Penguins ready to sign 14 today

By Pete Mollica

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State football team, coming off a difficult and disappointing 2008 season, is hoping to make some big strides toward restoring the tradition to Penguin football today in National Signing Day for prospective high school football players.

The Penguins, who struggled through a 4-8 season a year ago spiked with injuries and depletions, are expected to sign 14 new recruits today who have already made verbal commitments.

This year’s recruiting list is highlighted with six area players.

Thirteen recruits are high school seniors and the other one, Taylor Hill from Cardinal Mooney, transferred from the University of Michigan last month and will have four years of eligibility remaining.

Hill, a 6-2, 205 pound defensive end, enrolled at Michigan last fall and participated in training camp but left the team around Labor Day and did not play in a game.

He played in two state championship games for Cardinal Mooney, winning the title in 2006, but losing in 2007. He was a first-team All-Ohio Division IV selection as a senior.

Hill joins five other area players on this year’s recruiting list.

They include linebacker Sylvestry Gibbs (6-0, 190) from Austintown Fitch, punter/placekicker Nick Liste (5-11, 180) from Niles McKinley High, linebacker Kyle Stadelmyer (6-2, 210) from Girard, tight end Carson Sharbaugh (6-4, 250) from New Wilmington, Pa. High) and Gannon Hulea (6-2, 200) from Poland High, who was recruited as an athlete and who played quarterback and defensive back in high school.

YSU head coach Jon Heacock also wanted to add some depth to his defensive front line and recruited Theo Barnes (6-3, 240) from Akron Archbishop Hoban and Fred Herdman (6-4, 250) from Scottsdale, Ariz., and Pinnacle High School.

There are two tailbacks on this year’s list: Jamaine Cook (5-9, 195) from Midpark High and Torrian Pace (5-10, 220) from Chantilly, Va.

The Penguins have also received a verbal commitment from fullback Rob Stupar (6-0, 235) from State College, Pa. and a 6-4, 310 pound offensive lineman in Brandon White from Cincinnati Colerain High.

Heacock also is bringing in a quarterback in Kurt Hess, a 6-3, 220 pounder from Dayton Charminade Julienne and another tight end in Conner Seeman (6-4, 245) from Copley High.

Seven of the 14 players have received all-state recognition; three of them were first-team choices.

Stupar will represent Pennsylvania in the annual Big 33 Football Classic in June against Ohio, while Pace was selected the AAA Player of the Year and first-team all-state in Virginia.

The Penguins also still have several other players who had not made a decision prior to today’s signing date and could be added to the list.