CHERRY TWP — Sean Hall went along for the ride to Shippensburg and the PIAA Track and Field Championships Thursday.

The Moniteau senior will be supporting Warrior teammates Brendon Stamm, Maura Kimmel, Brittany Lindsay and Gabby Stewart as they compete in the meet this weekend. He feels like he should be doing more than that.

“I should be out there competing with them,” Hall said. “It hurts that I have to watch, but I want to be there to cheer them on, hopefully to some medals.”

Hall competed in the javelin at the District 9 meet last Friday at Kane High School. His best toss came in at 162 feet, 4 inches, good enough for second place in Class AA, thus earning a trip to the state meet.

Or so he thought.

“I heard the official out there (measuring the distances) yell out 162-4,” Hall said. “That was second-longest and the top two go to states.

“When we were all done throwing, a couple of other athletes, including the kid from Kane, congratulated me.”

A short time later, the javelin competitors were waiting for the official announcement over the public address system while standing by the awards podium.

Kane sophomore Austin Labesky was announced in second place at 160-8, Hall in third at 160-4.

“I was confused at that point. I didn't know what was going on,” Hall said.

Neither did Moniteau throwing coach Ryan Protzman, who had witnessed the competition along with athletic director John Stoughton and high school principal Lance Fox.

“The guy definitely shouted out 162-4 after he measured Sean's throw,” Protzman said. “We all heard it. Other coaches even heard it.

“I shook Sean's hand after everyone was finished and said, 'you're going to states.' Then I ran down to the girls shot put area.

“A few minutes later, I was told what they announced down on the track and I went to the awards tent to figure out what happened. The kid marking the results put down 160-4 for Sean instead of 162-4,” Protzman added.

The official who called out the distance was brought over to the tent.

“He had a chance to make it right and he didn't,” Protzman said. “That was disappointing.

“(While at the tent) None of the other coaches said they heard 162-4 being called out then. A couple of them did say, at our all-conference meeting Sunday, that they had heard it. Some of the other coaches just assumed Sean had finished second after seeing his throw.”

Fox said he believes an honest mistake may have been made.

“We're not attacking anyone or accusing anybody of any cheating here,” Fox said. “We're not suggesting that anything underhanded was done.

“We're all disappointed for Sean and were trying to help him. He's a good kid who works hard. I could have sworn I heard the distance 162 called out. Something went wrong, that's all.”

Protzman said the school district went through District 9 secretary Bob Tonkin, sent follow-up e-mails to the PIAA after hearing other coaches' comments Sunday ... “We did everything we could do to be heard.”

Mark Byers, chief operating officer of the PIAA, said the matter was looked into and that “the track official and meet referee said the correct time was recorded.

“I'm not saying a mistake wasn't made. We just can't verify that a mistake has been made,” he said.

Byers added that Moniteau coaches had an option of filing a formal written request for their argument to be presented to a jury of appeals — a jury that would not include the meet referee.

“We're just trying to follow due process according to the rule book,” he said. “That formal appeal was never received by our office.”

Fox indicated that letter had to be written the same day of the meet “and we were unaware of that. We didn't know it had to be done that quickly.”

Hall's mother said her son was visibly upset by the situation.

This was his last chance to qualify for the state meet,” Rhonda Hall said. “He is so hurt. The look on his face shows everything. I feel sick for him.”

Hall has been throwing the javelin for Moniteau for three years. He tore up a finger playing football for the Warriors his junior year. This past winter, he was hit in the eye by a hockey puck during gym class and was nearly blinded in that eye.

“He had to get a doctor's release just to compete in track for us this year,” Protzman said. “The kid is a warrior. He's given me everything he's had for three years. This would have been his only trip to states and he earned it. I'm crushed by this.”

Hall hopes to continue his javelin career in college.

“I'm leaning toward going to Tiffin (Ohio) and competing there,” Hall said. “I definitely want to keep going. I feel like this was taken away from me. It's difficult to accept.”

Protzman feels the same way.

“This pain isn't going away for either of us for a long time,” he said.

Hall's throw of 162-4 would have been the longest among Butler County athletes this season. Jackson Williams of Butler has the top distance at 161-3. Hall's 160-4 is second.