Cleveland – The 10th Annual Home School's Regatta Trophy was brought back to John Carroll University for the first time since 2005 on Saturday, April 10th. But this Saturday's race was no easy win as Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University did everything they could to prevent the Blue Streaks from coveting the award. The race featured five categories: Women's B Four, Men's B Four, Women's A Four, Men's A Four, and Mixed 8. All schools fielded one boat in each event. Each race began with a 500 meter sprint between all 3 programs, and the top 2 finishers advanced to the 1500 meter final.
The first race of the day was the Women's B Four, and JCU was able to finish second in the heat to advance to the final. In the final, the JCU women made a valiant effort but were unable to overtake a strong crew from Case Western that won the event. In the Men's B Four, a race that featured two JCU rowers' first spring appearances, the men finished third in the heat by 1 second and did not advance to the final.
The Women's A Four looked dominant in their heat, finishing in first place by 2 seconds to Case Western. This heat was the first win for JCU and a new sign of hope for the bleak start of the day. After the first two races, JCU had no points while both Case and CSU has 1 apiece. In the final, the Varsity Women looked strong at the start making a decisive move into the Case Western Four. Every move the JCU women made into the Case boat was countered, and the Case four proved to be too strong and earned Case a second point.
With no points yet, the overall points trophy seemed almost impossible to earn. If Case was to win one more race, they would clinch the regatta. This meant that JCU's only way to win was to go undefeated the rest of the day. The Men's A Four stepped up to the heat knowing the pressure was on them to carry the team. In the heat, the men looked dominant, winning by open water against all crews. In the final against Cleveland State, the Blue Streaks fired out and took a small lead in the first half of the race. The pesky CSU four battled, but the A Four of Devin Eicher, Miles Nevin, Matt Knestrick, Anthony Miano, and coxswain Clay Morgan came through with a big 8 second victory, earning JCU their first point of the day.
For the last race, the regatta score was Case 2, CSU 1, and JCU 1. If JCU or CSU could win the Mixed 8, they would force a tie breaker with Case Western. In the heat, the pressure was surely felt by CSU and JCU because both eights finished ahead of Case Western with open water. Before the final, the crews were reminded the stakes: the loser of the race would not win the trophy, the winner would take on Case Western for a 500 sprint tie breaker. The JCU eight took this to heart and earned a 20 second victory over CSU.
The first tie breaker in The Home School's Regatta history drew a vast crowd of well over a hundred spectators consisting of parents, alumni, friends, and curious pedestrians. The JCU team, exhausted because they had just raced, had to take on a rested Case Western eight that had been patiently recharging. The JCU team showed great poise and confidence as they furiously jumped the start at rates exceeding 38 strokes per minute. The Blue Streak boat of Devin Eicher (Canfield, OH, Canfield High School), Miles Nevin (Lorain, OH, Clearview HS), Marc Nowicki (Seven Hills, OH, Padua Franciscan), Anthony Miano (Euclid, OH, VASJ), Kayla Salomone (Homer Glen, IL, Lockport Township High School),Jill Kaiser (Berwyn, IL, Trinity HS), Megan Hamlin (Columbus, OH, New Albany High School), Madeleine Culbertson (Moreland Hills, OH, Orange High School), and coxswain Kate Schaefer (Erie, PA, Mercyhurst Prep) ran away with a 20 sec victory in only 500 meters. The exuberant crew exchanged high fives as the screaming crowd paraded them onto the dock.
Overall, JCU won with 3 points, Case 2, and CSU 1. The city championship was JCU's first in 5 years. The crew hopes to keep the momentum going as they take on Denison University, Wittenberg University, and Indian University next weekend at Wittenberg.
