SARASOTA – To replace head football coach Josh Smithers, the Riverview Rams turned to their strength.
The school is expected to announce Mark Cristiani’s hiring as its new head coach on Tuesday afternoon. A graduate of Venice High, Cristiani served as the Rams’ strength and conditioning coach and defensive line coach. A press conference on Tuesday afternoon has been scheduled at the school to make the announcement.
He’s not joshing:Josh Smithers steps down after eight years as Riverview High School head football coach
After graduating from Venice, Cristiani attended Eastern Kentucky University. As a junior in 2005, the 5-foot-11, 275-pound defensive tackle was named to the First-Team All-Ohio Valley Conference. A defensive captain, Cristiani finished the season with 37 tackles and 4.5 quarterback sacks.
The Riverview job opened up after Smithers announced he was stepping down after eight seasons for family reasons. Last season, the Rams finished 4-6, failing to make the playoffs.
This story will be updated …
