Forest Hills Central Rowing

For Immediate Release

May 16, 2009

Milford, MI

FHC Women have strong showing at first ever official state rowing championship.

For the second year in a row, the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan State Rowing Championships looked in jeopardy of being cancelled due to high winds. Despite very strong cross winds that sometimes gusted to 25MPH, Kent Lake remained rowable and all but two events of 18 were completed. The inaugural event last year had to be cancelled after high winds made it impossible to compete.

Seventeen of nineteen registered schools sent crews to the event with 460 athletes competing in 9 events each for men and women Varsity and Junior varsity titles. No novice events are held at the SRAM regatta.

The Forest Hills Central women won medals in all six of the events that they entered. The medal winning crews include: Varsity 8+, Bronze, Lightweight 8+ & 4+, Silver, Varsity 2-, Bronze, Junior 8+ and 4+, Bronze.

“This was a great performance considering we are a very young team this year. To place in the top three in every event entered is a great sign for the rest of the season and for building to next season.”

Not to be overlooked, the Varsity Men’s 2- of Harrison Boll and TJ Nemitz took home a Silver medal with a great finish sprint to move from fourth to second in the last 200 meters of the race.

Women Varsity 2-, Leah Williams, Emily Keefer

Women Varsity 8+, Kristen O’Donnoghue. Julia Porth, Kiley Matulaitis, Kelsey Taylor, Lauren Niswonger, Emily Keefer, Leah Williams, Taylor Digby, Natalie Downs

Women Lightweight 8+: Justin Moyer, Ashley Tuma, Hannah Ensing, Almira Kovavchevice, Olivia Doezema, Rachel Erdman, Ashley Sherman-Hay, Emily Erdman, Amanda Yost

Women Lightweight 4+: Justin Moyer, Ashley Tuma, Ashley Sherman-Hay, Almira Kovavchevice, Olivia Doezema

Women Junior 8+: Kristen O’Donnoghue. Julia Porth, Kiley Matulaitis, Kelsey Taylor, Lauren Niswonger, Paige DeJonge, Chelsea Broekema, Taylor Digby, Natalie Downs