ThisWeek Community Newspapers Westerville
Page B2
May 5, 2011
Rowing
Westerville finishes second in Governor’s Cup By JARROD ULREY ThisWeek Community Newspapers
In the midst of a spring season in which numerous regattas throughout the Midwest were canceled or suspended before completion, the Governor’s Cup Regatta held April 30 on Griggs Reservoir gave central Ohio’s four crews a long-awaited opportunity to get in a full day of rowing competition. Dublin was forced to spend more time than usual preparing the course in the days leading up to the event, but girls coach Gina Crooks believes it was worth it. “I think every day last week we moved at least one tree out of the water,” Crooks said. “On (April 29) we moved three or four. We also had some issues with the water being high, but (April 29) was almost perfect. Luckily, we got everything done in time because it was scheduled to storm every day last week through last Thursday.” The Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club won its third consecutive Governor’s Cup, scoring 234.5 points as 18 teams scored. Westerville was second (172), Upper Arlington finished fourth (103) and Dublin placed eighth (44). Hilliard, which has only girls, did not score. •Despite having their team finish second and score in 12 events at the Governor’s Cup, Westerville boys and girls coaches Matt and Trish Chase believe there is work to be done over the coming weeks. Westerville next will compete in the Midwest Junior Rowing Championships on May 21-22 on Lake Harsha in Batavia, where it has aspirations of sending several boats to the US Rowing Youth Nationals in June. In the Governor’s Cup, the girls lightweight 8 (8 minutes, 5.64 seconds) and the girls second novice 8 (8:28.29) both were first. The girls first novice 8 (8:17.88), the boys lightweight 4 (7:07.11) and the girls first varsity 4 (8:17.97) all were second. The girls first varsity 4 featured Tatiana Lundstrom, Victoria Langwasser, Lindsey
By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek
From left, coxswain Taylor Gainey and teammates David Caspers, Patrick Lecorgne, Matt Caspers and Grant Mohar compete in the boys lightweight 4 race during the Governor’s Cup on April 30 on Griggs Reservoir. The boat finished second in 7 minutes, 7.11 seconds.
Brown, Ashley Bauer and coxswain Amanda Poll. Alex Sawatzki was coxswain for the girls lightweight 8 that finished first, although there were only two boats that competed in the final. “We felt good about getting second place (as a program),” Trish Chase said. “Our novices did real well, but our heavyweight women did not fare so well.” “This weekend was a bit of a disappointment for the men’s varsity squad,” Matt Chase said. “After the regatta, all of the teams huddled up and said that hopefully we’ll become a rowing team now. Hopefully we can have some good weather, make up for lost time and get some boats into nationals.” Earlier in the week before the Governor’s Cup, Bauer and Ben Leonard from the boys team were chosen for the Junior National Team selection camp, which will be held for two weeks beginning June 14. The girls camp will be held in Princeton, N.J., and the boys camp will be in Kent, Conn. Each camp will consist of 36 athletes, of which 18 then will
At a glance
Below are the recent results and coming schedule for the Westerville boys and girls rowing teams: April 22-23 — Cincinnati Invitational on Lake Harsha in Batavia was canceled because of bad weather April 30 — Finished second (172) in 18-team Governor’s Cup Regatta on Griggs Reservoir behind Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club (234.5) May 21-22 — Midwest Junior Rowing Championships on Lake Harsha. Qualifying boats advance to US Rowing Youth Nationals from June 1012 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge (Tenn.).
be selected for the Junior National team that will compete in the World Championships in England this summer. •Upper Arlington girls coach Andy Wimmer was pleased with his team’s performance in the Governor’s Cup. The Golden Bears’ first novice 8 was first (7 minutes, 44.15 seconds), the first varsity 8 was third (7:20.32) and the second novice 8 was third (8:49.82). Zoe Ribar stroked the first
varsity 8 boat, which also featured Emory Bergdoll, Ashley Williams, Olivia Miltner, Grace Tucker, Kate Lowes, Angelina Caradonna and Ceri Turner and coxswain Summers Hammel. “We were actually pretty pleased across the board,” Wimmer said. “The biggest thing is that it was our first actual full regatta. Our first varsity 8 finished third out of 17 entries, which is a pretty strong finish for us, and with our novice 8 boat, it was really just sheer domination. Our novice 8 boat completely ran away with it.” For the boys team, the second varsity 4 was first (7:30.25), the second varsity 8 was third (7:00.74), the second novice 8 was fourth (8:37.62), the lightweight 8 was third (6:46.31), the first novice 8 was fourth (7:54.89) and the first varsity 8 was fifth (6:58.91). •Dublin was led in the Governor’s Cup by its girls second varsity 4, which finished first in 8 minutes, 26.03 seconds. Bailey Irelan stroked the second varsity 4, which also featured Tess Cassidy, Maddie Irelan and Maddie Irelan and coxswain Abbey Marsh.
