After an absence of at least 10 years, track and field is coming back at Monessen High.
Ramont Small, the second fastest runner in Ringgold history behind Brad Ferrara and now a Monessen resident, was recently named the Greyhounds' coach.
"The kids got together and showed a lot of interest in having a track program," said Small. "We had 35 come out and it's divided about even between the boys and girls."
"We'll practice the track events at our school and starting next week go to Charleroi twice a week for field events and long jump," he said.
Although Monessen can't compete in regular WPIAL dual or triangular meets this spring, the Greyhounds can take part in invitationals like the annual Ringgold and Westmoreland County Classics and try to qualify for the WPIAL.
"Since we're not a member right now, we have restrictions with only one athlete eligible per WPIAL event ," noted Small.
A grid and track standout at Ringgold, Small played football and ran track one year at the University of Akron before eventually transferring to Washington and Jefferson College.
"Playing two sports in college was just too much so I stayed with football," he said.
Five years ago, Small guided the Ringgold girls' track team for three months but gave it up to take a full-time job at Community Corrections, an East Liberty department of corrections for juveniles.
Small, who's a member of boys' basketball coach Joe Salvino's staff, will also be on the sidelines at Memorial Stadium as one of Andy Pacak's assistants.
Small had been an assistant the last couple of years at Geibel, one of the Greyhounds' Tri-County South Conference rivals.
- Bet you didn't know that there was a Monessen touch in Saturday's PIAA Class AAAA boys basketball championship game at the Giant Center in Hershey.
One of the officials working Lower Merion's 60-58 win over Schenley was James Lipscomb.
A corrections officer at the SCI Greene in Waynesburg, Lipscomb -- a Michigan native -- has resided in Monessen for over four years.
The 45-year-old Lipscomb is in his ninth year as a basketball and football official. He's member of the Mon Valley Chapter in football and the Washington-Greene outfit in basketball.
He credits Monessen's Ron Tyburski, who works scholastic and college basketball games, for getting him started.
A year ago, Lipscomb worked a WPIAL championship football game at Heinz Field.
- And thanks to Lee Doman of Monessen who says instead of pointing a finger, hold out a hand!
