Ram-tough Belle Vernon tops Ringgold

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Ringgold's defense barely holds Belle Vernon's Vander Raczkowski out of the end zone as he sets up the Leopards' final touchdown of the evening on a fourth quarter drive in the October 17 game at James Weir Stadium.

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

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Ringgold's Nick Stasko (11) powers into the Belle Vernon defense on a late fourth quarter run in the October 17bgame at James Weir Stadium.

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

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Belle Vernon's Chace Petrosky holds off Ringgold's Amoni Ward on a second quarter sprint to the 29 that sustained a Leopard scoring drive in the October 17 game at James Weir Stadium.

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

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Belle Vernon's Anthony DiCenzo (8) stops a first quarter Ringgold drive with an interception in the October 17 game at James Weir Stadium.

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

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Belle Vernon's Luca Ghilani (4) breaks past Ringgold's Ashton Mincin (27) and heads for the end zone on a 22 yard pass play late in the second quarter. The conversion put the Leopards up 23-6 at the half on October 17 at James Weir Stadium.

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

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Belle Vernon's Cgace Petrosky lunges to score on a six yard run for s second quarter touchdown in the October 17 game against Ringgold at James Weir Stadium.

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

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By Joe Tuscano

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter.com

BELLE VERNON – This was the type of game a fan looks forward to watching on a chilly Friday evening.

Two teams, rivals at heart, hit the field with similar talent, similar coaching staff.

And with a spot in the WPIAL playoffs at stake, that made last night’s Ringgold effort against Belle Vernon all the more exciting.

Belle Vernon came up with a 48-6 victory over the Rams in a Class 4A Big Six Conference game at James Weir Stadium.

The win moved Bell Vernon to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the Big 6 Conference. Ringgold fell to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in the conference.

The winner of this game takes over fourth place and with it, a possible final playoff spot from the conference. Belle Vernon plays conference champion Trinity next weekend.

A 43-yard run by Chace Petrosky set up a short touchdown run by quarterback Curtis Wade. Petrosky had three touchdowns on the night.

Preston Rathway boomed a 46-yard field goal in the third quarter,

The first half was filled with penalties and mistakes. Somehow, Belle Vernon managed to overcome them and take a 23-6 lead.

Ringgold started the game with an onside kick and recovered it near midfield. Eleven plays later, Demetri Lowe caught a 17-yard touchdown pass to take a 6-0 lead. The extra-point attempt was no good.

That score sparked Belle Vernon as the Leopards came away with points on its next four possessions.

Preston Rathway nailed a 34-yard field goal to cut Ringgold’s lead to 6-3.

Wade capped the next drive with a 9-yard run to the left inside corner of the end zone.

Petrosky matched Wade when he burst over from 9 yards.

Luca Ghiani finished the scoring in the first half when he caught a 22-yard pass from Wade to stretch Belle Vernon’s lead to 17 points.

A holding penalty erased a touchdown run by Ringgold quarterback Dennis Hawkins in the third quarter.