Rowing: NAC earns high finishes at President’s Day Invitational

The Newport Aquatic Center boys’ team captured the points trophy for the first time in five years at the President’s Day Invitational Regatta in Long Beach Feb. 15.

NAC began its Spring Racing Season with great success.

The race was primarily an opportunity for the first-year, novice, rowers to get their first competition of the year in, while also tuning up the varsity team’s skills in a few select boat classes.

The results were highlighted by the NAC boys’ freshman eight of coxswain Zach Casler, Frank Choumas, Harley Zeiper, Jake Marlo, Blake Richter, Hayden McCormick, Joe Skinner, Jake Taylor and Peter Emmel.

The girls’ novice “A” eight of coxswain Shanny Nelson, Stephanie Daboub, Peyton Matthews, Ashley Coon, Savanah Hapsic, Gretchen Shoenberger, Kara Bray, Bridget Schoenberger and Sophie Blair, and the girls’ freshman eight of coxswain Darien Moses, Mellisa Bradford, Peyton Matthews, Paige Warmington, Abby Buggeln, Sienna Hume, Claire Jacobs, Nikole Provenza and Natalie Morris won by large margins over their competition from Oakland, Marina del Rey, and Long Beach.

— From staff reports