Ringgold football restarts after investigation into 'incidents of misconduct' by players

Mike White / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Football is back on at Ringgold High School and Friday’s game will be played.

Ringgold had stopped football activities last Thursday and called off last Friday’s home game against Thomas Jefferson for what Ringgold school superintendent Randall Skrinjorich termed “alleged incidents of misconduct” on the team.

But Skrinjorich sent a letter to the “Ringgold community” Monday and said after an investigation into the matter, all football activities can restart and Friday’s home game against Belle Vernon is on as scheduled.

In the letter, Skrinjorich said the Ringgold School District police and the Washington County District Attorney’s conducted an investigation into possible criminal conduct, but no charges will be filed.

Skrinjorich wrote: “We have concluded that there was inappropriate behavior and violations to the District's athletic rules and regulations; however, these violations were isolated to a small subset of the football players and were not pervasive. We have also concluded that at no time was the coaching staff aware of the misconduct and that, if they were, they would have acted in an appropriate fashion.”

Robert Heller, in his first season as Ringgold’s coach, was asked last Thursday if he had a comment on the matter. A day later, he wrote in a text message to the Post-Gazette: “All over a parent whose kid doesn’t play the position he wants. That sums it all up. All of these kids are great kids. Nothing happened but teenage kids being teenage kids.”

Skrinjorich wrote that the district couldn’t reveal what penalties were levied against any players, but “we can tell you that the appropriate action has been taken to ensure that such conduct does not repeat itself.”

Ringgold has a 1-6 record this season. The Rams entered the season on a 25-game losing streak and lost the first two games before defeating Yough to end the streak. Ringgold lost four more games after the victory.

Ringgold called off the game against Thomas Jefferson, one of the top teams in Class 4A with a 7-0 record. Vince Sortino, chief operating officer of the WPIAL, said last Thursday the game was considered postponed. He said it is against league rules to forfeit a conference game unless there are extenuating circumstances. He said if the game isn’t made up, the league will decide what to do with the contest and whether it is a forfeit. The WPIAL let Ringgold and Thomas Jefferson know Tuesday morning that the game is now considered a Ringgold forfeit.

Bill Cherpak, veteran coach and athletic director at Thomas Jefferson, was not happy the game was called off.  

Cherpak said: “About one-third of our student body is part of Friday night football games, and I’m sure Ringgold is probably the same. To lose one of those opportunities is disappointing, especially for the football players. The situation was obviously mismanaged and should have never resulted in a cancellation. We have yet to get an explanation from anyone at Ringgold. This is why the WPIAL has strict guidelines in regards to cancellations and forfeits.”