Rowers advance to nationalsThe women’s varsity 2X team of senior Osa Wheeler and junior Maddie McConaghy advanced to nationals after earning a bronze medal at the MidWest Scholastic Rowing Championship May 13-14, 2017, at Dillon Lake in Ohio.
The 2017 Scholastic Rowing Association of America National Regatta will be held May 26-27 on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J.
Six Upper St. Clair crews competed at the MidWest Scholastic Rowing Championship, three of which advanced to the semifinals. In addition to Osa and Maddie, the men's lightweight 2X with senior Andrew Caldart and sophomore Jack Shephard competed in the finals.
Crew team earns back-to-back gold
Upper St. Clair High School senior Osa Wheeler and junior Maddie McConaghy captured their second consecutive gold medal for their first place finish in the women's varsity 2X at the Pittsburgh Scholastic Sprints on April 30.
The duo dominated the event the previous week at the Dillon Lake Scholastic Sprints in Nashport, Ohio.
“Osa and Maddie crushed the competition by four boat lengths, finishing the 1,500-meter course in 7:34.40,” Jennifer Yates, Upper St. Clair Rowing Association secretary, said. “It was a huge victory for our small but scrappy team!”
The Upper St. Clair rowing team had additional successes at the Dillon Lake event with the men’s 2X and women’s junior varsity 4X advancing to the finals. The event was the first of the spring season for the Upper St. Clair Rowing Association and kicked off a series of regattas that the team will compete in throughout the next several weeks.
At the Pittsburgh Scholastic Sprints, silver medals were won by the men’s varsity 2X of senior Kapil Sharma and junior Brendan Fortunato as well as the men’s lightweight 2x of senior Andrew Caldart and sophomore Jack Shephard.
The Upper St. Clair Rowing Association is a competitive, co-ed, interscholastic club sport. The association supports, promotes and operates the rowing program at Upper St. Clair High School. Students in eighth through 12th grade are invited to row. Visit the team’s website at
https://uscrowing.org/ for more information.