Aug 17, 2025 5 min read

By Bill Hughes

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

MONONGAHELA – For Robert Heller and the Ringgold High School football program, one year has made a lot of difference.

When Heller was hired to return to take over his alma mater as head coach in January of 2024, the Rams were in the midst of what would end up being a 27-game losing streak.

The team was hurting for players, and it led to Heller and others to begin looking for players.

“Going into it, the team had the longest losing streak in WPIAL,” Heller said. “Last year, we had to go through the halls recruiting, mainly trying to get into that win column and get that zero out of there.”

How is the climate today, a year after having to look for players?

“This year it is different,”Heller said. “The 10th-grade class is special and I didn’t recruit. They (the players) recruited kids. I went after numbers last year.

“This year, whether it is 30, 40 or 50 kids, I want who is there. If I have to chase you, this probably isn’t for you.”

The Rams impressed many with their 7-on-7 performances during the offseason, and Heller hopes the hard work when no one was watching carries over to success on the field during Friday nights.

“I think we have pieces that no one knows about,” he said. “They keep quiet and are hard workers.”

The Rams played a lot of young kids, including quite a few freshmen, last year. Heller hopes the bumps and bruises the team had to endure were lessons and experience that will help the team this year.

Ringgold had a 2-8 record last year and ended its long losing streak with a 21-19 win over Yough in the third game of the season. The Rams also beat Chartiers Valley in the season finale.

“We played a lot of freshmen last year, and if you are going to rebuild, get them young,” he said. “They were thrown into the fire.”

Leading the way for the Rams will be junior wide receiver Demitri Lowe, an explosive talent who recently received his first Division I scholarship offer, from Akron, and Heller says the future is bright for him.

“It starts with Demitri,” Heller said. “He was top-10 in yards last year, and I think he is our first player from here in 20 years to get a D1 offer. A year from now, he will have 20 offers.

“You might think I am biased, but he is the best receiver in the WPIAL. People don’t give him the credit he deserves. He is a stud.”

Senior Amani Ward returns at quarterback, and he will have one of the taller wide receiver corps to throw to in the WPIAL.

Lowe is 6-3 while junior Dennis Hawkins is 6-4 and senior Xavion Thomas, who is playing his first season, is 6-2½.

“Amoni is built like a running back, but he is one of the most versatile athletes in the WPIAL and he can sling it with the best of them,” Heller said of his 5-10, 200-pound signal caller. “It is hard to stop receivers that size.”

Other key receivers are junior slot Ashton Mincin and senior Drayvon Everly.

Sophomore Nick Stasko and senior Curtis Watkins are the running backs while sophomore Cole Konek and senior Ty Anderson will be the tight ends.

The offensive line is still being ironed out. Junior Tyler Jones will play either center or guard, sophomore Keenan Anderson will be at guard, senior Gordon Altamare is at tackle and a pair of juniors, Mason Harris and Taveyon Webb, will fill out the other positions on the line.

On the defensive side, the Rams will have a mix of two-way starters.

Up front, Altamare, Anderson, and Jones are the defensive tackles while Connick and sophomore Dom Fonzi are the ends.

Heller, when speaking about Connick, said, “This kid is going to be special.”

The linebackers will consist of a quartet of seniors in Ward, Anderson, Curtis Watkins, and Meyontae Jordan.

Lowe will be at one cornerback with either Mincin or Everly starting opposite of him. Hoskins and sophomore Dezire Satterfield will be in the mix at cornerback.

Junior Bill Cameron will handle the kicking and punting, while Heller mentioned Gavyn Lowe, Demetri’s younger brother, as a freshman who could see playing time, possibly as a kick returner.

What goals and expectations does Heller have for this year’s team?

“I want us to be competitive, and through our first five games last season, we could have been 4-1 or 3-2,” he said. “You always want to say playoffs, and that is our goal, crazy as it sounds.

“I think we have some of the best skilled players, and we will have a successful season if our line leads us.”

The Rams are again in the Class 4A Big Six Conference with Thomas Jefferson, Trinity, Laurel Highlands, Belle Vernon, and Chartiers Valley.

“I think Trinity will be right up there with Jonah Williamson at quarterback, and TJ will always reload,” Heller said. “We are still on our way up and still have a lot of young kids. We only have a handful of seniors who will play.”

Ringgold opens at South Allegheny on Friday and opens conference play Sept. 26 when it hosts Trinity.