If the first three runners are from the same team that team automatically wins. The scoring end with the 12 runner. Now is that 9 runners after the first three? Or do I count the next 12 runners. Does that mean that the first three are from the same school and the next 9 are from another school, or does it matter what school/team they are from? What is the offical scoring rule or rules? Thank You John Mylius

Leo Collins

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As long as we are only speaking of a dual meet the situation would be:

Team A   1,2,3 - the best team B could do  would be:  4,5,6,7,8 (9,10)

Positions 9 & 10 would not count in Team B's scoring but would  act as  displacers, who raise the totals for the rest of team A to 11 & 12.   Scoring thusly would be A:   1   2   3     9   10   =   25

B:   4   5   6     7     8   =    30

The caveat is that in order to win team A has to have a minimum of 5 runners.  They can't go  1  2  3  & even 4   and  win.   Factored in are 7 runners. 

If you change to a trinagular, of course, things change.  

answer by Coach Leo Collins