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Kaneland's 3,200 relay reinstated for state

Last week at the Class 2A Freeport girls track and field sectional, major controversy ensued when the FAT (fully automated timing) system failed during the opening event, the 3,200-meter relay.

Several coaches' stop-watch times had both Kaneland and Rock Falls meeting the state standard for at-large berths.

"We did not appeal," Kaneland coach Doug Ecker told the Daily Herald via e-mail. "The rule was clear."

Earlier this week, however, the IHSA director for track and field, Ron McGraw, discovered irrefutable evidence from Karen Richtman.

"One of the parents (Richtman) had a video of the complete race, so (the IHSA was) able to time the teams for the race," Ecker said.

As a result, the Kaneland quartet of Becca Richtman, Aislinn Lodwig, Jessica Kucera and Sydney Strang was added to the field for the state preliminaries on Friday at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Rock Falls was also determined to have made the cut.

Rockford Boylan and Sterling were given automatic bids based on their top-two places.

"(I) have to thank IHSA Director Ron McGraw and KHS AD Ralph Drendel for putting forth the effort and time to get it right," Ecker said.

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