Oak Ridge, Tennessee – High Point Rowing Club’s sweep squad continued its ascent in the high school regional ranks at the Dogwood Regatta on Melton Lake on Saturday. The squad narrowed the gap significantly with regional rivals Atlanta and Asheville from its previous outing at the Clemson Sprints two weeks ago in South Carolina.
The Dogwood Regatta concluded the team’s regular spring racing season with select crews continuing on to the USRowing Southeast Regional Championships in Sarasota, Florida in two weeks.
With the Dogwood Regatta drawing over 500 crews in different boat classes from as far away as Chicago and Detroit, there was a depth of high school talent on display not seen before at the event.
On the women’s side High Point entered sweep crews in the Division I & II novice eights and also the Division I & II varsity eights. On the men’s side, High Point entered crews in the Division I novice eights and fours events.
WOMEN’S RACING
High Point opened sweep racing in the Divion II women’s novice eights event and finished second in the Final. The crew, comprised of coxswain Kiki Davis, stroke Quinn Eury, Atlanta Maggie, Hayden Davis, Anna Kareis, Paige Steele, Hadley Copeland, Kaylie Mills, and bow Margaux Blanchard held a steady rhythm throughout the race to finish just behind Cincinnati.
Women’s Division II Novice Eights
1. Cincinnati
2. High Point
3. St. Andrew High School
4. St. Louis
5. Chicago
6. McCallie High School
In the Division I Women’s Novice Eights Final, High Point was represented by coxswain Katharine Komsa, stroke Bethany Brake, Maddie Mullins, Victoria Goldin, Aliute Udoka, Abbey Lowdermilk, Addy Millsap, Jr Ognovich, and bow Kim Pollard. The crew featured significant lineup changes from the Clemson Sprints Regatta and finished with the 8th fastest time out of 17 crews entered. Most significantly in Oak Ridge, the crew narrowed the gap on Asheville by 10 seconds since their earlier race in Clemson.
With High Point Rowing still little more than 18 months old, the women’s varsity eight continues to improve in just its first spring season of varsity competition. The crew finished fourth in its heat behind St. Louis, Rocket City, and Detroit and posted the 8th fastest time out of 15 teams in the preliminary round.
High Point co-captain Sarah Catto said her crew had a strong race and should be proud of its accomplishments. “This is a big time regatta and to be in the middle of the pack in just our first season of competition is gratifying.”
For Catto, a senior at Westchester Country Day School, the moment was bittersweet as this was her last scholastic race with High Point.
MEN’S RACING
On the boys side High Point Rowing foursome of bow Nick Heflin, Crosby Howard, Colin Howard, Lewis Crotts and coxswain Emma Lloyd experienced some misadventure when they hit an unexpected boat wake during their race. One of the rowers came off the seat during the turbulent moment and the crew finished in 6th place.
Things quickly picked up however for the boys squad with the novice eight crew putting on an exhibition display of rowing in their Final. “Our goal was to beat Asheville after we lost to them at the Clemson Sprints two weeks ago,” said Andrew Wright, who is captain of the boys squad.
High Point finished in an outstanding third place behind Cincinnati and Atlanta. “We beat Asheville’s time by 10 seconds and were only 9 seconds behind Atlanta after finishing 23 seconds back from them in Clemson,” said Wright. “This was a successful weekend of racing for our squad.”
Added High Point head coach Gene Kininmonth: “Atlanta and Asheville are the premier scholastic sweep programs in our region and these are the teams we most want to emulate. Asheville coaches Jack Gartner and Martha Williams have paved the way for youth rowing in North Carolina since they founded their youth program little more than half a dozen years ago. So, anytime we have a boat that can compete with them I am certainly delighted.”
