Rowing News

by: Rowing Contributor

North Allegheny Rowing’s Girls Senior 2x, made up of Katherine Zema and Madison Lambert, capped off the season with a strong showing at the 2025 Scholastic Nationals in Pennsauken, NJ. Scholastic Nationals, one of the premier events in high school rowing, brings together the fastest crews from across the United States. For the Tigers, this was a culmination of months of hard work and preparation, as they earned a bid to race among the nation’s best.

The Tigers came into the regatta seeded ninth overall in the Girls Senior 2x category, lining up in Lane 2 of Heat 2. It was a highly competitive heat, and North Allegheny quickly showed that they belonged in the mix. Right from the start, Zema and Lambert made a strong push, staying bow ball to bow ball with two other crews in the early stages of the race. Their powerful start put them in a solid position as they entered the first 500 meters, with North Allegheny maintaining a top-two position.

By the halfway mark, around 750 meters into the race, a challenge emerged from an opposing crew, which made a strategic move to push ahead. Despite the Tigers’ best efforts to hold their ground, the other crew gained momentum, eventually overtaking North Allegheny. From that point on, the Tigers were unable to recover the lost ground, but they continued to fight hard through the final stretch of the race.

In the end, Zema and Lambert crossed the line in third place, just shy of qualifying for the Grand Final. The top two finishers in each heat advanced, and unfortunately, the Tigers’ result placed them one spot short of making the cut. Nonetheless, their time was still fast enough to earn them an eighth-place finish in the nation for the Girls Senior 2x event, one place higher than they were originally seeded. The crew’s impressive performance proved that they could compete with the best of the best.

This race also marked the conclusion of Zema and Lambert’s careers with North Allegheny Rowing, as both athletes will be continuing their rowing journeys at the D1 collegiate level with Duquesne University. Zema and Lambert have been instrumental in the team’s success over the years, not only as key contributors in the boat but also as leaders on and off the water. They both will be dearly missed next season.

While the race may have ended earlier than they hoped, the North Allegheny Rowing program can be proud of the effort and dedication displayed by Zema, Lambert, and the entire crew. For the Tigers, it’s not just about the result of one race, but the growth and development they have experienced throughout the season. As the program looks to next year, there’s a strong foundation in place for the younger athletes to build upon, with the example set by Zema and Lambert showing them the level of commitment and leadership required to succeed.

As the Tigers close out another season of rowing, the program will continue to strive for excellence, and there’s no doubt that we’ll see more exciting performances from North Allegheny Rowing in the years to come.

by: Rowing Contributor

North Allegheny Rowing took to the waters of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, PA this past weekend, sending seven select lineups to represent the program at the prestigious 98th Annual Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the largest scholastic rowing competition in the world. The event drew 4,774 athletes representing 825 entries from 166 schools, creating an electric atmosphere of elite scholastic rowing.

Racing kicked off early Friday morning with time trials for all events. First up for the Tigers was the Women’s Junior 2x of Natalie Helffrich and Jocelyn Munroe, who clocked a time of 6:12.35 to open the day’s racing.

They were followed by the Men’s Junior 4+, a lineup made entirely of novice rowers racing up: Ryan Lovejoy, James Hamed, Yuantao Tang, and Stephen Webber-Plank, coxed by junior Ava Moore. The crew showed significant growth and improvement, implementing technical focus areas from prior races to finish 46th out of 54 entries, a strong result for this crew in one of the most competitive events of the regatta.

Next on the water was the Men’s Junior 4x featuring Cooper Lemon, Alex Repinski, Neil Pore, and Christian Sperandeo. Just after launching, racing was halted due to a passing storm. After a three-hour weather delay, the crew returned to the course with renewed focus, finishing in 16th place out of 23 entries with a time of 4:59.42, only four spots shy of a semi-final berth.

Momentum built later in the day when the Women’s Senior 2x of Katherine Zema and Madison Lambert became North Allegheny’s first crew to advance to Saturday’s semi-finals. The duo posted a time of 5:42.30, placing 10th out of 27 entries and earning Lane 1 in the next round.

Joining them in Saturday’s competition would be the Men’s Senior 2x of Miles Rees and Anthony Bertucci, who powered down the course to finish 11th out of 32 entries, securing Lane 5 in the semi-finals.

