Moniteau's Armagost district's top passer
CHERRY TWP — Tyler Armagost is more than a busy football player. He has a busy football mind.
Moniteau coach Jeff Campbell describes his junior quarterback as a student of the game.
"Absolutely," Campbell said. "He has the freedom to make check-offs at the line of scrimmage and he'll come up with new plays during the week and talk the coaches into trying them.
"He makes suggestions to us and we respect his knowledge of the game enough to listen to what he has to say."
"Sometimes I'll find a new play even during the game and we'll give it a shot,"Armagost said. "Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't."
On the field, Armagost has thrown for 2,021 yards — most in District 9 — and 23 touchdowns. He's also run for 379 yards and nine more TDs.
"We set two goals in the preseason,"Armagost said. "One was to pass for 2,000 yards. The other was to win the district championship. Now we've got a shot at both."
The Warriors (6-5) face Karns City (11-0) for the District 9 Class AAtitle at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium.
Campbell hopes his quarterback's performance in last weekend's 38-12 playoff win at Brookville — five touchdowns and 387 yards combined running and passing — is just the start of a big postseason.
"That kid feels like he has something to prove,"Campbell said. "(Redbank Valley's)Jake Smith was named all-conference quarterback and that bothered Tyler. He feels like he should have been first team.
"Even in our losses to Karns City, Clarion and Redbank, he was phenomenal. He sees things on the field that a junior quarterback shouldn't be able to see."
One of the reasons Armagost is advanced beyond his years is his upbringing. His father, Randy Armagost, is the Warriors' varsity basketball coach and junior high football coach.
"My father gave me a feel for what it's like to be around sports,"the quarterback said. "I grew up on this stuff. I've been playing all my life."
His father isn't all that surprised over Armagost's quick success as a high school quarterback.
"I didn't think he'd put up the numbers he has, but you could see at an early age he could play the position,"Coach Armagost said. "When Tyler turned 9, we had a birthday party for him and he threw a football 30 yards in the air that day.
"He entered the Punt, Pass &Kick competition two different years and made it to Heinz Field both times. Now he can throw a football 60 or 65 yards in the air."
He's not afraid to keep the ball and run with it, either — or take a big hit to complete a pass.
"At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Tyler will stand in there and take the hit to complete a pass downfield,"Campbell said. "Or he'll take a big hit and a sack to avoid throwing an interception. There is no fear in him at all and he doesn't get rattled.
"He's a true leader. He is a fierce competitor. He showed that side of himself last Saturday."
Figure on Armagost being as competitive as ever this Saturday against the Gremlins.
But he has ample respect for Karns City — and opposing quarterback Anthony Stimac.
"He's playing tremendous right now,"Armagost said of Stimac. "He's running and throwing well and he knows how to get everybody in the offense involved.
"He's going to be hard to shut down."
Still with a year of highschool football to play, Armagost is receiving contacts from numerous Division I and Division IIschools.
"I'm shocked about that,"Coach Armagost said. "I mean, we're such a small school and we don't play in the WPIAL. But Tyler's a leader out there and the team responds to him."
Campbell agreed.
"He's a versatile athlete, an honor student and a great kid," the coach said. "That kid is the total package."
