Senior leaders out to turn things around for Ligonier Valley

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, August 16, 2024 | 6:18 PM

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The 2023 football season didn’t go well for Ligonier Valley.

The Rams went 2-8 and finished the season on a six-game losing streak.

Things will be a lot different in 2024 if senior lineman Wade Lamont and senior running back/linebacker Aidan Mulheren having anything to say about it.

See, a losing season at Ligonier Valley under coach Roger Beitel is not acceptable.

Injuries and a youthful squad that lacked experience were big reasons for the rare losing season. The Rams graduated one senior.

But Beitel and his squad offered no excuses. They just got back to work.

“We have a big chip on our shoulder,” Lamont said. “We’ve worked hard all summer, and we don’t want to have a repeat season.

“As a leader, you have to hold people accountable. That’s the biggest thing. At practice, you have to be first on the practice field and be one of the hardest working if not the hardest workers on the field.”

Usually Beitel gives his players some time off once a season ends. This squad didn’t waste any time getting focused on this season.

“We were in the weight room on Monday after last year’s final game, and Lamont and Mulheren were leading the way,” Beitel said. “When we went away to camp at Lebanon Valley this summer, we go as individuals and come home as a team.

“We enabled them with leadership skills, and they were in charge of a certain floor in the dorm or a certain group. When you have solid individuals like Wade and Aidan, they take that job and take it upon themselves to use their leadership skills. Both earned top performance honors at the camp.”

Mulheren said he learned a lot of that camp that is going to make him a better player.

“I learned to be honest all the time, hold everyone accountable and be there,” Mulheren said. “Don’t complain and be someone your teammates can look up to. Always be that strong person and give 100 percent.

“At camp, I gave it my all. I learned to run hard and read the gaps better on defense. I also caught the ball well, ran good routes and I was able to read the defenses. ”

Lamont added: “It was a huge honor being selected as a top performer. It was our first year at the camp, so it was a nice experience for all of us.

“I worked my hardest. I wanted everyone else to work just as hard, and I think by doing that, I set a precedent for the future here.”

Both players stressed hard work and dedication will get the team back on the right track.

They worked together to keep the players focused and helped and encouraged players during workouts.

“We all have to work as a team and work really hard,” Mulheren said. “If someone goes down, you have to pick each other up. You can’t be down on each other. We have to be there for each other and have motivation and work hard.”

And what is the biggest difference that Lamont sees with this team?

“We’ve gotten tougher and a lot stronger,” he said. “That was a huge emphasis in the offseason. Our weights went up, we got stronger, we got heavier, and we got faster. We have that tenacity about us. No one wants another 2-8 season again.”

So what are the intangibles that Beitel looks for in a leader?

“We expect them to make the right decision and putting the team first,” Beitel said. “They’ve done a great job. They keep things in line.

“They’ve done a great job eliminating drama from the field and the locker room, which allows us as coaches to go out and work on our skills and get better as a team. These guys accept their roles without complaints. They’ll play anywhere.”

And Lamont said there is something special about being a Ligonier Valley football player.

“Wearing that jersey is about honoring the players that came before you and their legacy and building your own legacy and giving one for future Rams,” Lamont said. “It’s about working hard, giving your best, mental toughness and physical toughness, being there for each other. We’re a team, a brotherhood.”

Ligonier Valley opens the season Friday at home against Derry.

Mulheren is excited about the challenge facing the team.

“It’s a pretty big game,” Mulheren said. “We lost to them last year, and we’re excited to get out there and turn the season around with a good start.

“It’s a ‘Riot on the Ridge’ game, so you want to start the season off good.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

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