Harmata, Robinson perfect fit for relay championships
Rocket duo wins three events at Huskie Relays
By tim morris
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY Matawan’s Kristen Wolf competes in the shuttle hurdle relay at the Huskie Relays at Matawan Regional High School on Saturday.

Amanda Harmata doesn’t mind the endless eight- and nine-hour-long relay meets on Saturdays.

A self-proclaimed "social butterfly," Harmata enjoys running from one event to another and meeting up with other athletes. The Raritan junior also enjoys winning — something she and teammate Kelly Robinson have been making a habit of the last two years.

Basketball stars turned track and field standouts, Harmata and Robinson teamed up again on Saturday to win three events at the Huskie Relays, hosted by Matawan Regional High School. The Rocket Dream Team won the shot put, discus and javelin relays, and Harmata was chosen the Most Outstanding Field Performer, an award that went to Robinson last year. They won the same three events the week before at the Rebel Relays at Howell High School.

Relays were made for Harmata and Robinson. They are two of the best all-around throwers in the state, and putting them together as a team has proved to be scary. Robinson, a senior, won the state title in the javelin at the Meet of Champions last year while Harmata was a MOC qualifier in the shot put.

CHRIS KELLY Mater Dei’s Joanne Warzenski competes in the shuttle hurdle relay at the Huskie Relays at Matawan Regional High School on Saturday.

They won by huge margins on Saturday. Their 77-8 3/4 effort in the shot put was 16 feet better than Hanover Park (61-10 1/4). In the javelin, it was simply no contest as they won by 75 feet (273-6-198-5) over Hanover Park. Only in the discus was it close, and there the Rocket pair won by a 193-0-178-9 margin over, again, Hanover Park. In the shot put and javelin relays, the pair broke their meet records from last year.

Their three wins helped the Rockets score 38 points and finish in fourth place in Division I behind Voorhees (52).

Few field athletes have displayed the versatility that Robinson and Harmata have. Robinson, for instance, qualified in all three events for the MOC last spring.

Both have very lofty goals for this season. Robinson wants to reach 150 and beyond for the javelin, as well as 130 in the discus and 40 feet in the shot put.

Harmata has already done a personal best in the javelin, 139-9, and her goal is 145-0 this year. She’d like to reach 42 in the shot put, and in the discus "hold my own."

Harmata and Robinson agree that they have benefited from having a teammate who can bring out the best in them. It also helps, they said, to be close friends.

"We’ve been friends for 13 years," said Harmata. "It’s a friendly rivalry. We’re happy for each other. If it’s not me, its her. As long as one of us wins."

Robinson expressed similar sentiments.

"We’re great friends," said Robinson. "That’s not going to change. We push each other and we’re there to help each other."

Robinson is getting a push this year in the javelin from Harmata, who has reached 139-9 this year, not far from Robinson’s best of 148-0 last year. Both have qualified for the prestigious Penn Relays on April 24 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Harmata, a point guard on the basketball team, likes to prove that size doesn’t matter inside the throwing circle.

"A little guard isn’t supposed to be throwing that far," she said.

The way they go about their business expresses the difference in personalities of the two. Both are extremely competitive, but go about it in different ways. Robinson is far more analytical while Harmata has more of a "just do it" approach.

"We’re two different people," said Robinson. "I rely on technique while Amanda is all muscles. She’s so strong."

Basketball still remains No. 1 to both, but track and field is closing fast, and the reason: the fun they both are having.

"I had no idea what to expect from track," recalled Robinson. "I played softball as a freshman. My sophomore and junior year I had so much fun."

That fun includes picking up gold medals on a routine basis. Next up for the Rocket Dream Team are the Holmdel Relays at Holmdel High School on Saturday.

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Host Matawan, Holmdel and Christian Brothers Academy all came away with team titles on Saturday.

The Huskies’ boys won Division I (89) while CBA was first in Division III (86). Holmdel’s girls captured Division II (87).

Erison Hurtault anchored the Huskies to wins in the 4x200 (1:32.2) and 4x400 (3:30.0) relays. Troy Robin ran a leg on those teams and also won the high jump relay with Walid Ali (12-2).

Colin Hotalin and Bret Sullivan teamed up to win the pole vault relay (22-8).

CBA ruled the track in winning Division III, getting all of its five wins there.

Will Melofchik anchored the distance medley team to victory in 10:51.0.

Dan McLeod, Paul Discepola and Chris Vuono were multiple winners for the Colts. McLeod was on the winning 4x400 (3:33.4), shuttle hurdles (1:03.2) and 3x400 hurdles (2:56.6). Discepola ran on the shuttle hurdles and 3x400 winners as well as the sprint medley (3:41.4). Vuono ran on the 4x400, distance medley and sprint medley winners.

Holmdel’s girls earned wins on the track and the field. Ashley Folchetti led the Hornets to a come-from-behind win in the DM (13:52.5).

Christina Chen, Ann Chuang and Sara Schubel picked up wins in the shuttle hurdles (1:12.0) and 4x400 hurdles (3:50.1).

The Hornets’ other win was the javelin, where Dana Hoffman and Mary Ho threw a combined 193-8.