One other week, one other controversial highschool disqualification over a runner’s post-race actions. On the Virginia Class 3 State Championships held at Liberty College in Lynchburg, Va., this previous weekend, Kettle Run Excessive College middle-distance runner Owen Mullins went head-to-head with Maggie Walker Excessive College’s Colston Wisotzki within the ultimate metres of the boys’ 4x800m relay.
As Mullins strained towards the end line, he stumbled and fell simply as Wisotzki surged previous on the skin to safe the win. In frustration over shedding the state title in his ultimate strides, Mullins underhand-tossed the baton towards the infield—a transfer that led to the disqualification of Kettle Run’s 4x800m relay group from the rostrum.
This bought my 4×8 DQ’d for unsportsmanship conduct- he tossed the baton. Not angrily, not maliciously, simply because he was drained after a 1:52 cut up. And never even one thing we may enchantment as a result of it was a judgment resolution. We’ve got bought to do higher on this sport pic.twitter.com/9WcEuYNsiu
— Coach Marley (@Coach_JMarley) June 7, 2025
“This bought my 4×800 group DQ’d for unsportsmanlike conduct—he tossed the baton,” Kettle Run head coach Jarrette Marley wrote in a caption on a video shared to social media. “Not angrily, not maliciously, simply because he was drained after a 1:52 cut up. And never even one thing we may enchantment, as a result of it was a judgment resolution. We’ve got bought to do higher on this sport.”
In keeping with the Nationwide Federation of State Excessive College Associations (NFHS) Rule 5, Part 11, a relay group have to be disqualified if any member throws the baton after ending the race. Whereas the rule is designed to curb unsportsmanlike conduct, its enforcement on this occasion has sparked some debate on-line.
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“Unhealthy name, let the children run,” one commenter posted on X. One other replied, “Each monitor coach and athlete is aware of you possibly can’t throw the baton for any purpose.”
The controversy hinges on interpretation: whereas the rule explicitly forbids throwing the baton, Coach Marley argues that Mullins neither hurled it in anger nor hit anybody, and that his gesture lacked the emotion usually related to unsportsmanlike behaviour.
On June 9, Marley despatched a letter to the Virginia Excessive College League (VHSL) difficult the choice. “Watching the video alone, which I didn’t have entry to on the time of the enchantment, simply additional exhibits how ridiculous the DQ was,” he wrote on X. “If primarily dropping your baton or handing it to your teammate is a DQ, bless us.”
The disqualification had a major impression on group standings: as a substitute of ending fourth total, Kettle Run’s boys’ group positioned tenth within the state.
