Sister act is tough to beat
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Since the Robinson family moved to the Pittsburgh area from Atlanta before the 2015-16 school year, there has been a common theme at some of the top track meets in Pennsylvania. Sister act. Hunter and Hayden Robinson quickly established themselves as being among the premier sprinters in the state. Hunter won the 400-meter dash and placed third in the 200 at the PIAA Class 2A championships. Hayden and Hunter finished 2-3 in the 100 and their 1,600 relay took second.
“Last year, what they did at states speaks for itself,” said Avonworth/Northgate coach Brian Hoffman.
However, the sequel has played out a bit differently this year. Hunter, a junior, has continued her elite ways and has not lost in the 100, 200 or 400. Meanwhile, Hayden, a sophomore, has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has limited her to dual meets.
“She’s just trying to work through it. She will be back,” Hunter said.
For now, Hunter is the headline attraction and she has been awfully good. First came her outstanding effort at the Butler Invitational when she bolted to titles in the 100, 200 and 400. Her time of 55.43 in the 400 was the fourth fastest in WPIAL history. Then, at last week’s Mars Invitational, she raced to titles in the 200 and 400 (she did not run the 100).
Robinson, who attends Avonworth but runs for Avonworth/Northgate under a cooperative sponsorship, will compete in the Pine-Richland Invitational today. In two weeks, she hopes to have another golden day at the WPIAL Class 3A championships (her team moved up a class this season).
“It’s still a few weeks away, but I can’t help but think what I want to do,” Robinson said. “I want to win the 400 because I wouldn’t want to accomplish anything less than I did last year. I think it’s also very feasible for me to win the 100 and 200.”
There could be three Robinson sisters on next year’s team. Harris Robinson is an eighth-grader. It’s no guarantee she will be running track, though.
“She’s the one who doesn’t like track,” Hunter said, laughing. “We’re just trying to force her to run the [1,600 relay] so we can have three sisters running it.”
The Robinsons father, Troy, was a star football player at Avonworth in the late 1980s and went on to play at Kent State.
Baldwin Invitational
What is arguably the top regular-season meet in Western Pennsylvania will take place today. The Baldwin Invitational — in its 44th year — is one of the largest meets in the eastern part of the country. The WPIAL championships will be held at the same site two weeks from now.
The boys field includes some excellent sprinters. Ambridge’s Isaac Elliott owns the fastest 100 time in the WPIAL (a hand-timed 10.22), but he will be pressed by a group that includes Central Catholic’s Alex Trower.
North Allegheny’s Ayden Owens (200 and 110/ 300 hurdles) and Quaker Valley’s Zach Skolnekovich (1,600 and 3,200) will look to continue their outstanding seasons. Also competing will be Knoch throwing sensation Jordan Geist.
One of the most hotlycontested girls events figures to be the 1,600. North Allegheny’s Clara Savchik, Upper St. Clair’s Savannah Shaw, Oakland Catholic’s Lauren Finikiotis and Greensburg Central Catholic’s Moira O'Shea are among the WPIAL’s elite distance runners. Defending WPIAL Class 2A champion Miranda Schry of Shenango and Oakland Catholic’s Jayla Ellis will go at it in the long jump. Ellis is also one of the favorites in the hurdling events.
Penn Relays rewind
Several WPIAL athletes competed in last week’s prestigious Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Knoch’s Jordan Geist was selected boys MVP after winning the shot put for the third year in a row. Geist set a meet record with a throw of 74-9. Connellsville’s Madison Wiltrout won her second Penn Relays title after throwing 16011 in the javelin.
Also representing the WPIAL were South Fayette’s Sam Mastro (8th, discus), Waynesburg’s Ben Bumgarner (8th, 3000), North Allegheny’s Ayden Owens (11th, 400 hurdles), Winchester Thurston’s Tristan Forsythe (12th, mile), Central Valley’s Jake White (13th, discus), Upper St. Clair’s Harvey Kane (13th, long jump) and Bentworth’s Brenna Cavanaugh (18th, long jump).