The Men’s Senior 4x of Roman Bellisario, Carson Corona, Nolan Bunn, and Layton Wright delivered a strong performance in their final race as Tigers. The experienced senior crew placed 14th out of 18 entries, just four seconds short of advancing to the semi-finals. While they narrowly missed the cut, their determined row down the course was a fitting conclusion to their North Allegheny rowing careers.

Closing out Friday’s time trials was the Men’s Senior 4+, a lineup of sophomores Nik Kshirsagar, Max Disque, Suraj Raina, and Daniel Choi, coxed by senior Lauren Keyser. Despite suffering a steering system failure at the start, the crew displayed grit and resilience to complete their race in 5:23.73, finishing 46th out of 51.

Unfortunately, overnight storms once again impacted the regatta. Early Saturday morning, race officials made the decision to cancel all semi-finals and finals due to unsafe conditions. As a result, final standings were determined based on Friday’s time trial results.

Despite the shortened weekend, the Tigers left Philadelphia with valuable experience and promising performances. Notably, the Women’s Senior 2x will look to carry their momentum into the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) National Championships next weekend on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ. With the lessons learned on the Schuylkill, the crew is eager to find new speed and make a strong showing on the national stage.

by: Rowing Contributor

North Allegheny Rowing returned to the waters of Kensington Metropark in Milford, MI on May 10th & 11th to compete in the 2025 Midwest Scholastic Rowing Association Championships. With 579 entries from 48 teams representing nine Midwest states, the regatta provided a deep and competitive field. Following a weather-altered event in their previous race, the Tigers were eager to execute the speed and refinements they’d worked hard to develop over the last several weeks. 

The regatta opened Saturday with time trials and semi-finals under breezy conditions and a solid tailwind. North Allegheny brought 15 boats to the line, each looking to make a statement. 

Kicking off the day was the Women’s Novice 8+, coxed by Emma Coca and powered by Ananya Doizhode, Lucy Hughes, Lydia Humphrey, Louisa Patel, Greta Edfors, Tatiana Morillo, Natalie Patel, and Sophia Savena. After completing their race, officials discovered a timing error that impacted early events. The crew returned to the water later that morning, delivering a strong row and securing 10th place in time trials, earning a spot in Sunday’s B Final. 

Immediately following them, the Men’s Novice 8+, coxed by Ava Moore and featuring Ryan Lovejoy, James Hamed, Stephen Webber-Plank, Yuantao Tang, Will Ason, Matthew Collins, Tai Luangkesorn, and Jace Laker, finished 18th out of 25 crews, just two places short of qualifying for the finals in a deep field. 

The Tigers’ first sculling events came next. The Men’s Junior 2x of Cooper Lemon and Alex Repinski placed 14th out of 23 with a time of 5:30.14. The Men’s Varsity 2xs followed, with two NA entries: Miles Rees & Anthony Bertucci and Nolan Bunn & Layton Wright. Both boats advanced to Sunday finals, finishing 9th and 10th respectively. 

The novice rowers returned to the course in fours. The Women’s Novice 4+, led by coxswain Abby Berger and rowers Doizhode, Hughes, Humphrey, and Patel, placed 15th out of 26 crews. The Men’s Novice 4+, once again featuring Lovejoy, Hamed, Tang, and Webber-Plank, coxed by Luangkesorn, took 23rd in one of the largest events of the day. 

The Men’s Junior 4+ of Suraj Raina, Max Disque, Nik Kshirsagar, and Daniel Choi, coxed by senior Lauren Keyser, battled hard and finished 18th with a time of 5:24.04, nearly missing the finals by just two places. 

In the final time trial events of the morning, the Women’s Junior 2x of Natalie Helffrich and Jocelyn Munroe placed 16th out of 23, while the Women’s Varsity 2x of Katherine Zema and Madison Lambert powered into Sunday’s A Final with an impressive 4th-place finish. 

Racing continued into the afternoon with semi-finals. The Women’s Junior 4x of Helffrich, Abby Greiner, Alexandra Edfors, and Munroe placed 4th in their semi. Shortly after, the Women’s Varsity 4x of Zema, Lambert, Boe Sumerlin, and Charlee Sunday finished 5th, qualifying for the B Final on Sunday. 

