Virginia Union loses coin toss; Bowie State advances

Virginia Union's Panthers fared poorly when they tossed the football this weekend. They fared no better when they tossed a coin.

Bowie State's Bulldogs won the right to represent the CIAA's Eastern Division in Saturday's conference championship game against Fayetteville State by winning a three-way coin toss yesterday at league headquarters in Hampton. The Bulldogs, Virginia Union and Elizabeth City State tied for first place in the East with 5-2 conference records.

The tiebreaker employed an "odd man advances" format. Virginia Union athletic director/football coach Michael Bailey, Elizabeth City State Athletic Director Thurlis Little and Bowie interim AD Arlene Creek each flipped a coin simultaneously. The coins fell to the floor. Bailey and Little threw "heads." Creek threw "tails." Creek punched the air with her fist when she realized that she had won.

CIAA Associate Commissioner Jeffrey McLeod seemed to apologize for the manner in which the division championship was decided. He called the season "very unique" and said all other tiebreaker options had been "totally exhausted."

Virginia Union finished 6-4 overall. The Panthers seemed in the driver's seat until losing seven turnovers, including five interceptions, in last weekend's 21-13 loss to Elizabeth City State. -- Vic Dorr Jr.