As anyone who has watched games at this level know, emotions can occasionally run high by the end of a game, especially in the playoffs for a national championship.
So there was a definite sense of “what the heck is going on here?” when the entire teams and coaching staffs for the Orlando Scorpions Purple and the DBAT Mustangs went out into the outfield together after the Scorpions 8-0 win in the first round of the playoffs last night on EC Field 3.
Turns out they weren’t going out to work out their frustrations on each other. They were going out to measure out a 60 yard course to have their fastest runners face off in a race.
Evidently after Scorpions OF Jared Walker (2010, Leon HS, FL) stole a base early in the game, one of the DBAT coaches made a good natured side comment to effect of “Man, that kid is really, really fast” to one of the Orlando coaches between innings. The short between innings conversations continued, Walker was said to be a 6.3 runner, DBAT answered that they had someone faster, that was met with disbelief, etc.
By the end of the game, a challenge had been issued and the terms set. The fleet footed Walker would face off in the outfield against DBAT OF Bradley Marquez (2011, Odessa HS, TX).
Orlando had no way of knowing that Marquez is one of the most highly regarded running backs nationally in the 2011 class. Check out this YouTube video of Marquez last spring playing in football crazed West Texas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNBmIBLv8xQ
Marquez had Walker by a step or two late in the race when Walker pulled up with a tightening hamstring and conceded the race. So while the Scorpions won the game, the Mustangs won the race.