Hampton’s Ringeisen having big season in father’s memory
Ben Ringeisen can’t help but look into the Hampton crowd during home games, second row from the top in the middle section of bleachers. That’s where his best friend used to always sit.
“My dad was probably my best friend,” Ringeisen said.
Ben Ringeisen lost his father Nov. 5. Wayne Ringeisen, 56, died of a heart attack inside an airport in Louisville, just 30 days before his only son was to start his senior season for the Hampton Talbots basketball team.
Ben Ringeisen is playing this season with a heavy heart, but with a mind that won’t forget. It’s like he hears his father.
“He just used to always say be aggressive and be a leader,” Ben Ringeisen said.
And Ben Ringeisen is still following Dad’s advice.
Ringeisen is a 6-foot-6, 200-pound forward who has become one of the best inside players in WPIAL Class 5A. This Big Ben has been dominant at times and the Talbots have followed along. He is averaging 19 points and 10.5 rebounds a game for a team that entered the week in second place in WPIAL Class 5A Section 3.
Ringeisen’s story is one of a teenager dealing with a horrible tragedy, but using sports as a crutch — and succeeding.
“Many sons are close with their dads, but Ben’s father and son relationship was extraordinary,” Hampton coach Joe Lafko said. “At the beginning of the year when we talked to Ben and wanted to address his needs, one of the things Ben said to me was that basketball was a release for him. I think he has performed amazingly well.”
When Ringeisen needs a little inspiration during a game, he looks down — at his shoes. He has his father’s name and the date of his death on his sneakers.
Ringeisen has thoughts of a WPIAL championship on his mind. “It’s been a goal ever since I knew what the WPIAL was,” he said.
It bothers him that he got so close as a tennis player, losing in the WPIAL doubles championship as a freshman and sophomore.
But even if Hampton doesn’t make a WPIAL run, Ringeisen has already done plenty — for himself, his family and his father.
“Every night it’s hard just because he’s not there,” Ringeisen said. “I’d say our first section game at home was especially hard because they handed out bracelets to the fans with my dad’s initials on them. Beating Mars last week was hard, too, just because he always wanted to see that.
“But I know somewhere he’s out there watching me every night.”
Carmodys miss games
When Hampton beat Mars last week, Mars played without 6-7 senior Michael Carmody, who averages 20 points and 19 rebounds. Carmody also missed Mars’ victory against Indiana Jan. 17. Rob Carmody, Michael’s father and Mars’ coach, also missed the Indiana game.
Michael Carmody was in Hawaii last week, practicing for the Polynesian Bowl, a high school football all-star game played Jan. 18 featuring top players around the country. Michael Carmody has signed with Notre Dame.
Rob Carmody has been Mars’ coach for 22 seasons and was a North Catholic assistant for four years before that. It was the first time in those 26 seasons he missed a game.
“The coach in me said, ‘No, Michael don’t go,’” Rob Carmody said. “But being a parent is the most important job. By the time he’s done, he will have played more than 100 basketball games at Mars. Playing in that all-star game is a memory of a lifetime. His teammates were all understanding and supportive.
“For myself, our athletic director (Scott Heinauer) told me, ‘I’m your boss, you have to go. There’s no way you can’t be there.’ It’s good to have a boss like that. … The nature of the beast is that someone will complain no matter what. If I would’ve stayed to coach, someone would’ve said, ‘I can’t believe you’re not in Hawaii.’ Erring on the side of family is the best possible thing.”
Honoring teams
At halftime of Ringgold’s home game Friday against Waynesburg, Ringgold will honor the 1990 and ’95 teams. Both were memorable squads.
The 1990 team won a WPIAL title and lost in the PIAA title game to Glen Mills. Ringgold had a terrific one-two punch that year. Yancey Taylor, who was a Post-Gazette Fabulous 5 selection, averaged 23 points a game and Brian Miller, who went on to play football at Penn State, averaged 20.
The 1995 team didn’t win the WPIAL, but became the first WPIAL team to win a PIAA title in Class 4A. And this team probably wouldn’t be honored if guard Czar Walsh didn’t hit that memorable shot near half-court in the PIAA quarterfinals against Erie Cathedral Prep. The shot sent the game into overtime, Ringgold went on to win and then won the PIAA title a week later.
Honoring coach
Carlynton will honor former basketball coach Rich Sonson before Friday’s home game against Avonworth.
Sonson, who died in November at age 73, won a PIAA championship in 1992 and a WPIAL championship in 1988. Members of both of those teams will be at Friday’s ceremonies. Carlynton coach Mike Kozy was on the 1988 team.
Big 33 still Super
The Big 33 streak with the Super Bowl is still alive. There has never been a Super Bowl without a former player from the Big 33 high school football all-star game. Three former players are on Super Bowl rosters this year and all three are from Pennsylvania high schools. They are: defensive lineman Kevin Givens (Altoona High School) and kicker Robbie Gould (Central Mountain) of the San Francisco 49ers, and reserve quarterback Chad Henne (Wilson) of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Bubba gone
When it comes to WPIAL baseball championships, Mike “Bubba” Kirkwood was one of the most successful coaches in league history. But Kirkwood has coached his final game at Neshannock.
Kirkwood resigned last Thursday as the Lancers’ coach.
Kirkwood won five WPIAL titles, which ties for the second most in league history. Abby Fallquist won six at McKeesport High from the late 1920s into the 1960s and Riverside’s Dan Oliastro, still the coach at Riverside, also won five.
Kirkwood resigned because he will now be running Green Meadows Golf Course in Volant. Kirkwood put Neshannock baseball on the map after taking over as coach in 1988 and he won his first WPIAL title in 1991. He left to become New Castle’s coach in 1998, but returned to Neshannock in 2004.
WPIAL baseball will miss him. Neshannock thought enough of Kirkwood that, in 2015, the school named its baseball field Mike “Bubba” Kirkwood Field.