In one of the day’s most improved performances, the Men’s Novice 4x+ of Collins, Ason, Nate Earnest, and Laker, coxed by Moore, raced to a 6th-place semi-final finish. The crew executed their technical focuses from recent practices and recorded their best race of the season. 

The Men’s Junior 4x of Lemon, Repinski, Neil Pore, and Christian Sperandeo raced with precision and took 3rd in their semi-final, earning a spot in Sunday’s A Final. Following them, the Men’s Varsity 4x of Rees, Bertucci, Carson Corona, and Roman Bellisario dominated their semi with a first-place finish, securing the Tigers’ fifth entry into Sunday’s A Finals. 

Sunday’s conditions flipped, as crews faced a strong headwind that made for challenging racing. The Women’s Novice 8+ returned to the water, closing their novice season with a gritty performance in a tight B Final. The Tigers surged through the line to claim 3rd place, a fitting capstone to their novice year. 

The Men’s Varsity 2x finals followed, where Rees & Bertucci claimed a commanding 1st place in the B Final, while Bunn & Wright finished 5th, both crews showcasing the depth of NA’s sculling talent. 

In the Women’s Varsity 4x B Final, Zema, Lambert, Sumerlin, and Sunday pushed hard down the course and took 1st place, continuing the program’s momentum in sculling events. 

Next up, the Women’s Varsity 2x delivered one of the highlights of the weekend. Zema and Lambert raced to a 3rd-place finish in the A Final, earning a bronze medal and a petition bid to the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) National Championship, a major achievement for the senior duo. 

The regatta concluded with the Men’s Junior 4x and Men’s Varsity 4x A Finals. Both boats placed 6th in their races after a competitive showing against some of the region’s best crews. 

By the end of the regatta, North Allegheny had earned: 19th overall in combined points, 11th in Women’s Sculling Points, 11th in Men’s Sculling Points, and 10th in Division II combined points. Each crew’s performances reflected the hard work and technical refinement put in over the spring season. 

Up next, seven select lineups will travel east to Philadelphia to compete in the historic Stotesbury Cup Regatta on May 16th & 17th. The Tigers will test themselves against fast competition on the Schuylkill River in the largest scholastic regatta in the world. 

by: Rowing Contributor

North Allegheny Rowing traveled to Moraine State Park on Saturday, April 26 to compete against nine other local scholastic teams. The Tigers had 28 entries scheduled throughout the day.

Racing kicked off with the Men’s JV 4x taking to the water, but shortly after the start, weather conditions deteriorated as high winds rolled across the course. After a brief pause to reassess conditions and prioritize safety, regatta organizers made the decision to shorten the original 1500-meter races into quick sprint exhibition pieces in a sheltered part of the lake in order to still provide valuable racing experience for the athletes.

One of the team’s key focuses this season has been learning to stay composed and control the controllable, even when faced with unpredictable circumstances. Saturday’s regatta was a clear example of that mindset in action. The Tigers stayed focused, adapted quickly, and made the most of the racing opportunities, showing the toughness and resilience they’ve been working hard to build.

Next up, North Allegheny heads to Milford, MI again to compete at the Midwest Scholastic Championships, where the team hopes to secure bids to the Scholastic National Championships. With two important weeks of preparation ahead, the Tigers are ready to dig deep, put in the work, and continue building momentum toward their goals.

by: Rowing Contributor

North Allegheny Rowing launched its spring racing season on Saturday, April 19, at the Mitten Series #1 Huron River Sprints held on the Kathryn Bennett Race Course in Milford, Michigan. With winter training behind them, the Tigers were ready to execute their race plans and unleash the speed built over months of preparation. Racing conditions were brisk and windy, with a full schedule of time trials and semifinals in the morning, followed by finals in the afternoon.

NA entered 16 boats into competition, advancing 10 to finals and 8 into A finals.

