New coach, same determination for Ringgold’s Law
Ringgold’s Nico Law gets ready to pass during a recent practice.
Ringgold running back Chacar Berry pushes through the middle during a recent practice.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter A couple of football players take a knee while watching practice plays during football camp.
MONONGAHELA – Few WPIAL quarterbacks looked as comfortable picking apart opposing defenses last year as Nico Law. In his second year as the Rams’ starting quarterback, Law passed for 1,494 yards, rushed for 1,210 more and threw 14 touchdowns.
At its best, Ringgold’s offense was championship caliber under Law’s guidance. When Matt Humbert left to take the head coaching job at rival Belle Vernon, one would think Law would experience some growing pains.
That couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Division I recruit enjoys running new head coach Nick Milchovich’s offense, even more so than last season. That doesn’t bode well for teams in Class AAA’s Big 9 conference.
“It’s not different at all. It’s kind of the same thing,” Law said. “I’m more comfortable running this one, actually. It’s more passing. I don’t have to use my feet. I don’t like running unless I absolutely had to. I didn’t like running that much last year.”
Law and Humbert formed a close bond over the years. Humbert, a former quarterback at Cal, served as a mentor to Law and helped him acclimate to the pressure-filled nature of playing the position at Joe Montana’s alma mater.
When Milchovich took over, Law’s determination did not skip a beat. He bought in and is looking to get Ringgold past the first round of the playoffs. The Rams’ new head coach raved about Law’s work ethic and resolve.
“He’s very athletic. The big thing I’ve noticed is he can throw the ball very well,” Milchovich said. “He’s a very good passer. He has a great understanding of the passing game and he reads defenses pretty well. I would say that’s the No. 1 thing. I knew he could run and knew he was a good athlete. It makes him even more dangerous.”
Understanding the system will be vital for Law after he lost his top two receivers from 2013. Alan Pritchett and Dayshore Majors combined for 58 catches, 987 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Replacing the duo will be senior Brandon Thomas, senior Mayson Atkinson, sophomore Dalton Holt, senior Jake Gerard and senior Luke Baldesberger.
“It’s all of the guys I grew up with,” Law said. “It’s all of the young guys I’ve been working with for years. The expectations haven’t changed. We expect a lot -more than last year.”
The tailbacks could be the unexpected strength of the Rams’ offense as junior Chacar Berry is back after rushing for 563 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2013. He will be joined by one of the more highly touted freshman in the area – Brenden “Bam” Small.
Having a strong, proven line could make the Rams’ offense one of the best in Class AAA. Senior left tackle Anthony Martin (6-5, 310)returns from injury, while junior guard Daylen Penn, senior center Eric Higgs, sophomore guard Gage Ivory and senior right tackle Bobby Duda round out the group.
The unit averages 291 pounds and Berry believes it could lead the way for a prolific attack.
“It’s a great feeling for us to have all of these weapons, especially when you have a great line,” Berry said. “We’re way harder than last year. Last year, we were all slacking and this year we are ready. Losing in the playoffs made us work harder for what we want.”
The defense could be the key for Ringgold as it looks to upset the balance of the Big 9 conference, which has been dominated by Thomas Jefferson and West Mifflin. Senior Aaron Szakal will be a key pass rusher at defensive end, junior Connor Garry returns at inside linebacker, Berry is slotted at outside linebacker and Thomas is the top corner back.
One element that is new will be Law receiving time at safety where he can flash the athletic ability that has captured the attention of scouts.
“We’re going to have to move around and attack,” Milchovich said. “We have some good experience on the outside and the speed will play into that very well. We can chase things down. The test for us will be when someone lines up and goes straight ahead, can we dig in and get a stop? “
The Rams will need to combat power-rushing attacks with their top competition having a longstanding reputation as two of the top teams in Class AAA. Milchovich is hoping a strong camp translates into big things this fall.
“You’d have to be crazy to say T.J. isn’t the favorite,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many years it’s been T.J. one and West Mifflin two. We’re going to do our best and we’re going to continue to work hard. We’re going to try to upset that order a little bit. We’re going to try to change that”