Beat the LoCo Experts: Briar Woods Comeback in State Finals Gives Kip Shallis the Season Win!

(Dec. 22, 2010) - Fittingly enough, in the race for the big prize ($100) in our Beat the LoCo Experts football picks contest, it came down to the final game of the year, the VHSL Division 4 state title game between Briar Woods and Harrisonburg, as Michael of Ashburn battled Plankster of Ashburn for the sweepstakes.

And it was Michael -- better known as Briar Woods teacher and Potomac Falls JV boys basketball coach Kip Shallis! -- who pulled out the win as he naturally had the Falcons and Plankster -- better known as Stone Bridge baseball coach Sam Plank -- had Harrisonburg.

"Make sure to mention my Briar Woods Falcons were the team that won it for me over Plank," said Shallis when reached for comment on the historic win.

It was a great year for our contest with 150 locals going up against the LoCo's and VivaLoudoun Editor Dan "The Fix is In" Sousa won the experts contest ... just nosing ahead of Loudoun Times-Mirror sports editor Carl "Kind of All Loudoun Media" Lukat.

We had four pickers go 2-0 in the final week with Christopher Robin of South Riding beating AJJ of Ashburn, Opie of Leesburg, PVfootball of Sterling and Tim of Potomac Falls in the tiebreaker. In fact, Christopher Robin was almost on the money, calling Briar Woods' 41-21 win as 31-18 and the Phoebus 36-17 win as 33-20 ... can we hire you next year Mr. Robin!

Below are the final standings!

Here is a quick review of the Beat the LoCo Experts Year:
August 15, 2010 - VivaLoudoun announces Beat the LoCo Experts football contest -- two small wars in Latin America call a truce in joy to the news
Sept. 15, 2010 - The first weekly winners t-shirts start hitting the streets -- sparking a fashion trend that hits Milan and Paris in two weeks. Ces VivaLoudoun t-shirts sont très à la mode!
Oct. 1, 2010 - Unnamed area football coach, goes for 2-point conversion with 35-point lead in order to influence Beat the LocCo Experts tiebreaker
Oct. 13, 2010 - Chilean miners state that the one thing that kept them going during their ordeal was the Beat the LoCo Experts contest
Oct. 29, 2010 - Medical experts do in fact find that three of the seven "experts" for the contest are indeed crazy.
Nov. 10, 2010 - My wife (and silent business partner) Sharon's birthday ... since I was busy covering a game that night, I thought I would slip it in here ... Happy Birthday, honey! ... now that couch thing is getting old.
Nov. 15, 2010 - Jimmy Jimmerson of Ashburn, taking the contest too literally ... chases Jason Rufner around the parking lot at Broad Run ... screaming: "I'll beat you ... you expert". Rufner, a world-class hurdler in his prep days, escapes injury by vaulting over a school bus
Dec. 1, 2010 - Loudoun County Public Schools repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rule that allowed coaches and assistant athletics to only play in our contest on the downlow.
Dec. 11, 2010 - Dan Sousa having learned of his victory over Carl Lukat for the experts grand prize (zero dollars) said: it feels great being No. 1 in Ashburn, No. 1 in Purcellville, No. 1 in Sterling, No. 1 in Lovettsville ... take that Experts!"

See you in 2011! Please drive safely and deposit all trash in the receptacle on the way out.

Follow this link to see each week ... better than wrapping Christmas presents: