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ROSSI SANTO TO BE RECOMMENDED AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Rossi Santo to be Recommended as Head Football Coach

BRANDON STEWART

West Geauga Athletics | 1/30/2025

West Geauga High School is proud to announce that Rossi Santo will be recommended as the next head football coach at the February 10, 2025 Board of Education meeting.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Rossi to West Geauga,” said Athletic Director Brandon Stewart. “Throughout the hiring process, we met with several very talented coaches but Rossi stood out with his knowledge of the game, his passion to provide a positive experience for our student-athletes and the high character that he possesses as a father, teacher and coach.”

Santo spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach at Kirtland High School under the leadership of seven-time state champion head coach Tiger LaVerde. The Hornets posted an 85-4 overall record with six appearances in the OHSAA State Championship game including three state titles.

Prior to Kirtland, Santo worked alongside head coach Dave Bors for four seasons at Riverside High School. During that time, Riverside appeared in the Regional Semi-Finals three times and won the WRC.

“We're thrilled to welcome Coach Santo to the West Geauga family. His proven track record of success, combined with his background as an intervention specialist, aligns perfectly with our mission of developing well-rounded student-athletes. Coach Santo's experience with successful programs like Kirtland and Riverside, along with his commitment to building positive relationships with students, makes him an excellent fit for leading our football program into the future”, said Ryan Patti, High School Principal.

Santo was an All-Ohio standout defensive back and All-Ohio basketball player at Kirtland High School. He played defensive back, receiver and was a kick returner on the Division V state runner-up team. He played collegiately for one-season at Edinboro University.

In 2022, Santo was selected as one of the coaches for the News Herald Senior Bowl.

“I am thankful for the opportunity at West G,” said Santo. “I am eager to get started with Wolverines football. I am excited to lead these student-athletes and build a positive culture within the program.”

Santo has spent the last 11 years as an Intervention Specialist with the Riverside School District. He and his wife Emily have two children and reside in Mentor.

We will be announcing a “Meet the Coach” night in the coming days to give our community, parents and student-athletes the opportunity to meet Coach Santo and his family.

WHAT OTHER COACHES ARE SAYING ABOUT COACH SANTO:

Dave Bors–Athletic Director & Former Head Coach at Riverside High School
“Not only because of my relationship with Coach Santo, but also because of my first-hand experience with the Wolverine Community, this is a fantastic hire. Coach Santo is more than ready to lead his own program. He is passionate and highly driven, and I know he will work tirelessly to ensure success both on and off the field as well as providing an overall great experience for the student-athletes."

Tiger LaVerde– Head Coach Kirtland High School
“First of all, Rossi is a great human being who cares about kids. Rossi loves the game of football, he is passionate about competition. He brings great energy & enthusiasm everyday. He treats kids well and they all love him. I am really excited for him, and I believe he will be very successful at West G.”

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