MHS Rowers Attend Virginia State Championships - Tomcany and Heimerich Earn Silver

The Mathews High School crew competed Saturday in the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association’s state rowing championships in Occoquan. This event was known as Day One, hosting all small boat sculling (two oars per rower) events and all third level down to novice sweep (one oar per rower) events on the first day. The next Saturday will be known as Day Two with competition for varsity level four- and eight-rower sweeps.

This year’s small and young Blue Devils’ team entered the Women’s and Men’s Junior Single and the Men’s Junior Double events. First to race in qualifying heats for the Men’s Junior Single was Bryce Clarke who won with a time of 6:20.2, ahead of Western Albemarle, Gloucester and St. Anne’s-Bellfield, respectively. Clarke’s time was the second fastest of the 11 entries. In the final, the competition increased with Clarke finishing fourth (6:18.2), behind winner Albemarle, silver Ocean Lakes, bronze Western Albemarle and ahead of Bishop Ireton; a Western Albemarle entry that did not finish.

Next to compete was Sydney Kollar in the final for the Women’s Junior single. Racing in a full six-lane event, Kollar placed fourth (7:03.2) behind winner Cox HS (6:18.1), silver Western Albemarle (6:34.5), bronze Granby (6:54.5) and ahead of Maury (7:32.7) and Gar-Field finishing out the field in 8:24.4.

Last to race for Mathews were Sam Tomcany and Jacob Heimerich in the Men’s Junior Double final. In the six-boat race, the duo won the silver medal (5:44.0) behind St. Anne’s-Bellfield (5:28.0) with First Colonial (5:48.7), Cox HS (6:12.3) Hylton (6:52.7) and Western Albemarle (did not finish) placing, respectively.

Coach Tim Ulsaker, who has returned to coach the team, summed up the day’s results. “I am very pleased with our small team’s progress,” he said. “We have not raced a lot this spring due to weather and starting in a new direction; however, the team’s dedication and hard work showed in today’s results. They are gaining speed and skill with each week’s training. We will see what goals we can achieve towards possible national level competition later in May.”

The team will train this week for a scrimmage with the Albemarle High School crew Saturday in Charlottesville.