BUTLER TWP — Butler was feeling quite neighborly.

So the Butler County Classic was born.

The first-time track and field meet involving solely Butler County schools takes place Saturday at Art Bernardi Stadium.

Host Butler will be joined by Knoch, Seneca Valley, North Catholic, Freeport, Karns City, Moniteau and Slippery Rock. Mars was undecided as of Tuesday, but may send a few prime athletes.

“We're hoping to make it nine out of nine,” Golden Tornado boys track coach Mike Seybert said of participating county schools. “Either way, it will be a fun day.”

Boys and girls meets will be held. The event begins at 11 a.m. and team scores will not be kept. No trophies will be presented.

The top three placers in each event will receive a County Classic T-shirt.

“Because of the difference in size of schools, it wouldn't be right to keep a team score,” Butler girls coach John Williams said. “This meet is all about showcasing the talent of our local schools and there is plenty of that.

“Seneca Valley always has a talented roster. MaryAnn Ackerman is an outstanding javelin thrower at Slippery Rock. Knoch has a number of good kids. This will be interesting.”

The idea for the Butler County Classic occurred when Knoch decided to cancel the Knoch Relays, usually a major early-season meet.

“We thought about it, with everybody going through so much with quarantines and all, it'd be best to just drop it this year,” Knoch coach Wess Brahler said of the Relays. “This county meet is a great idea.

“For about 10 years, I held a preseason cross country meet for all of the county teams. It's a good way to get together.

“You have teams from District 7, District 9, District 10, big schools, small schools ... It's an interesting mix.”

Brahler said he will limit his athletes as to how many events they can compete in Saturday.

“We don't want to get anybody injured or overwork anyone too early in the year,” he said. “I think a lot of teams will take that approach.”

Butler will allow its athletes to do the relays along with choosing one open event. Distance runners CJ Singleton of Butler and Mike Formica of Knoch — WPIAL cross country champions last fall — may get on the track together.

The meet will begin at 11 a.m. Williams said trials will be run for both hurdle events and the 100 meters. After that, events will be conducted in regular order.

The competition is expected to wrap up around 3:30 p.m.

“With COVID still out there, teams want to avoid the bigger meets right now,” Seybert said. “This is a good way to do it. This is an intimate meet where most of the kids know each other.

“Maybe we'll bring it back in some form in coming years. We'll see how everybody likes it and go from there.”