WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – Coming into Friday's IRA National Championship as the top-ranked team in the nation, the Navy lightweight rowing program made sure that it would be coming back to Hubbard Hall with all of the championship hardware as the Mids swept all three classifications of racing on Mercer Lake. Taking on Ivy League competition for the first time in 2021, the Mids earned victories in the first and second varsity eight races, as well as in the straight four event.
 
"The coaching staff is extremely proud of how our athletes attacked the challenging conditions today," remarked head coach Shawn Bagnall. "We knew every team would be throwing their best down on the course, given the final-only format. That said, all three of our boats raced with poise and composure and saved their best pieces for the IRA Championship.
 
"To win this year, with pandemic challenges to our training and all the rest of it, is extremely gratifying. Our team made the day-to-day work during this training camp an absolute pleasure to be a part of. No matter how the results had turned out today, we were pleased with the degree of intensity, focus and joy our athletes trained with the past three weeks. The amount of rowing that we were able to accomplish after an interrupted year of training was awesome, and we watched our walk-on athletes learn by leaps and bounds. It's exciting to be returning all of these athletes next year and have no doubt they have more to accomplish before their time is up at Navy.
 
Facing choppy and challenging waters on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey, the Mids' straight four crew of Will Jarrett, Kyle Perry, Samuel Sheridan and Robby Klanac was dominant from start to finish as the talented quartet had an open water lead over the second-place Mercyhurst boat within the first 400 meters. By the midway point, Navy was up by nearly two full lengths and later extended it to three lengths by the 1,500-meter mark. At the completion of the race, Navy clocked in at 7:43.491, 11.377 seconds ahead of Mercyhurst, who finished with a time of 7:54.868.

 

Navy's second varsity eight crew made it a two-for-two start to the day as the Mids faced and passed the challenge of Ivy League combatants, Princeton and Penn. The race opened extremely even as Penn sprinted out to an early lead before all three teams drew even by the quarter mark. Heading into the middle 1,000 meters, Navy found a comfortable pace and started edging ahead of second-place Princeton around the 750-meter mark. Once into the lead, the Mids moved up to a nearly six-seat lead over the Tigers in the next minute of action. Pacing the field, Navy reached the final buoys and broke away for an open water victory. The final standings showed Navy posting a winning time of 6:41.362 ahead of Princeton's 6:47.282 and Penn's 6:54.105. The Mids' 2V8 crew on Friday consisted of David Jackson, Charlie Goodrich, Matt Ross, Colby MaGill, Matt Fox, Stephen Frost, Seamus Tomb, Jack Spector and coxswain Stephen Scholl.


 
The Mids' first varsity eight crew was last on the water on Friday. With the title of the nation's top lightweight crew in 2021 lying in the balance, Navy found itself in a constant battle with Princeton and Penn for the majority of the 2,000-meter race. The Tigers were fast out of the opening blocks as they held an early lead following the first sprint. The Mids were unfazed by this early deficit and drew even with the Tigers by the 500-meter mark. That momentum continued and Navy soon found itself ahead by four seats over Princeton prior to the halfway point. Penn joined the battle for the lead at this juncture and quickly overtook Princeton for second place. The hard-charging Quakers came within four seats of the first-place Mids by the 1,500-meter mark. Pushed down the stretch, Navy had a strong closing answer and eventually recorded a 2.577-second margin of victory over Penn, 6:44.899 to 6:47.476. Princeton fell off the pace and placed third with a 6:55.546 time. Jackson Fuller, Oliver Hasler, Andy Laberee, Myles Knight, Connor Rex, Lucas Schatz, Joshua Freitas, Jonathan Greenberg and coxswain Jack Ransick made up the victorious V8 crew.


 
"Our sincere gratitude to the Navy Sports Medicine Department, and all of the athletic department administration that made our season possible this year," said Bagnall in closing. "It's a great time to be a Navy Lightweight, and we are truly proud of this program."

Results

First Varsity Eight
Grand Final
Navy – 6:44.899  *First in Nation
Penn – 6:47.476
Princeton – 6:55.546
Mercyhurst – 7:04.619
Temple – 7:14.606
 
Second Varsity Eight
Grand Final
Navy – 6:41.362  *First in Nation
Princeton – 6:47.282
Penn – 6:54.105
 
Straight Four (w/o coxswain)
Grand Final
Navy – 7:43.491  *First in Nation
Mercyhurst – 7:54.868
Gordon College – 7:58.735

Lightweight Team Trophy Standings
72 - U.S. Naval Academy
48 - University of Pennsylvania
46 - Princeton University
43.5 - Mercyhurst University
24 - Temple University
15 - Gordon College

Boat Lineups

	First Varsity Eight	Second Varsity Eight	Straight Four (w/o Cox)
1	Jonathan Greenberg	Jack Spector
2	Joshua Freitas	Seamus Tomb
3	Lucas Schatz	Stephen Frost
4	Connor Rex	Matt Fox
5	Myles Knight	Colby MaGill	Robby Klanac
6	Andy Laberee	Matt Ross	Samuel Sheridan
7	Oliver Hasler	Charlie Goodrich	Kyle Perry
Str.	Jackson Fuller	David Jackson	Will Jarrett
Cox.	Jack Ransick	Stephen Scholl