchdowns last year. He caught two touchdown passes and returned an interception and a missed field goal for scores.

Spell has received 13 NCAA Division I offers. That list includes Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Florida State and Michigan.

That’s why he was named to the Trib HSSN Preseason Football All-Star Team.

“He’s a game changer,” Miller said. “He’s fast, quick, has great vision and powerful.

“He’s also humble and a top-flight individual. He’s a great kid and student. He reminds me of Khaleke Hudson, who graduated McKeesport in 2016 and played at Michigan.”

Hudson was drafted by the Washington Commanders and is on the New Orleans Saints roster.

Miller said you may see Spell at different positions in the backfield. He said he could line up at fullback and at quarterback in the wildcat.

“My freshman year was a new experience for me,” Spell said. “I didn’t see high school coming that fast. I’m looking forward to this season. It feels good to follow a legend like Khaleke.”

Spell said one thing he’s working on this season is not getting tackled in the open field.

He said he doesn’t have any personal goals or team goals.

“The team needs to come together and work hard,” Spell said. “I believe we will have a good season if that happens.”

McKeesport lost to Aliquippa in the WPIAL Class 4A finals last year, and Spell knows Aliquippa is the team to beat again.

Kemon Spell

McKeesport

Sophomore

5-foot-9, 195 pounds

Wingback/safety

Committed to: uncommitted

Division I offers: Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Florida State, Maryland, Akron, UNLV, Toledo, Marshall and Syracuse.

2023 statistics: Defensive:67 tackles, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, three interceptions and one touchdown. Offensive: 42 carries 579 yards and nine touchdowns; eight catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns; seven kickoff returns for 163 yards and one touchdown; and 25 punt returns for 232 yards and one touchdown.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: McKeesport