The Blue Jay sailing club competed in the Mallory/Baker Qualifier this past weekend. Picture are: (from left) junior Jonathan Pottharst, freshmen Connor Housey, Max Bell, and Michael Haupt, senior Nick David, sophomore John Kemmerly, senior Devin Keister and Coach Charlie Singer.

Members of the Blue Jay sailing team came in first place at the Southeast Interscholastic Sailing Association (SEISA) Baker Qualifier on the Sunday, April 6, qualifying for the ISSA Team Racing Championship in Seabrook, Texas on May 24-25. The Baker Qualifier is a team racing competition. The Jesuit team (skipper/crew) consisted of Devin Keister/Connor Housey, Jonathan Pottharst/Max Bell, Michael Haupt/Nick David, and John Kemmerly. One round robin, consisting of five races among six high school teams, was completed with windy, overcast, and wet conditions. Jesuit won each race sailed, finishing 5-0.

In the Mallory Qualifier, which was held on Saturday, a Jesuit team was presented by Cameron Armand, Max Bell, Michael Haupt, Connor Housey, Devin Keister, John Kemmerly, and Jonathan Pottharst. Jonathan Pottharst skippered Team A, while Michael Haupt skippered Team B. The remaining sailors crewed. The Mallory Qualifier is a fleet racing competition. Eight high school teams sailed 16 races in windy, overcast condition. Jesuit’s combined scores secured the Blue Jays a third place finish.

In team racing, the results of each team are combined to decide the winner, while in fleet racing, boats are scored on an individual basis. A low points scoring system is used in team racing — a boat that finishes first earns one point, a boat that finishes second earns two points, and so on — with the winning team decided by adding together the points of all the boats in each team. The team with the fewest points wins.

The sailing team is coached by Mr. Charlie Singer and competes in the SEISA, one of seven regional districts in the ISSA. The South East District includes the western panhandle of Florida, southern Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. SEISA member teams and their associated clubs host clinics and regattas culminating in qualifiers leading to three national championships for high school sailors.