Remember When?: Mid Mon Track Classic: Charleroi girls, Ringgold boys win again

By Rick Bruni Jr.

Sports Writer

Storylines blew around the third annual Mid Mon Track Classic at Ringgold Stadium like cold gusting winds did most the day. 

Ringgold’s top two stars, Ashley Campbell and Levi Brown, came out to shine; both Elizabeth Forward track teams displayed their all-around Class 3A strength and the Belle Vernon Area boys’ squad raised eyebrows with an impressive third-place finish. 

“This means a lot to the kids and to the local bragging rights,” Ringgold coach Scotty Frederick said. “Every team was competitive in various events and there were standouts for every team.” 

In the end, the headline remained the same: a first-place finish for the Charleroi girls. 

“I’m giving credit to Charleroi; that’s the third straight year we finished runner-up to them,” said Frederick, who also organizes and runs the event. “I don’t know how many points it will take to beat them.” 

Despite getting just four first-place finishes to Ringgold’s six and three second-place finishes to Ringgold’s five, the Cougars were too tough in the third-through sixth-place slots. Charleroi totaled 142 team points to Ringgold’s 129. EF placed third with 120 points. 

“I knew they were going to beat us up in the running events with Campbell, but we just pecked away at them,” Charleroi coach Joe Caruso said. “It was a total team effort. I’d rather have 15 girls get eight points apiece then three girls getting 25 apiece.” 

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