The day began with the Men’s Novice 8+ (Ava Moore, Ryan Lovejoy, James Hamed, Stephen Webber-Plank, Emmett Robleto, Yuantao Tang, Will Ason, Matthew Collins, and Tai Luangkesorn), who placed sixth in the time trial to advance to the A Final, where they finished seventh overall. Following them were two Men’s Varsity 2x lineups, both advancing to finals. In a nail-biting finish, the duo of Miles Reese and Anthony Bertucci edged out teammates Nolan Bunn and Roman Bellisario by just 0.8 seconds, taking third place with a time of 5:40.332 and securing NA’s first medal of the day.

The Men’s JV 2x of Cooper Lemon and Alex Repinski also advanced and placed sixth in their final. In the largest event of the day, the Men’s JV 4+ of Suraj Raina, Max Disque, Nik Kshirsagar, and Daniel Choi, coxed by Lauren Keyser, faced off against 31 other boats, finishing 21st in time trials.

Five rowers from the Novice 8+ returned to race in the Men’s Novice 4+ (Tai Luangkesorn, Ryan Lovejoy, James Hamed, Yuantao Tang, and Stephen Webber-Plank), with Luangkesorn moving from rower to coxswain. The crew advanced and placed second in the B Final.

On the women’s side, who took to the course at last, the Varsity 4x (Katherine Zema, Madison Lambert, Boe Sumerlin, and Charlee Sunday) advanced to finals and claimed a hard-earned third place, bringing home the Tiger’s second medal. After a strong week of practice, the Women’s JV 4x (Natalie Helffrich, Abby Greiner, Alexandra Edfors, and Jocelyn Munroe) took fourth in their semifinal.

The crew of Roman Bellisario, Christian Sperandeo, Neil Pore, and Nolan Bunn, coxed by Lauren Keyser, raced together for only the second time in this lineup in the debut of NA’s brand-new shell. They advanced from time trials and finished third in an exciting B Final showdown.

In the Women’s Varsity 2x, two NA boats took to the water. Boe Sumerlin and Charlee Sunday placed sixth in their semifinal, while Katherine Zema and Madison Lambert advanced to the final after a second-place finish in their semi. Zema and Lambert ultimately placed eighth in the final after another tight hot seat.

The Women’s Novice 4+ (Abby Berger, Ananya Doizhode, Lydia Humphrey, Lucy Hughes, and Louisa Patel) made their racing debut and missed advancing to finals by just two seconds. Next, the Men’s Novice 4x+ (Matthew Collins, Will Ason, Emmett Robleto, and Jace Laker), with Ava Moore at coxswain, placed eighth in the final, marking the first race for novices Ason and Laker.

The Men’s Varsity 4x of Miles Reese, Anthony Bertucci, Carson Corona, and Layton Wright just missed a finals spot by 0.7 seconds but came off the water with clear goals for improvement. The Men’s JV 4x of Cooper Lemon, Alex Repinski, Neil Pore, and Christian Sperandeo, in a straight final, delivered a standout performance, taking first place with a time of 5:27.887. They secured NA’s third and final medal of the day.

The day wrapped up with the Women’s Novice 8+ (Emma Coca, Ananya Doizhode, Lydia Humphrey, Lucy Hughes, Louisa Patel, Greta Edfors, Tatiana Morillo, Natalie Patel, and Sophia Savena), where four more Tigers (Humphrey, Hughes, Savena, and Morillo) made their racing debut. The lineup once again narrowly missed a finals spot by just two seconds.

In team standings, the NA men finished third overall in sculling points, with the women finishing fourth in sculling points.

For complete race results, click here.

North Allegheny Rowing now turns its attention to the next test, racing in the city championships of Pittsburgh Sprints at Moraine State Park on Saturday, April 26. With valuable race experience in hand and speed continuing to build, the Tigers are ready to rise to the challenge.

North Allegheny rower Anthony Bertucci signed his letter of intent on Tuesday afternoon to continue his rowing career at the University of San Diego.

Bertucci has had a strong 2025 campaign so far, on February 1 he set a new personal best, improving his time by 5.2 seconds clocking in at a 6:31.6 in the Mens U19 2K event. The performance placed him seventh on the North Allegheny Rowing Men’s Top 25 record board and at the time put him fifth nationally among U19 men. Bertucci would later one-up himself with a 6:28.8 to move up to sixth on the record board.

Bertucci will major in biochemistry at San Diego.

Bertucci and his teammates will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Milford, Michigan to take part in the Huron River Sprints.