Ringgold taking 4-game streak into postseason
MONONGAHELA – There are worse ways to end a football season, but the way things ended for Trinity might rank among the top. Not only did the Hillers lose in disappointing fashion last week to Greensburg Salem that cost Trinity any chance of a playoff spot, but they couldn’t even play much of a spoiler role against Ringgold.
For the Rams, in terms of conference standings, there wasn’t much to play for either. Ringgold was locked into fourth place in the Class 4-A Big Nine Conference.
However, playoff seeding implications and pride for both schools – Trinity to end the season on a positive note and Ringgold to carry a four-game winning streak into the playoffs – was at the forefront of Friday night’s game, won in convincing fashion by Ringgold, 34-14, at Joe Montana Stadium.
“When you play a team that isn’t in the playoffs and has nothing to lose, if you give them a spark, that could snowball on you,” said Ringgold head coach Nick Milchovich. “I was worried about the game.”
The Hillers (3-5, 3-6) weren’t backing down and tried to provide that spark on a couple different occasions, including attempting a fake punt on their first possession and converting it on a 20-yard run by Cole Bair.
But the momentum was brief, and it soon swung completely in Ringgold’s direction behind the arm of George Martin. His first pass was a 60-yard bomb to Brian Vandusen, though it took some other kind of aggressiveness for the Rams (6-2, 7-2) to put points on the board.
Twice on fourth down inside the 20, Milchovich elected to go for it, and both times the play resulted in a Martin touchdown toss, one to a wide open Max Maciejewski (18 yards) and one to Easton Fine from 15 yards.
The lead grew to 21-0 early in the second quarter when Martin found another wide-open receiver, Dalton Holt, who scampered the remaining 25 yards for the score.
Martin completed 11 of 18 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns.
“Fantastic,” said Milchovich. “He’s getting better and better every week.”
Making Trinity’s task tougher was the absence of Joey Koroly, who had 16 touchdowns on the season and was the focal point of the Hillers’ offense. Koroly did not play, Miller said, because of an injury suffered in the Greensburg Salem game.
That opened the door for younger players to fill Koroly’s spot and build some momentum for next season. Getting the most opportunity was sophomore Jaden Nelson, who rushed for 151 yards on 25 carries.
“They fought and played well for each other,” said Trinity coach Jon Miller. “Jaden Nelson did a fantastic job, and I think he has a bright future. He’s one of the better athletes in Western Pennsylvania. We’re fortunate to have him.”
Nelson also helped set up Trinity’s first touchdown, returning a punt 29 yards to start the Hillers at the Ringgold 16 with 18 seconds left in the half. Three plays later and Trinity found the end zone, ending a long scoreless drought, with Robert Nelson hauling in a three-yard fade pattern.
“We got a little complacent when we got up, and that’s to be expected, I guess,” said Milchovich. “The kids are looking forward to the playoffs, as much as you can tell them until you’re blue in the face. They know.”
Ringgold scored the next 14 points to end Trinity’s hopes of pulling the upset, with Brenden Small running for a 10-yard score and Maciejewski hauling in his second touchdown catch of the game. Maciejewski finished with five receptions for 110 yards. Small gained 112 yards on 17 carries.
Nelson caught his second touchdown of the game in the waning moments of the game.