Discovery of two athletes both competing in five events at Marmonte League championship meet leads to their removal from postseason competition, resulting in Calabasas going from state team favorite to underdog

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Calabasas High, a leading contender to challenge for both the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 girls track and field title as well as the California state team crown later this month, had the pursuit of both goals severely hindered with the decision by Southern Section officials to disqualify senior Kyla Robinson-Hubbard and sophomore Bella Witt for the remainder of the postseason following a participation violation April 23 and 26 at the Marmonte League championship meet.

Robinson-Hubbard and Witt were both found to be in violation of National Federation High School Rule 4, Section 2, Article 2, having both competed in five events during the course of the two-day meet at Westlake High.

The NFHS Rule 4-2-2 allows an athlete to participate in a maximum of four events in a single meet, with both days of the league championship considered one overall meet.

The penalty for violation of the rule reads: A competitor who participates in more events than allowed by rule shall forfeit all individual places and points and shall be disqualified from further participation in that meet. In a relay event, the team’s relay points and place(s) shall also be forfeited.

Both athletes went on to contribute April 26 to Calabasas’ victory in the 4x100-meter relay and runner-up finish in the 4x400 relay.

Since there were no qualifying races for the relays held April 23, nor were there heats for the 100- and 300-meter hurdles allowing athletes to advance directly to the finals, Witt also competed in the 200-meter prelims and Robinson-Hubbard ran the 400-meter prelims.

During the finals schedule, Witt won the 100-meter hurdles and placed second to Robinson-Hubbard in the 300-meter hurdles. Robinson-Hubbard also took runner-up to senior teammate De’Anna Nowling in the 100-meter final.

Once Robinson-Hubbard and Witt competed for Calabasas in the 4x400 relay, that was the fifth event for both athletes.

It was an unintentional mistake made by Calabasas co-coaches Reed Vertelney and Jeff Clanagan, who did not realize the two days of competition were both under the umbrella of one meet.

As a result, Calabasas not only lost its state-leading 4x100 relay, which ran 45.95 seconds at the April 26 league final to elevate to the No. 9 program in the country this season, but also its 4x400 relay that ran a season-best 3:52.79 at the Marmonte championship.

Although Nowling, the reigning state champion in the 100, remains able to compete in the postseason in the 100 and 200, along with Jade McDonald in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, long jump and triple jump, in addition to Tierra Crockrell in the 200 and shot put, as well as Kennedy Waite in the 100, the absence of Robinson-Hubbard and Witt might be too much to overcome as the postseason progresses.

Calabasas went from being a potential favorite over Mission Viejo for the Division 2 girls championship to a slight underdog. Although the state meet isn’t until May 24-25, Nowling had the Coyotes as the leading contender for the title over host Buchanan High, which now assumes the role as team favorite.

The Marmonte League offered to scratch Calabasas’ 4x400 relay among its entries as a form of punishment, but still allowing Robinson-Hubbard and Witt compete individually at the Division 2 prelims Saturday at Moorpark High.

The proposal was quickly rejected by CIF-Southern Section officials, referring back to the NFHS rule violation and not accepting the league’s attempt to alter its entries as a potential solution.

Clanagan has reached out to his attorney in an effort to seek an injunction with the goal of trying to have the Southern Section’s decision overturned to allow Robinson-Hubbard and Witt to compete in the prelims Saturday, but it is a longshot for the Coyotes, who now also have similar prospects in their quest for team championships.