Crew: Novice Boats, Women's 8 Take First

Madison High School's rowers may have spanned the East Coast to compete last weekend, but they shared the same kind of success: Top finishes against teams from across the country.

The Warhawk Novice rowers had a strong showing Saturday in the Smokey Jacobs regatta on the Occoquan.

The Madison Freshmen Women’s Eight took first in the final, and the Men’s Novice 4 and the Freshmen 8 took first in their heats.  The Men’s Novice 8 took second place in their heat.

On Sunday, Madison’s varsity rowers competed in the 5th Manny Flicks of the season, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Scholastic Rowing Association in Philadelphia. 

“Manny Flicks” are named after Manuel Flicks, a father who in the 1950s organized the first series of what originally were the rowing version of scrimmages to prepare young rowers in Philadelphia for the City championships. 

Rowing on the Schuylkill River in a regatta with 587 boats from 86 high schools from across the Mid-Atlantic, the Madison First and Second Women’s Eight won their flights, the Men’s Second Varsity Eight finished third in its flight and the Men’s First Eight finishing fifth.

Men’s and Women’s Third Varsity Eights also had the opportunity to compete in crowded Junior Eight races that provided solid experience for the upcoming Stotesbury Regatta.

Treeby Brown contributed reporting for this story.

For more crew coverage, click here.