Rowing: NAC shines in Long Beach

LONG BEACH - The Newport Aquatic Center made the most of its

inaugural Newport Spring Regatta Sunday and won six races at Marine

Stadium in Long Beach. The NAC also claimed seven victories in the Long

Beach Invitational Saturday.

In the Newport Spring Regatta, Coach Rachel Rose’s two varsity men’s

squad both emerged victorious. Brandon Dillman, Peter Sims, Nolan Rousset

and Greg Everett won in 4:29.8, while Blake Lyon, Greg Schneider, Matt

Siemonsma and Curtis Cook won their race in 4:38.1.

The NAC men’s novice eight also won in 4:26.5. The boat included Blake

Foster, Ken Ito, Morgan Sabo, Fred Fuga, Tedd Akdag, Mike Dabney, Kevin

Song, Clark Brooks, and was coxed by Zack Haskell.

In the women’s division, NAC Coach Christy Shaver’s eight also won.

Coxed by Jennifer Guess, and with a winning time of 5:08.1, rowers Sara

Wales, Lindsay Payne, Hillary Ellis, Michelle Fickling, Mitra Grubb,

Lauren Berghell, Gabby Assayag and Anne Kircher crossed the finish line

first.

Two of Coach Alicia Cole’s women’s novice boats also grabbed

victories. Winning in 5:14.6 were Jamie Horowitz, Tyler Murphy, coxswain

Kristin Collins, and rowers Meredith Irby, Dana Hunt, Laurie Dabney,

Meggan Brunette, Jessica Fritz and Amanda Molinaro.

Also claiming first was the team of Claire McKay, Jessica Grubbs,

Brittany Early, Ali Traen, Annie Porteous, Katie Cole, Jessica

Stringfellow and Catie Vogeding, and coxswain Aly Raymer, whom finished

in 5:20.4.

On Saturday, The NAC men’s novice teams also achieved three victories.

Coach Jon Barrett’s novice eight, coxed by Haskell, grabbed first place

with Foster at bow, Ito at stroke, and rowers Sabo, Fuga, Akdag, Dabney,

Song and Brooks.

Coxswain Pat Patton made the call for another winning NAC boat, which

included Chris Hills, Sabo, Kevin Alison, Jarrett Hogue, Jason Ellis,

Fuga, Arik Brown and Foster.

Patton also coxed the victorious NAC novice four of Foster, Brown,

Sabo and Alison.

“I’m very proud of my guys,” Coach Barrett said. “They’ve worked hard

over these last months, and with a little more work we’ll be ready for

the state championships (in Sacramento, May 11-12).”

The women’s novice eight also took first place with McKay, Jessica

Grubbs, coxswain Raymer, and rowers Brittany Early, Ali Traen, Porteous,

Molinaro, Stringfellow and Vogeding.

Berghell, Kircher, Fickling, Wales and coxswain Lauren Lorman grabbed

the NAC’s first win on Saturday, and went on to win the women’s four

final. The men’s varsity four of Cook, Schneider, Siemonsma and Lyon also

took first place.