Ocean City High School JV 8+ Dominates at SRAA Nationals, Brings Home National Title
On a windswept day along the Cooper River, Ocean City High School’s JV 8+ girls crew etched their names into school history, capturing the SRAA National Championship with a gutsy, dominant performance that left no doubt who belonged atop the podium.
With a 15 mph tailwind whipping across the choppy course, the Red Raiders lined up against a field that included powerhouse Mount St. Joseph’s—the heavy favorite after winning Stotesbury and clocking the fastest times in the heats and semis. But from the opening strokes, Ocean City made its intentions crystal clear.
“They jumped off the blocks and immediately took a lead,” said Head Coach Colin Stewart. “By 500 meters in, they were up three-quarters of a length, and they just kept pushing. With 500 to go, they’d broken open water (leading by more than a boat length). By the finish, they had six seconds on Mount. It was a textbook execution—hit the 500 first, then hammer away.”
The crew—Kailyn Kelly, Reese Hemberger, Victoria Sakhno, Jada Smith, Marina Zappone, Marin Pearce, Margot Swift, and Aubrey Schlembach, with Anna Rice calling the shots as coxswain—rowed with poise, grit, and something more: faith. The kind of faith that comes from months of early mornings, cold water, and a shared hunger to turn potential into performance.
“A year ago, they came to me and said, ‘We want to start winning races,’” Stewart recalled. “I said, ‘You say how high, and I’ll jump.’ Since then, they’ve become a sharp rowing unit. But it wasn’t until this race that they tapped into their full potential and became true racers. There was passion and determination in every stroke. You knew—there was no way they were going to lose.”
Behind the scenes, the win was a full-team effort. Assistant Coach Izabelle DelRoss and volunteers Brandon Kintish, Kyle Rutherford, and Jim Swift have all played key roles in developing the Red Raiders’ rising program.
Stewart sees this victory as a launching pad for an even bigger challenge next season.
“Our goal now is to develop a senior eight that can go after Stotesbury and Nationals. Ocean City’s never medaled at that level—it would be a landmark achievement. But we’ve got 365 days to get to work.”
The Girls Varsity Lightweight 4+—Abigail Smith, Marissa Trostle, Coryn Driscoll, Ava Ryan, and coxswain Ava Ruh—made the final in their event, narrowly missing the podium in a competitive field. Their performance is yet another sign of the depth and promise surging through the Red Raiders’ boathouse.
For now, the girls of the JV 8+ can enjoy their hard-earned glory. On a fast course, under national pressure, they didn’t just show up—they made a statement, and it’s just the beginning!
***Interested in being a part of a championship program? Sign up for the Ocean City Learn to Row summer camp.
The camp is open to kids aged 12–14; the camp offers a firsthand look at the sport. All incoming freshmen interested in rowing are highly encouraged to attend.
Those interested can register through the following link:
👉 Ocean City Learn to Row Camp Registration Form