Pine Richland starts football season with new coach after controversy over former coach’s firing

GIBSONIA, Pa. — It’s a new season and a new era for Pine Richland football. After head coach Eric Kasperowicz was let go in April with some controversy, the Rams have a new face at the helm. Steve Campos is leading Pine Richland into the 2021 season.

It’s been a learning curve for both the coaching staff and the players. However, there’s been one theme that’s been extremely apparent among the Rams since the new coaching staff took over: you can remember the past, but you can’t live in it.

“Last year was last year, good memories, but this year is our year,” said Pine Richland Head Coach Steve Campos. “We just have to remember that.”

“If you keep thinking about what happened, it’s going to catch up to you,” added senior linebacker and wide receiver Jeremiah Hasley. “We have to just keep running, keep going and keep grinding.”

That’s been Campos’ message to his team from day one when he took over the Rams program. He’s been extremely impressed with the way his guys have responded.

“They’re unbelievable,” said Campos.

“They went through some adversity, and a lot outward bias and that type of thing, but they’ve done a fantastic job.”

The returning players knew they needed to find team chemistry among all the turmoil to give themselves a sense of stability. They’re also impressed with their new counterparts, especially the work ethic of their new coaching staff.

Pine Richland names new football coach

“I can’t appreciate them enough because they’ve done so much for us,” said Hasley. “It’s hard, coming in, getting like shots fired like that how they came into this whole thing.”

While the Rams program was seemingly under a microscope after everything unfolded last spring, the team is simply excited and focused on one thing: playing ball.

“We just needed to stay together and get through the harsh moments,” said Hasley. “But now, it’s a game week so we are excited about that.”

“We’re excited for the fans,” said senior quarterback Cole Boyd. “We’re excited for the community that has been rallying behind us this whole entire time to, to actually be up in the stands and cheer for us.”

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