Robinsons title caps stellar senior year
Theultimategoalofbreakingastaterecordwasn'taccomplished,butGelenRobinsonhardlycancomplainaboutthewayhishighschoolathleticcareerendedSaturday.
AftersparkingtheLakeCentralfootballteamtoitsfirstsectionalchampionshipsince1999inthefallandgoingundefeatedtoanindividualwrestlingstatetitleinthewinter,Robinsonwrappedthespringwithastatechampionshipinthediscus.
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"I'mgladthatIgottoendmyhighschoolcareeronagoodnote,winningastatechampionship,"RobinsonsaidMonday."Comingoffthreestatechampionshipsthroughoutmywholehighschoolcareer,IhopeImademyschoolproud.Iknowsomekidswillcomeupnextyearandreplaceme.SoI'mgladIgotachancetobeagoodathleteatLakeCentral."
Afterapairofsecond-placefinishesatthestatetrackmeetasajunior,Robinsonwaseyeingapairofchampionshipsasasenior.Thediscus,hisbestevent,wasthebestchance,buthealsofeltconfidenthecouldcompeteintheshotput.
Thediscuswasupfirst,andhestartedstrongly,whippingathrowof196-4onhisfirstone.
Thathelpedhimgainsomeimmediateconfidence.
"Comingintostate,mythrowandtheguywhowassecondinthestate,wewereactuallywithinacouplefeetofthedistancesthatweremeasuredatregionals.ButIfeltprettyconfident,"Robinsonsaid."IthoughtifIgotintothe190s,200areaearly,thenIwouldbeprettysecure."
Robinson'sthirdthrowof197-7washisfarthest,andultimatelyabout11feetbetterthantherunner-up.Butitwasstillconsiderablyshortofthestaterecordof217-1.Robinsonsaidhisbestthrowinameetwas200-4,lastyear,buthe'dbestedthestaterecordduringpractices,sohethoughthehadashotatthemark.Still,Robinsonsaidhewasn'tdisappointed.
"I'mprettyhappyIstillgotthestatechampionship,"hesaid."It'sgoodtoshootforthosegoals,(thoughso)whenyouaccomplishthem,itjustmakesitevenbetter."
Robinsonknewgettingapairoffirst-placefinishescouldbedifficult,consideringthequalityofthefieldintheshotput.Buthisfifththrowsailed58-2,andthatendedupgoodenoughforthirdplace.
"Iwasn'tsatisfiedwithgettingthirdplaceobviously,butIfeltlikeIperformedwell.Thatwasmyfurthestthrowoftheseasondownatstate,andthat'swhereyouwanttohaveyourbestthrows,"hesaid."Thecompetitionthisyearwasgreatinshot.Ithinktherewereacouplemorekidscomingoffjuniorseasonwhoreallygainedalotofdistanceinshotput."
ThefutureBoilermakerismakingthetriptocampusthisweekandwillstartsummerschoolandbeginfootballworkoutsnextweek.
Robinsonsaidhe'sstillentertainingtheideaofthrowingatPurdue-"it'sahighpossibility"-butit'lldependonhowquicklyhegetsadjustedtocollegeandplayingfootball.
"Iamdefinitelygoingtomissmyhighschoolthrowingdaysandcareerbecauseit'salittlemorecarefree,highschoolthancollege,"hesaid.
Robinsonwasn'ttheonlyfutureBoilermakerwholefthighschoolasachampion.ReceiverTraeHart,asenioratFirstBaptistinTexas,clockedan11.14towinthe100atthe3ATAPPSStateTrack&FieldChampionships.
OffensivelinemanBearoozYacoobifinished10thintheshotputand14thdiscusattheMichiganHighSchoolAthleticAssociationstatemeet.
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