Harding’s Hymes commits to Penguins
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
Harding's Demond Hymes gets past Howland's Tony Osborne and Dan Russell during first quarter action Friday at Howland.
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Warren Harding senior running back Demond Hymes likes to tell people “Go hard or go home.”
Next year, he’ll do both.
Hymes verbally committed to play football at Youngstown State this weekend, the fifth Mahoning Valley player to commit to YSU this fall.
“It’s a great program, the coaches are nice, they’ve got a good team and it’s close to home,” Hymes said on Monday. “It’s a great place for me to play football and a great place to get an eduction.”
Hymes (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) earned first team all-district honors this fall after helping the Raiders to an 8-2 record and a berth in the Division I playoffs.
He carried 159 times for 1,209 yards and 16 TDs, missing the playoff game with a high ankle sprain that has since healed.
“Since we didn’t make the playoffs last year, I told everyone I was going to put Harding back on the map this year,” Hymes said. “That was all I was focused on. I ran the ball to get us to the playoffs.”
Hymes joins Girard WR Landon Smith, West Branch OL Brandon Ferguson, Fitch DL Steve Zaborsky and East CB Mike Thomas as area commitments.
The Penguins have also secured two out-of-area commitments.
YSU coach Eric Wolford has said he’d like to recruit 30 players this offseason.
Signing day is in February.
Hymes, who plans to major in psychology or sports management, also played linebacker at Harding but was recruited as a running back, YSU’s deepest position.
The Penguins will return junior RB Jamaine Cooke and three sophomore contributors next fall.
“That doesn’t scare me,” Hymes said.
“I’m just going to do what I can to help the team.”