Pioneer rowing takes a pair of victories at Frostbite Regatta
Marietta's Varsity Four and Lightweight Eight cruise to wins, while Freshmen Eight take fourth

Nov. 11, 2006
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The Marietta College men's rowing team traveled to the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pa., this weekend to wrap up its fall racing season. On Saturday (Nov. 11), the Pioneer Navy, coming off of a three-week layoff, competed at the Frostbite Regatta.

Marietta entered three boats into the competition, a Freshmen Eight, Varsity Four and Lightweight Eight. The Heavyweight Eight has finished racing until the spring.

The Pioneers' Freshmen Eight, which included stroke Andrew Hazelrigg (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) Steve Little (Seattle, Wash./Bishop Blanchet), John Porter (Potomac, Md./Walt Whitman), Kevin Wessler (Port Republic, N.J./Holy Spirit), Matt Wilson (Johnsontown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop), Mike Flanigan (Absecan, N.J./Holy Spirit), Mike Cress (Ventor, N.J./Holy Spirit), bow David Dojcsak (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) and coxswain Rita McCoy (Lansdowne, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast), was first to race Saturday. The shell took fourth of six places in its event, finishing in 6:52.09. St. Joseph (6:18.46) won the race, while Temple (6:42.01) and Ithaca (6:4.40) took second and third place, respectively.

The Pioneers' Varsity Four was next on the water and captured almost a 15-second victory over the rest of the competition. The boat, which featured stroke Chuck Geyer (Springfield, Va./West), Andrew Norris (Dublin/Dublin Scioto), Mike Ross (Fairport, N.Y.), bow Chase Graham (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) and coxswain Ester St. Clair (Coshocton/River View), completed the race in 6:56.48. Ithaca (7:11.16) was second, while Delaware (7:12.31) placed third in the six-team field.

Marietta finished the day with a victory in the Lightweight Eight. The shell, which sat from stroke Jon Carlon (Winter Park, Fla.), Eric Dowler (Washington, W.Va./Parkersburg South), Mitch Paskawych (Marietta), Zach Stimart (McLean, Va.), Hazelrigg, Flanigan, Thomas Gray, bow Dojcsak and coxswain Lydia Easterling (Tallmadge), finished in 6:03.36 and defeated Binghamton (6:26.37) by 23 seconds. Delaware pulled both of its entries out at the last minute so there were only two competitors in the race.

Marietta will return to action Sunday (Nov. 12) morning when it competes at the Bill Braxton Memorial. All three boats will be back in competition. The Pioneers will look to win the featured Lightweight Eight event for a third straight season.