PHILADELPHIA – The seventh-ranked Navy lightweight crew won two of four races on Saturday in an Eastern Sprints League matchup against number two ranked Penn along a 2,000-meter course on the Schuylkill River. Going head-to-head with the Callow Cup on the line for the first varsity eight victor and the 1919 Team Points Trophy for the cumulative regatta winner, the host Quakers won each of the first and second varsity eight races to collect both trophies. The Mids' lower boats had a successful day of racing as both their third and fourth varsities won their respective events on Saturday.
The action on the Schuylkill went in reverse order with the fourth varsity eight contest leading off. Entering its fourth and fifth varsity eights versus Penn's fourth crew, the Navy duo had little issue racing past Penn to the front of the field. In clear water ahead of the Quakers, the Mids' 4V pulled away from the 5V crew down the stretch to win by 6.0 seconds, 6:07.3 to 6:13.3. Penn was 10 seconds behind the Navy 5V at 6:23.3.
The visitors made it two-for-two in the first half of the regatta as Navy's third varsity eight bested Penn in an ultra-competitive race. Tight throughout most of the 2,000-meters, the Mids and Quakers jockeyed for position and countered each other's pushes before Navy held on for a 2.4-second margin of victory with a time of 5:56.3 over Penn's 5:58.7.
The Quakers fought their way into the win column for their efforts in the ensuing second varsity eight race. Keeping in-touch with each other during the majority of the sprint down the Schuylkill River, Penn had enough left at the end to edge Navy by 3.4 seconds, 5:51.6 to 5:55.0.
The Callow Cup was up for grabs in the finale of Saturday's meet as both first varsity eight crews went head-to-head in a competitive 2,000-meter piece. The Quakers flexed their muscle and speed that has them ranked second overall in the country. In control to the finish, Penn clocked in 7.4 seconds ahead of Navy as the teams' respective times were 5:41.2 and 5:48.6.
"It was a strong day for our third, fourth, and fifth varsity boats," remarked head coach
Shawn Bagnall. "It was fun to see their improvement over the full distance of racing. There is no doubt that it was also "from the frying pan to the fire" for the first and second varsity, facing every bit of the #2 ranked team in the country at their house.
"We will hunker down as a team, prepping and thriving through our academic finals, and taking our best strokes as we head into the championship season. We've been continuing to remain faithful to each other and the process of improvement over the season. I am confident that this faith will be rewarded at the Eastern Sprints in a short few weeks. Go Goats."
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With the regular season complete, Navy will turn its attention to the postseason that begins at the Eastern Sprints on Sunday, May 19 in Worcester, Mass.
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Race Results
First Varsity Eight
Penn – 5:41.2
Navy – 5:48.6
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Second Varsity Eight
Penn – 5:51.6
Navy – 5:55.0
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Third Varsity Eight
Navy – 5:56.3
Penn – 5:58.7
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Fourth Varsity Eight
Navy 4V – 6:07.3
Navy 5V – 6:13.3
Penn – 6:23.3
Boat Lineups
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