DeMatha Rowing Update

Rowing crew on the water via the DeMatha Crew Instagram page

Through all the excitement that sports like football and soccer bring, the DeMatha Crew team has been hard at work this fall. It is arguably one of the most physically demanding sports, since keeping a steady pace is required to be successful, and everything is done on a very high level. 

So far, they have participated in two races, the first being on September 20 at the Head of the Anacostia in Washington, D.C. The varsity team finished third out of seven in their eight-man shell, while the four-man boat got first out of seven.

Most recently, they competed in the Occoquan Challenge Regatta located in Fairfax, Virginia, with more successful outcomes on the water. While going up against four other boats in each race, the first varsity squad achieved first place two times while second varsity and third varsity each placed second in their events.

The top varsity won both of their events, posting the best times against college level boats in 5500-meter races. Some members doubled up in the boats and had to travel 11,000 meters over the course of the regatta. After the four-man varsity shell won a title last year, the goal is to medal in nationals.

Coach Blorstad says he’s seen “tons of dedication [from the athletes] this year. Five to ten guys come to optional practice before school in the morning to get work in.” He expects the boats to stay the same in the spring.

In terms of standouts, Coach Blorstad lauded senior Joey Pla, who is the number one coxswain across all boats. “He’s been awesome, [he’s] a captain, a coach on the water,” Blorstad said. Junior Eli Cummins was also singled out by Blorstad for his role in the stroke seat of the boat and how he sets the pace for the guys behind him.

Junior Josiah Henson thinks they’ve performed well but there is also more to be done. “I don’t think we’ve had a good test of skill yet,” Henson says. “There’s definitely some things we have to work on.”

Cummins sees improvement from the team, saying, “Our races this past weekend were much better than the ones two weeks ago. Personally, I am feeling pretty good, [I’m] definitely in better shape than last year.”

“Practice has been pretty good, we usually do 10,000 meters every day so we’re well prepared,” said junior Ayo Eremah. He also spoke positively about his teammates. “We back each other with motivation.”

The team has a tough weekend coming up at Fairfax Station in Virginia, so we’ll see how they perform. Once October comes to a close, the squad is aiming to win a medal and show out at the Schuylkill Regatta. Around the same time, Coach Blorstad is expected to go on paternity leave, resulting in Mr. Bright returning to the water and taking over at the end of the season.