Saline Crew Takes Five Medals at State Meet

The Saline High School Crew team closed its 2012 spring season with a bang, winning with five medals at the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan (SRAM) State Championship Regatta on Saturday in Grand Rapids.

Hosted by the Grand Rapids Rowing Association, teams from Crestwood High School, Southgate Anderson High School, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Lowell High School, Northville High School, Gibraltar Carlson High School, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Northview High School, Forest Hills Central, Grosse Ile High School, East Grand Rapids High School, Riverview High School, Rockford High School, Forest Hills Northern, Forest Hills East and Saline High School competed for state titles in Junior Varsity and Varsity events.

With clear skies, warm temperatures and smooth water, the competitors started with heat races in the morning. Saline’s team came ready to row and qualified 7 of 9 entries in the finals including the Women’s Varsity Double, Men’s Varsity Single, Men’s Lightweight 8, Women’s Junior Varsity 4, Men’s Junior Varsity 4, Women’s Varsity 8 and Men’s Varsity 8.

The afternoon finals started with the Women’s Varsity Double (senior captain Katie Stimac and freshman Callie Funk) winning the bronze medal in a fast paced six boat race. The Men’s Varsity Pair (senior captain Tommy Michaluk and Nate Pool) then followed with a silver medal in their head to head race.

Saline’s Men’s lightweight 8 (Alex Mundorf, Mitch Dellot, Brad Roberts, Ryan Wellings, Matt Fosdick, Jacob Hargrove, Jacob Carlson, Graham Fox and coxswain Savannah Theisen) boat finished its successful season with a close second and a silver medal in its final after a dominating heat win in the morning.

After a photo finish second place to Rockford in their heat race, Saline’s Junior Varsity 4 boat (Gavin Gallagher, Haley Pfeiffer, Alexis Wolff, Sarah Buckeridge and coxswain Sarah Carter) closed out its spring season with a commanding win in the final, winning the gold medal and State Championship title in the Women’s Junior Varsity 4 for Saline.

The regatta ended with the Saline Men’s Varsity 8 powering to an impressive third place and bronze medal in its final, earning Saline its fifth medal of the championship regatta.

The Saline Crew team will be hosting a Learn to Row event after school on Monday, May 21 through Thursday, May 24, 2012 at its practice facility on Ford Lake to give potential rowers the opportunity to try the sport and row in the team’s boats.

The fall season will start in September and any students or incoming 2013 freshmen interested in learning more about this exciting sport and joining this exciting team can find more information at www.salinecrew.org.