A North Carolina high school track team, which was disqualified after a star athlete celebrated what would have been a state title-clinching win as he crossed the finish line, has won its appeal.
On Tuesday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association reversed an earlier disqualification against Mallard Creek of Charlotte, WSOC reported. The organization ruled that Mallard Creek will share the Class 8A state title with Jordan High School of Durham, giving the school its fifth consecutive boys’ team track state crown.
The decision came after the NCHSAA’s Board of Directors held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, WRAL reported. The agency confirmed an earlier decision by the state’s Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board to overturn the disqualification, according to the television station.
On May 17, Mallard Creek senior Nyan Brown crossed the finish line in the 4x400 race and appeared to raise his left hand, showing five fingers to signify the team’s fifth state title.
However, the team was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct after the race, WSOC reported. Mallory Creek needed just two points -- or a fifth-place finish in the tournament’s final event -- to win the state title. It would have been the team’s third consecutive championship and fifth overall.
BREAKING: The appeals panel concluded “Mallard Creek presented clear and convincing evidence that the student-athlete did NOT engage in unsporting or unacceptable conduct…” @wsoctv | 🎥: @HighSchoolOT pic.twitter.com/g1pqiDbIiR
— DaShawn Brown (@DaShawnWSOC9) June 2, 2026
[ Runner’s raised hand at finish line costs Charlotte team state high school track title ]
The race official who called for the disqualification stated that Brown already had been warned for a previous post-race celebration, but Mallard Creek athletes and coaches denied they had received any kind of warning.
In a statement, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction ruled that its appeals panel concluded that “Mallard Creek had presented clear and convincing evidence that the student-athlete did not engage in unsporting or unacceptable conduct as defined in the track and field competition rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations.”
It was the first time the NCHSAA has named co-champions retroactively, WRAL reported. It has only happened during a true tie during a contest, according to the television station.
“We are grateful for the decision,” Mallard Creek Principal Jared Thompson said in a statement.
Thompson also praised NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker “for their thoughtful deliberation, professionalism, and commitment to ensuring a fair and principled outcome,” The Associated Press reported.
“We recognize that this situation has been emotional for the student-athletes, coaches, schools, and communities involved,” Tucker said in a statement. “At the center of this matter are young people who have invested countless hours into their sport and their team.
“We are pleased that this matter has reached a resolution and that the accomplishments of the student-athletes involved can be recognized.”
Brown posted thanks on his Instagram account.
“I want to thank my family, coaches, and everyone across the globe who has shown so much love and support for me and my teammates over the last few weeks,” Brown wrote. “It has been incredible. Although I have gotten a lot of attention, this decision isn’t about me. It is about our team.
“We knew a fifth state team championship was possible coming into the season, and we earned it.”
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