Jeannette's Kymon'e Brown selected TribLive Westmoreland boys athlete of the year

It is a special honor to be named the best athlete in Westmoreland County.

It is even more special to do it for the second time.

Jeannette senior Kymon'e Brown has been named 2026 TribLive Westmoreland Boys Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year for his outstanding play as quarterback for the football team and point guard on the basketball team.

"It is quite accomplishment to be named athlete of the year," Brown said. "But to be named twice is very special."

Brown was constantly striving to become the best and was a leader on and off the playing field.

"He was a thumb guy, not a finger pointer," Jeannette football coach Thomas Paulone Jr. said. "He was a tremendous leader."

Brown earned the award over Norwin senior Tristyn Tavares, Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown, Norwin junior Landon Sidun and Hempfield senior Jonathan Stetchock, among others.

Brown will be playing NCAA Division I football at Robert Morris as a wide receiver.

Brown was an outstanding wide receiver his sophomore year for the Jayhawks but moved to quarterback his junior season to help the team.

He led the Jayhawks to the playoffs and orchestrated playoff wins against Neshannock (23-7) and Greensburg Central Catholic (29-23) before falling to Fort Cherry (49-14) in the semifinals.

Jeannette then reached the WPIAL playoffs in 2025 and defeated Bentworth (38-24) before falling to Clairton (38-33).

Brown completed 99 of 212 passes for 1,825 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 1,116 yards and 17 scores.

He also was a two-time winner of the TribLive Westmoreland Football Player of the Year.

While the playoff loss to Clairton stood out as one of his best games, Brown feels the six touchdowns and more than 520 total yards he produced against Brentwood was his best game.

Jeannette won that game 42-41 as Brown rushed for two scores, including the winner with 7.7 seconds left, and completed 21 of 31 passes for 366 yards and four scores.

The 6-foot, 170-pound Brown, who also played slot receiver, cornerback and safety, aimed to be a better leader each time he joined his teammates, he said.

"He's his biggest critic and looks in the mirror after performances," Paulone said. "He has a special ability to make guys miss. He takes games over."

Brown said he enjoyed the leadership role and playing with his friends. He was the catalyst for basketball team, too, when he and the Jayhawks won their first WPIAL championship since 2008 during the 2024-25 season.

They made it back to the championship game this winter but lost to Sewickley Academy. He averaged 12.8 points and three assists.

"He was a throwback point guard," Jeannette basketball coach Adrian Batts said. "He was pass first and score when he had to. He got a bigger thrill making a great pass.

"After a playoff loss to Northgate, he told his teammates, 'We are not losing like this again.' He was a leader by example."

But what stood out the most was how Brown handled situations when things got tough.

"He did the little things," Batts said. "He is a great athlete but a better person."

Brown said he wanted to show what it took to be a leader.

"I wanted to be a good leader," Brown said. "I take pride in what I have accomplished, and I am not done."

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.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.