NORTH JACKSON — Brian Shaner is no stranger to the Joe Lane Sports Complex.

As the head football coach of Mineral Ridge for six years, Shaner oversaw significant improvements in Weathersfield, whether it was the Rams’ on-field performance or the Rams’ actual field.

During Shaner’s tenure, Mineral Ridge made upgrades to its football stadium, including installing artificial turf, and made strides as a football program, which barely had enough players to field a team by the end of 2018 and had not been to the playoffs in more than a decade before his arrival.

In 2022 and 2023, Shaner led the Rams to consecutive postseason appearances and eight-win seasons, which Ridge had not accomplished in 18 years, and in 2023, his team earned two upset playoff wins to qualify for the third round for th

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