Placing fifth for the girls were the first varsity 8 (7:45.08) and the second varsity 8 (8:07.87). “We were not expecting such an awesome finish to (the second varsity 4),” Crooks said. “We had four out of our six varsity boats qualify for finals and we did have a couple of novice boats medal.” For the boys team, the first novice 8 was third (7:54.56) and the lightweight 4 placed fifth (7:26.59). Griffin Fillman stroked the lightweight 4 boat, which also featured Luke Neuroth, Mac Workman, Spencer Grisvard and coxswain David Bellman. “I thought it went pretty well,” boys coach Jared Crooks said. “Our lightweight 4 made it to finals and then finished fifth out of 18 entries. We set a goal of making it to the finals, and we made that goal.” •Hilliard will compete in its final meet of the spring Saturday, May 7, when it travels to Hamilton for the Burgundy and Blue Youth Regatta. The squad had three boats compete in the Governor’s Cup but did not score. The first varsity 8 was fifth
(8 minute, 18.67 seconds) in the third heat, the first varsity 4 was fifth (9:54.33) in the third heat and the novice 4 was third (10:11.64) in Flight 1. Senior Paige Holcomb stroked the first varsity 8 and the first varsity 4, and junior Jessica Takos stroked the novice 4. According to coach Jackie Ruetenik, senior Morgan Staric has been a strong leader this spring. “We had an injury and had to have a coxswain row in two of our races,” Ruetenik said. “We didn’t do well, but I was pleased with their attitudes. Morgan Staric has been really great and really invested. She’s got a great attitude. It helps me a lot that she can kind of direct them and help with what we’re doing in practice.” Because of the wedding photography business that she and her husband, Doug Trieber, run, Ruetenik said she won’t be coaching the team next year. Caitlin Flowers, a former rower for Marietta College who has been assisting this spring, is expected to take over. julrey@thisweeknews.com www.ThisWeekSPORTS.com
Sports briefs Registration announced for JFL of Westerville
league.com/KohlsCup.html for tournament rules and entry forms.
The Junior Football League of Westerville will register and weighin players from 5:30 to 8 p.m. June 6-8 at the Westerville Recreation Center. In addition, parents of current and future JFLW players can attend an information session from 3 to 5 p.m. May 22 at the community center to review changes to league rules and player eligibility. For more information and registration forms, visit www.jflw.org.
Middle school state track meet is May 29
Soccer tournament coming to Dublin
Sawatzki signs with Buckeyes
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
North senior and Westerville crew team member Alex Sawatzki signs a letter of intent on April 19 to be a coxswain for the Ohio State crew team as her parents, Scott and Maria, enjoy the moment.
The Dublin Soccer League will play host to the U.S. Youth Soccer Kohl’s American Cup recreational tournament on June 11-12. It’s one of 30 stops on the tournament’s 2011 circuit. Registration is open to U8 through U15 recreational teams. The entry deadline is May 14. Visit www.dublinsoccer-
The sixth annual middle school state track and field meet is scheduled for May 29 at Groveport High School. More than 950 studentathletes and 80 teams from across the state will compete. For more information, visit www.ohioyouthrunner.org.
Capital to hold softball camps Capital University softball coach Nan Payne will direct camps this summer for girls entering grades 512. The schedule includes a day camp June 13-16, hitting and bunting camps June 13, 21 and 22, a residential camp July 4-7 and a mini-camp Aug. 8-9. For more information, contact Payne at (614) 236-6487 or npayne@capital.edu. Camp brochures are available at www.capitalcrusaders.net.