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...