West Mifflin kind to The Rock
SLIPPERY ROCK — Longtime Slippery Rock University football coach George Mihalik takes pride in bleeding Green and White.
These days, don't be surprised if he has a little Blue and Gold mixed in as well.
The Rock is receiving plenty of mileage out of three former West Mifflin High School teammates: running back Shamar Greene, free safety Derrick Fulmore and defensive end Marcus Martin.
Greene, a sophomore, leads all of NCAA Division II with 747 yards rushing — 20 more yards than he had all of last year — and has scored eight touchdowns. He's helped The Rock average 568 yards per game this season — tops in all of Division II.
Fulmore leads The Rock with three interceptions — returning one for a touchdown — and has blocked a kick. Also a sophomore, Fulmore has 18 tackles, including 11 solos.
Martin, a red-shirt freshman, is third on the team with 22 tackles while the leading SRU with 7.5 tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks. He ranks eighth in the nation in sacks.
“We've had three players from the same high school on the team before, but three young starters with this kind of production? Never,” Mihalik said.
The trio have helped The Rock get off to a 4-0 start this season by making a number of big plays.
“It felt like family when I visited here,” said Greene, who rushed for 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior year at West Mifflin. “The coaches gave recruits time alone with the players to ask them whatever we wanted.
“The way they felt about this program is what made me decide to come.”
Fulmore was the Titans' starting quarterback in high school and also played safety. Martin was a tight end and defensive end in high school.
Fulmore and Martin visited Indiana (Pa.) University as potential recruits together. They were also recruited by California (Pa.).“I felt the brotherhood here right away and the potential to win a championship,” Fulmore said. “I was coming.”Martin's older sister, Sydney, plays softball at La Roche College and clued him in on the recruiting process.“She just told me I would feel it when I found the right school, that I would just know,” Martin said. “I had no ideas what position I'd be playing in college.“Some colleges liked me as an H-back or a tight end, others as a defensive end or outside linebacker. It never mattered to me. I just wanted the right fit.”Mihalik hoped to land one of the three West Mifflin standouts.When he got all three?“Overwhelming,” Mihalik said. “They're all good people, which is the most important thing. Shamar is a team player. As long as we win, he's OK with everything.“Derrick gave us depth in the defensive backfield, which came in handy when Derek Morgan went down (with an injury).”Mihalik said Martin would have seen playing time as a true freshman last year, but a late high school grade made the NCAA rule him ineligible for his first year.“Things happen for a reason. Marcus took full advantage of that year's time,” Mihalik said.Instead of playing in games last season, Martin lined up on scout team against The Rock's offense every day.“It worked out well for me,” Martin admitted. “I was able to get bigger, stronger and working against our offense got me acclimated to the speed of the game.”
The West Mifflin trio guided the Titans to a 9-2 record in 2011. The team was ousted in a 31-7 first-round playoff loss to eventual WPIAL champion Montour.They helped West Mifflin to consecutive playoff appearances, ending a five-year drought at the school.Now they have visions of realizing a conference title in college.“I've played football with these guys for years,” Greene said of Fulmore and Martin. “That'd be a great way to go out ... and we can make it happen.”
