The waters of Nathan Benderson Park came alive on April 12th and 13th as Sebastian River Rowing delivered a commanding performance at the Florida Scholastic Rowing Association’s (FSRA) Sculling State Championship. The 16-athlete squad punched well above its weight, placing 75% of its entries into A Finals and claiming the program’s 25th State Championship title—its first-ever in the Women’s Junior Quad (4x).
That history-making title came from the team of Sasha Hepler (11th), Madison Engle (11th), Ahnolah Quigley (9th), and Emma McElroy (9th), all of Sebastian River High School, who finished 6th overall but took top honors as the fastest Scholastic boat in the field. Their victory was both a team and individual milestone:
- Ahnolah Quigley and Sasha Hepler each celebrated their third State Championship win.
- Emma McElroy and Madison Engle each claimed their fourth State Championship, tying them with a handful of former Sharks for the most State Championships in program history.
“This is a testament to hard work as a team,” said Head Coach Tom Lange. “We are a very young team with a very bright future, and we would not have enjoyed the success we had without our young team constantly supporting each other and holding each other accountable.”
Across the weekend, the Sharks saw strong results from each of their entries:
- In the Men’s Freshmen Double (2x), John Bailey and Timothy O’Sullivan (both 8th grade, Sebastian River Middle School) won the 3rd-level final, finishing 17th overall and gaining speed with every race.
- The Women’s Freshmen Double (2x) of Elena Mirabel (7th grade, Odyssey Charter) and BaileyAnn Belansky (8th grade) placed 20th, showcasing grit and growth throughout the regatta.
- The Men’s Freshmen Quad (4x)—Jude Retemnier, Tyler Alderman (Sebastian River Middle), Darius Corbett (Melbourne Central Catholic, 9th), and Bronson Lachle (Sebastian River High, 9th)—earned an impressive 7th-place finish in a field of nearly 30 boats, fighting through a tough semifinal.
- The Women’s Freshmen Quad (4x)—Sophia Lovelock (Pineapple Cove Classical Academy, 9th), Khloe Corbett (Melbourne Central Catholic, 9th), Leah Hone (Sebastian Charter Junior High, 8th), and Emma Lange (Sebastian River High School, 9th)—narrowly missed the medals, finishing 4th overall after a strong two-day effort.
“I was impressed with each and every boat,” Lange said. “For such a small squad—just 16 rowers—75% of our entries were in the A Final, racing for championships and medals. That’s a huge accomplishment.”
With the Sculling Championship now in the books, the Sharks are turning their focus to the upcoming Sweep State Championships, set for April 26th and 27th.
“We are looking forward to the Sweep State Championships,” Lange said, “and hope to build on these amazing results.”
As the momentum builds, registration is now open for Sebastian River Rowing’s Summer Camps. Visit SebastianCrew.org for more information.
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