Rich Donahue When you mention the last name Shell to residents of the Hopewell community, they immediately think of former Vikings standout running back Rushel Shell. During his high school career, Shell became one of the most prolific running backs in the history of the PIAA.
Not only did Shell set the state record for rushing yards, a mark that still stands, he was one of the most highly recruited athletes in the WPIAL in the last 15 years, committing to Pitt before finishing his collegiate career at West Virginia.
Shell also led the Vikings to their last WPIAL Championship appearance, losing to Mike Caputo and West Allegheny in one of the most hyped WPIAL Championship games ever.
But now there are some different Shells poised to continue the family legacy at Hopewell: Rushel’s twin daughters Amiyah and Arionna.
Amiyah and Arionna are currently 7th graders at Hopewell Junior High School. The twins just finished their first season playing basketball for the Vikings and currently, they are beginning their first season playing volleyball.
For Rushel, it is thrilling to see his daughters play for the same school where he stared at.
“It’s a proud moment,” Rushel said. “Kind of makes me reflect on my past and just makes me excited for the future.”
For his daughters, their dad is just that and not one of the best and accomplished football players in Pennsylvania history.
“I handle it very well and I don’t think anything special about it,” said Amiyah. “I just see him as my dad and that’s it and I sometimes feel pressured because my dad is very attached to sports, and I have to try hard.”
“I don’t feel any sort of pressure and actually, I think one day I could have a good legacy if I put in work,” said Arionna.
Despite only being in 7th grade, the pair contributed in a big way, with Amiyah playing point guard and Arionna playing small forward. The duo helped lead the Vikings to a 9-4 record this past season.
The connection they have is pretty clear to their dad and the fact that they get to enjoy these moments in athletics together is special to the entire Shell family.
“Playing with my sisters is very stressful but we make a good duo, and I know us playing together make each other better,” said Amiyah.
“Playing with my sister is the best knowing I always have someone to be rely on, also knowing we are one of the best duos in the Beaver County,” says Arionna.
“They’re like a union, ying and yang,” Rushel tells Vikings Sports Now. “One is a really good dribble and shooter, and one’s good at getting rebounds and playing defense. She guards like a big man.”
Aggressiveness is another reason the twins are excelling at such a young age, something that they’ve inherited from their dad. That trait helped Rushel rush for over 100 yards in 39 straight games in high school, breaking a mark set by former Detroit Lions great Billy Simms in 1975.
Being the daughters of a former standout athlete, doesn’t mean their dad is going to go easy on them.
“I’m pretty tough on them,” Rushel said. “I always tell them if they can deal with me, they’ll be able to deal with any coach they ever run across. I tell them what it takes, the sacrifice, the stuff you gotta put into it to get to that destination.”
“We yell at each other a lot (laughing), but it helps us to get motivated,” said Arionna. ” He’s training me to be one of the best and he’s a tough coach but not to be mean just to show it takes a lot to be the best.”
“My dad coaching me is very hard, but he trains me to be the best and tells me not to give up,” says Amiyah. “One of the best memories we had is when we beat Central Valley twice in the playoffs last year and he was very excited, and I was happy to see him that excited.”
The Shell sisters have one more year in the junior high before they take their talents to the high school level, where they plan on making basketball their primary sport.
“Basketball is my main sport and love it a lot,” says Amiyah. “Basketball teaches me that everyone is an equal part of good. Some players are good are shooters and some are good at taking it to the hoop, etc. But I am looking forward to playing high school basketball and after that hopefully college basketball and I’m working to become one of the best.”
“My passion is playing basketball, which is definitely one of the best things. I can’t wait to play in high school on a big stage trying to be the best and show people who I really am.”
“They both have aspirations to play at the next level,” said Rushel. “The dream scenario would be they both go to the same school and have a good career, killing it and getting a degree. That would be mission complete for me.”
You can expect big things from the Shell Twins in the coming years, Hopewell’s version of the Cavinder Twins.
