Bishop O’Connell’s rowing team had three boats
participating in Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Nationals in
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. over Memorial Day weekend.
The Men’s Varsity Four boat placed fifth in the
Commonwealth of Virginia to qualify for the national competition, where they
faced off against some of the top teams in the country. O’Connell finished
third in their first heat in Saratoga Springs with a time of 5:14:804, good
enough to qualify them for the Men’s Varsity Repechage, where they beat their
previous time, crossing the finish line at 5:13:608. The O’Connell Men’s Varsity Four team roster
included: seniors Ainsley Stewart (coxswain), Chris Weipert, Joe Pipan,
sophomore Charlie Fidler, and junior Dave Robinson.
"The men's varsity team has made incredible
improvements over the last several months,” said coach Alex Del Sordo. “The
team has one common goal and it is coming through in their dedication,
commitment and ultimately their success.”
The O’Connell Men’s Junior Eight boat and the Women’s Junior Eight were also
granted spots at the national competition as a result of their successful
performances at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia earlier this year.
Rowing for the Men’s Junior Eight were Colin Brideau (coxswain), Delon
Etheridge, Charlie Spencer, Joey Patrizio, Greg Reyes, Sebastian Kingston, Rich
Cremin, Brian Edmonds, and Alexander Kingston. The Men’s Junior Eight finished
with a time of 5:02:589 in Saratoga Springs.
The O’Connell Women’s Junior Eight included Caitilin
Hall(Coxswain), Megan O'Dwyer, Alexa Gennings, Alexis Tuason, Shannon Edmonds,
Gabriella Salcedo, Maddy Bernero, Tess Heimerman, and Theresa Jeffrey. They
finished their race in Saratoga Springs with a time of 5:38:366.
“Having a very young program full of freshmen and
sophomores, I was thrilled with our results both locally and at the regional
and national levels," said women’s coach Nick Johnson. “The 8's events are
always very competitive, so for our young program to do so well against competition
with more experience, I could not be happier.”
Pictured: The Men’s Varsity Four boat in Saratoga Springs.
