Jeannette seeks return to ‘favorite’ role
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Monday, August 18, 2025 | 6:01 AM
Jeannette’s Jayce Powell with a catch during the during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Jeannette head coach Tommy Paulone during the during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Jeannette quarterback Kymon’e Brown throws during the during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Jeannette head coach Tom Paulone during the during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown defends on a pass against Latrobe’s Andy Tatsch during the WCCA 7-on-7 tournament July 17, 2025, at Hempfield Area High School.
Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 22. Due to production schedule conflicts, the Frazier preview will be published later this week.
Players in this year’s senior class have been with Tommy Paulone from the start, and the fourth-year Jeannette coach has watched them bring the program back to propriety.
The proof came in a somewhat unexpected run last year.
The Jayhawks were the No. 13 seed when they ripped off a pair of playoff upsets to reach the WPIAL Class A semifinals.
Paulone looks fondly upon the postseason run but keeps it firmly in perspective.
Jeannette’s great teams of the past had fans expecting annual success. But Paulone, a former Jeannette quarterback, reminds his players that every season is fragile, especially with 20-something roster numbers and lineups that can rupture with one or two injuries.
“We emphasize that we were playing great ball late in the year, but we also have a chip on our shoulder,” Paulone said. “We were still only a fourth-place team in the conference. We were a 2-point conversion against Brentwood away from that maybe not happening. It’s like the old adage with boiling water; one degree off and it’s not boiling.”
The Jayhawks went 9-4 (4-3 Eastern Conference) and, after wins over No. 13 Neshannock (23-7) and No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic (29-23), they finally ran out of steam in a 49-14 loss to Fort Cherry.
Low numbers have plagued the program for the last five years, and 2025 won’t provide much relief. The team was set to start the season with 23 players, the same number it ended with last season.
“One good thing is that all 23 are on the same page,” Paulone said. “We have to be careful and crafty with how we use guys so we can keep that number where it is.”
Jeannette has the talent to make another run and elbow its way back into the Eastern Conference title conversation.
“We’re working to get better every day,” Paulone said. “Experience is important, and our guys are used to playing together. We have to get better at situational football. We weren’t great on third down.”
The team’s success starts and ends with returning TribLive Westmoreland Player of the Year Kymon’e Brown, who has his sights on a productive senior season. In his first year as a starting quarterback — he moved from receiver in the second half in Week Zero against Mt. Pleasant and never looked back — Brown threw for over 1,800 yards and 25 TDs while also rushing for more than 1,200 yards and 12 scores.
The Division I prospect will lead the offense again and has his top receiver back in junior all-state wideout Jayce Powell, who pulled in 57 receptions for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sure-handed sophomore.
The pair can hook up readily when their timing is on.
At running back, seniors Nick Mendoza and Eli Jones could share carries, with senior Austin Cataldo also an option.
Mendoza ran for 398 yards on 76 carries, Jones 291 on 35.
Junior Majhi Sanders will play fullback behind a line that includes three returning starters in seniors Carmine DeAnuntis and Wyatt Schaeffer, and junior Isaiah Jones.
Sophomore Landon Carney also is in the mix to play on the line.
Junior McAlister Steele brings consistency to the kicking game after making 31 of 35 extra points. He also could play tight end.
Schaeffer is a fourth-year starter.
Other linemen are sophomores Dane Simmons and Jason Fletcher, and senior June Jones.
Brown’s targets also include athletic seniors Noah Sunder and Xavier Odorisio-Farrow, both key members of Jeannette’s WPIAL championship basketball team last winter, along with Brown and Powell.
Sunder (6-0, 180) had 18 catches as a junior, 11 that went for touchdowns.
Odorisio-Farrow (6-1, 185) made some highlight catches during 7-on-7 time this summer.
Sophomore Hunter Schaeffer may also see time in the slot.
On defense, Brown and Powell highlight a potentially stingy secondary, along with Hunter Schaeffer and unproven newcomer Cam Bobo (6-2, 275), a junior transfer from West Mifflin.
Wyatt Schaeffer, DeAnuntis and Isaiah Jones are the down linemen, with Eli Jones, Sanders, Mendoza, Sunder and Steele at linebacker.
Jones had 69 tackles last season, Sanders 63, Mendoza 58 and Powell 57.
Mendoza also posted six sacks.
Jeannette would have had more players but senior brothers Isaac and Jayden Smartnik are not playing this season. Isaac graduated early, while Jayden switched to cyber school outside of Jeannette.
Junior Markus McGowan, one of the school’s top basketball players, also opted out of football. He was the opening-week quarterback last season before Brown took the reins.
Jeannette opens the season Friday night at Mt. Pleasant.
Jeannette
Coach: Tommy Paulone
2024 record: 9-4, 4-3 in Class A Eastern Conference
All-time record: 786-345-48
SCHEDULE
Date, Opponent, Time
8.22 at Mt. Pleasant, 7
8.29 at Apollo-Ridge, 7
9.5 Ligonier Valley, 7
9.12 at Frazier*, 7
9.19 at Leechburg*, 7
9.26 Clairton*, 7
10.3 Greensburg Central Catholic*, 7
10.10 Brentwood*, 7
10.17 at Springdale*, 7
10.24 Riverview*, 7
*Conference game
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Kymon’e Brown
95-184, 1,844 yards, 25 TDs
Rushing: Brown
159-1,257 yards, 12 TDs
Receiving: Jayce Powell
57-1,023 yards, 10 TDs
FAST FACTS
• Jeannette is recognizing 125 years of football. The program began in 1900 but there was no season in 1905, making 2025 a banner year.
• Jeannette averaged 28.5 points per game and allowed 28.3.
• The Jayhawks have 786 wins, second-most in the WPIAL to Aliquippa (790).
• Senior Kymon’e Brown was the TribLive Westmoreland Boys Athlete of the Year.
• Former Seton Hill player and coach Mason Hoyt has joined the coaching staff.
ROSTER
No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.
0, Noah Sunder, WR/OLB, 6-2/195, sr.
1, Jayce Powell, WR/DB, 5-9/165, jr.
2, Elijiah Jones, RB/OLB, 5-9/190, sr.
3, Kymon’e Brown, QB/DB, 6-0/160, sr.
4, Majhi Sanders, FB/ILB, 5-11/200, jr.
5, Trevor Tillman, WR/DB, 5-9/160, jr.
6, Nick Mendoza, RB/ILB, 6-0/185, sr.
7, Hunter Schaeffer, WR/K/DB, 5-9/155, so.
8, Cam Bobo, QB/WR/DB, 6-3/170, jr.
9, Anthony Stuchell, QB/DB/OLB, 5-9/160, fr.
10, McAlister Steele, TE/K/OLB, 6-1/180, jr.
12, Xavier Odorisio-Farrow, WR/De, 6-2/200, sr.
13, Dhestin Sanders, RB/DB, 5-6/160, fr.
15, Ty’reon Jones, WR/DB, 5-7/135, fr.
20, Austin Cataldo, RB/OLB, 5-8/165, sr.
21, Nashon Dunn, RB/DB, 5-5/140, so.
50, Carmine Deannuntis, OL/DL, 6-1/250, sr.
52, Isiah Jones, OL/DL, 5-10/220, jr.
59, Wyatt Schaeffer, OL/DL, 6-0/245, sr.
62, Wykil Fortune, OL/DL, 6-0/194, sr.
65, Jason Fletcher, OL/DL, 5-8/215, so.
67, Ted Kilgore, OL/DL, 5-10/250, sr.
74, Landon Carney, OL/ILB, 5-10/170, so.
77, Chey Wright, OL/DL, 5-11/280, so.
99, Dane Simmons, OL/DL, 6-0/225, so.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Jeannette
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