TAPPS State Meet Scoring Mix-Up Ends With Co-Champions


Normally at state meets, only one team is expected to be crowned champion in each division.

However, the TAPPS state meet witnessed a pair of "co-champions" in the Class 6A boys race this past weekend thanks to a scoring error at Paul Tyson Field in Waco, Texas.

San Antonio Antonian was originally recognized as the 6A champion team with a score of 79 points to beat El Paso Cathedral's 101 total. But due to an error in adding a Cathedral runner to the roster, 10th-place finisher Pedro Espinoza was not picked up in the team scoring and Cathedral was deprived of a low score that would have clinched the state title. The coaches from Cathedral brought the scoring mistake to the attention of TAPPS officials as soon as it was realized.

ORGINAL SCORES 


Meanwhile, the awards ceremony had already given the trophy to Antonian. When the scoring dispute was brought to TAPPS, race officials said it would take a little time to look over and resolve. During that time, Antonian had to leave and started traveling back to San Antonio. According to Cathedral coach Isaac Montoya, when TAPPS finally did come back with a decision, his team was only given two options.

"[TAPPS] told us we could accept being co-champions or take second place," Montoya said.


NEW SCORES



Montoya said TAPPS officials didn't want to take away medals from kidsso race officials decided the best thing was to award co-champions. According to TAPPS rules, section F, "STATE CHAMPION. The team with the lowest sum of its first five runners is the State Champion. The second lowest team score is the State Runner-Up."

Because of this, Montoya said Cathedral is appealing TAPPS' decision.

"We don't want to take anything away from [Antonian], but we do want to set the record straight," Montoya said "The kids are still happy with the outcome. They took everything with great humility. I just hope that everything gets worked out."

Antonian coach Devlyn Lovell did not immediately return a request for comment.


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