Timing Error Could Make Park View Co-State Champs

By LoudounExtra.com staff

Monday, June 2, 2008

A discrepancy was discovered yesterday in the placing of the girls' 800-meter race from Saturday's Virginia AA track and field championship in Harrisonburg, prompting meet officials to gather today to review the race and determine the correct order, the result of which is expected to alter the team winner of the girls' state championship.

Brentsville edged Park View, 45-42, to win the title Saturday, but questions were raised about the order of finishes in the critical 800-meter race. After meet officials discovered a timing error, Megan Barnes of Park View was stripped of her sixth-place medal, and it was awarded to Brentsville's Sarah Erman, which provided the winning margin for the Tigers.

Although meet officials believed they had corrected the error, a Brentsville coach yesterday noticed a discrepancy and alerted his athletic director. A meeting is scheduled today to determine the correct order of finishes in both the 800-meter race and the team totals, meet director Joe Curcio said. If Brentsville loses the three points from the 800, the Tigers and Patriots would tie for the state championship.

"What I heard is that supposedly the girl from Brentsville that took sixth did not take sixth. She did not place at all," Park View Coach Randy Kerico said. "Supposedly the three points will be taken away from Brentsville, and that will make us co-champions."

Extra Points

By Paul Tenorio and Matt Brooks