A crew from the only public high school team west of the Mississippi, Berkeley High, took bronze in the national championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee yesterday. The men’s lightweight coxed four finished 0.28 seconds out of the silver medal position (less than a canvas behind), and 2.27 seconds (about a boat length) behind the winner, Sammamish from Redmond, WA.
Eighteen lightweight fours qualified for the nationals. The Yellow Jackets had two heats and a semifinal to get into the Sunday finals. Temperatures throughout the national championships were in the 90s and humid, with thunderstorms in the area.
The four are sophomore Lucas Bell at stroke, junior Ian Pengra at three, senior Daniel Remler at two and junior Kevin Meador in the bow seat. Hannah Lukanuski, a senior, coxed the crew.
Berkeley High’s crew team has qualified for national championships seven times since 2000.
