River Ridge High Names New Head Coach For Men’s Lacrosse Program

WOODSTOCK, GA — River Ridge High School has named Coach Pete Manderano as the next head coach for the men’s lacrosse program.

He will teach world history and United States government as a member of the social studies department. Manderano has coached 18 years in Georgia, which includes four years at the collegiate level. He was the first head coach at Riverwood High School where he started the program in 2004.

After two years at Riverwood, Manderano moved to Lassiter High School and was a key contributor to much of their success. During his five-year tenure at Lassiter, his teams earned a record of 78-23 and competed for three state championships (2006, 2007, and 2010). In 2006, the Trojans brought home the trophy and were notably the first public high school to win a Georgia High School Association state championship. While at Lassiter, he coached three U.S. Lacrosse All American players and multiple all-state players. He was selected as the Marietta Daily Journal Coach of the Year four out of the five years he coached at Lassiter.

Manderano left Lassiter to start the men’s lacrosse program at Piedmont College, a Division III
program in northeast Georgia. He coached four years on the sidelines for the Lions and
later made his way back onto the high school athletic scene. Manderano spent two years at Kell
High School and the last four at Woodstock High School as head men’s lacrosse coach. At
Woodstock, Manderano’s teams compiled a 37-23 record, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2019 and
2021.

River Ridge High School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director, David Dyer said he, “believes Coach
Manderano brings the work ethic, experience and pedigree to build a championship program. We
are excited to welcome Coach Manderano and his family into the Knight Nation.”

Manderano spent his scholastic days playing football and lacrosse at Fairport High School in the
suburbs of Rochester, New York. He was a three-year starter on the football team and won two Section V Championships. In addition, he played lacrosse for three years and was named captain his senior year. After high school, he spent two seasons playing linebacker at the University of Buffalo.

Manderano is married to his wife, Leah, of 19 years. They have two children, Kaitlyn, 13, and William, 10.