New system no problem for Wash High’s Robinson
Washington’s Isaiah Robinson sails over the bar at 6 feet on the way to taking first place in the high jump in the meet against Trinity at Wash High Stadium Friday afternoon.
Mark Marietta/Observer-Reporter TrinityþÄôs Jamie Handra wins the 100 meter hurdle race in the meet against Washington High School with a time of 16.68 at Washington stadium on March 24.
When Isaiah Robinson cleared the bar Friday in the high jump, which sat 6-1 off the ground, he not only won the event but probably qualified for the WPIAL Championships in May.
The WPIAL has made a major change in assembling the field for its finals, eliminating the qualifiers and using an NCAA-style qualifying system.
In Class AAA, the top 24 individuals in each event qualify for the WPIAL Championships. The number is 18 in Class AA.
The WPIAL is supposed to establish a webpage that coaches update on a weekly basis with the time and distances of their athletes.
“(The new rule) has its ups and downs,” said Robinson, whose victory helped send Washington’s boys team to a 112-29 victory over Trinity on a picture-perfect 70-degree day at Wash High Stadium. The Trinity girls team stopped Washington, 103-38.
“The pluses? You can qualify whenever you want. You have time to qualify. The negatives? I liked the qualifiers because I like to see who I am going against.”
In past years, the WPIAL used the qualifiers held at different sites for the two classifications to fill the final slots. Often, these events were held in less-than-ideal conditions. The Class AA South Qualifier held at South Side Beaver High School, for example, was constantly dogged by high winds and rain storms.
“That’s the way they did it in college, so for me it’s a no-brainer,” said Trinity head coach Sherrie Mackinney. “There have been times when we’ve had talented athletes stay home because they would take only three (from each event) of the qualifiers. This way, it’s the top 24 (for Triple-A) and se we need to do what we have to do. Everyone has to enter their (marks) on a website so everyone should be following the rules.”
The Trinity coach feels the loss of the qualifiers will eliminate a final chance for some to make it to the finals.
“Every so often, there is someone who unleashes one and there are times when kids throw well all year and have a bad day at the qualifiers,” Mackinney said.
Under the new system, marks will be tabulated at dual meets and invitationals. For athletes such as Robinson, the pressure to qualify in the high jump evaporates. Last year’s WPIAL champion was James Thomas of Union, who clear 6-5. Two jumpers were tied for third at 6-2.
“I haven’t high jumped since my sophomore season,” said Robinson, a senior who finished third in the state in the triple jump (46-9). “The triple jump is my strongest event. I was concentrating on that.”
Wash High coach Teresa Booker said she is a “little nervous about it” and hasn’t made up her mind yet on the new format.
“We don’t have much choice about it, so we’ll see,” she said. “You don’t know what the other (athletes) are doing right now. … We are going to more invitationals this year. It will definitely bring out more competition. I think the kids will be going for their best instead of like before. We used to back them off but we can’t do that because we need the time and distances to (qualify).”
Robinson hit 45-0 in the triple jump – which should qualify him for the finals – and was part of the winning 400-meter relay team (45.87) and 1,600 relay (3:51.40). Teammate Dillon Asbury won the 100 (11.17) and 200 dashes (25.87), and Isaiah Schoonmaker won the 400 (55.53), was second in the high jump (5-8) and was on both relay teams. Trinity’s Steve Day won the 1,600 (5:18) and 800 (2:19).
For the Trinity girls, Jaime Handra won the 100 hurdles (16.68) and 300 hurdles (56.21). Faith Gandy won the 100 (12.31) and was part of two winning relays.