West Mifflin brings star-studded roster up to Class 4A

By: Mark Nitowski
Sunday, August 11, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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The West Mifflin Titans are moving up to Class 4A, and they’re bringing two of the WPIAL’s top players with them.

After advancing to the 3A playoff quarterfinals last year, the Titans will compete with the likes of perennial 4A powers McKeesport and Mars in the Greater Allegheny Conference.

They will step up to the challenge with a young and talented roster led by sophomore running back Armand Hill and senior tackle Jaiden Brown-Demery.

“It’s no secret that Jaiden and Armand are our top guys,” said West Mifflin coach Rod Steele. “They are special talents who play at a high level.”

Hill burst onto the scene last season, rushing for more than 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman. His 495 yards on the ground against Hopewell ranks as the second most in WPIAL history.

“Armand does the instinctive things that gifted ones do that you just can’t teach,” Steele said. “As a runner, he’s very balanced. He has the ability to lower the pads and be physical, but then he can make guys miss in the open field. He also has soft hands as a receiver.”

After the Hopewell outburst, Hill received his first scholarship offer, from Penn State. Since then, Pitt, West Virginia, Maryland and Michigan are among nearly a dozen colleges following suit.

“To be honest, I’ve never seen as good of a runner at the varsity level as a freshman,” said Steele, who coached a star-studded Steel Valley squad to the 2016 2A state title before taking the West Mifflin job.

Steele expects the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Hill to once again be a handful for opposing defenses.

“We use Armand in a lot of different places,” he said. “He’ll play tailback, but he’ll also be in the slot. We have multiple ways of utilizing him within our offensive scheme.”

While Hill should rack up the yards and touchdowns, the Titans will look to Brown-Demery to rule the trenches.

The 6-4, 315-pounder recently announced his college commitment, selecting Akron from a long list of Division I offers.

“What makes Jaiden special is No. 1, his size, and No. 2, his athleticism for a big man,” Steele said. “He’s also a physical football player. He has a lot of traits that coaches love players to have.”

Brown-Demery has dropped about 15 pounds since last season.

“He’s really transformed his body,” Steele said. “He’s leaned out.”

On offense, Brown-Demery will anchor the West Mifflin line with guard Saeon Coleman and tackle Ethan Thomas. Top newcomers include center Carmello Yarbough (6-5, 325) and tight end Braden Leschen (6-2, 270).

“Carmello is a basketball player with very good feet,” Steele said. “Leschen is a wrestler.”

Senior Rich Fix and sophomores Tyrone Leonard and Sincere Degree should be the Titans’ top receiving threats.

Steele plans to turn over the keys to the offense to freshman quarterback Zahir Ismaeli.

“Zahir is a dual-threat player at quarterback who gives us an element we haven’t had in a long time,” he said. “He’s very smart and he’s a national Junior Olympic track guy.”

Brown-Demery and Hill also will spearhead the defense at tackle and cornerback, respectively.

As a junior, Brown-Demery was voted the Western Hills Conference’s defensive MVP and defensive lineman of the year.

“He’s really quick on his feet for a guy that big,” Steele said.

Last season, Hill led the Western Hills with seven interceptions while earning all-conference honors on both sides of the ball.

Joining Hill in the secondary will be safeties London Robinson and Jerralle Mason and cornerback Jose Perez.

Other top defensive players should be end Dylan Schofield and linebackers Darnell Carswell and Michael Burrows.

In 2023, West Mifflin opened 0-3 before winning six of its final seven games. The Titans then defeated Mt. Pleasant, 40-14, in the first round of the 3A playoffs before falling to Elizabeth-Forward, 42-21.

“There were times when we had five freshmen on the field,” Steele said. “Our young kids got some experience at how fast and physical it can be playing at the high school level.”

The Titans will compete for a 4A playoff berth with new conference foes McKeesport, Mars, Hampton, Knoch and Indiana.

“We played McKeesport in nonconference games the past few years,” Steele said. “But we’re not really familiar with the teams in the north. I know that Mars finished in the final four and lost to (eventual state champion) Aliquippa. They look like a program on the rise.”

Right now, Steele said he’s more focused on his own team than any opponent the Titans will meet down the road.

“We feel we have a lot of young guys with talent,” he said. “We’re working on what it takes to become a good football team.”

West Mifflin

Coach: Rod Steele

2023 record: 7-5, 5-1 in the Class 3A Western Hills Conference

All-time record: 307-316-12

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 Elizabeth Forward, 7

8.30 at Avonworth, 7

9.6 Baldwin, 7

9.13 at Bethel Park, 7

9.20 Thomas Jefferson, 7

9.27 Mars*, 7

10.4 at McKeesport*, 7

10.11 at Indiana*, 7

10.18 Knoch*, 7

10.25 Hampton*, 7

* Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Jo Fleming *

689 yards

Rushing: Amand Hill

114-1,528 yards, 15 TDs

Receiving: Tyrone Leonard

11-40 yards

* Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Known as “Mondo,” Armand Hill became the Titans’ primary runner last season after senior Delron White went down with an injury in Week 6. In his first three games as starting tailback, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards.

• Before taking over the Titans, Rod Steele coached Steel Valley for nine seasons, leading the Ironmen to two WPIAL titles (2016, 2018) and one PIAA crown (2016).

• Zahir Ismaeli’s uncle, Hudhaifa Ismaeli, played defensive back at Northwestern, helping the Wildcats to the 1995 Big Ten title and a matchup against USC in the 1996 Rose Bowl.

• The West Mifflin Area School District encompasses the boroughs of West Mifflin and Whitaker. As of 2007, the district also serves some students from the neighboring city of Duquesne.

Tags: West Mifflin