High School Football’s Top-Ranked Running Back Sparks Debate During Insane Run: Was His Knee Down?

Kemon Spell is the top-ranked running back in high school football. He does not think he was down.

However, a video of the (almost) ridiculous touchdown appears to show his elbow and/or knee hit the turf.

Fortunately, the officiating decision did not impact the outcome of the high school football game. McKeesport still won!

The McKeesport High School football team snapped its losing streak.

Located about 15 miles outside of Pittsburgh, McKeesport Area High School enrolls just over 1,000 students in Grades 9-12. The Tigers compete in Class 4A of the PIAA as members of the Greater Allegheny Conference. They went 9-4 during the 2025 high school football season. The expectations were even higher for 2026 because of their star running back.

Although Tennessee commit David Gabriel Georges gets all of the headlines, Kemon Spell is actually the top-ranked prospect at his position in the college football recruiting Class of 2027. He committed to Georgia. The Bulldogs are going to pay him $1 million as a true freshman. His NIL deal is worth half of what the Volunteers are paying their incoming freshman ball-carrier.

That does not bother Spell. The 5-foot-9, 205-pound running back does not care about money. He wants to win. He wants to one day get paid in the NFL.

In the meantime, Spell is doing everything he can to lead McKeesport to victory. The Tigers sit at 2-2 through the first four games.

Spell opened the season with only four carries for 73 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Brashear in Week 1. He ran ran for 200 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, with a 69-yard receiving touchdown in a loss to Montour in Week 2. He exploded for 296 yards and four touchdowns in a seven-point loss to Thomas Jefferson in Week 3. That leads us to Week 4.

McKeesport played on Thursday night. Spell finished with only 66 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. However, he also played a lot on defense, which is not always the case. And he might’ve scored a second touchdown during the 21-18 victory.

It depends on who you ask!

Was Kemon Spell down?

If you thought David Gabriel Georges scored the most ridiculous touchdown of the high school football season, Kemon Spell is a close second. Almost. The officials ruled him down so the touchdown did not count. Points were not scored.

Here is a look at the run from the front: