TWJR captures rowing medals

By Glenn Sattell
Chronicle correspondent
Several members of The Woodlands Juniors Rowing team recently captured medals for indoor competition.
The Woodlands High School junior Tara Dalton won a gold medal in the Women's Junior Event and is now ranked No. 1 in the state and among the top 25 in the nation.
Dalton was one of 19 rowers from the club that participated in the annual SWEAT-Southwest Ergometer Amateur Tournament, hosted by Jesuit College Prep at the Terry Center in Dallas.
SWEAT is an official satellite regatta of the CRASH-B Sprints Indoor World Rowing Championships. Ergometers are indoor rowers that mimic the rowing stroke and are used extensively for rower training during periods when it isn't feasible to get out on the water.
Marjorie Ferrone, a junior at The Woodlands Preparatory Academy, won a bronze medal and is ranked No. 3 in the state and in the top 50 in the nation.
This is a race that really hurts physically," club coach Leonard Anderson said. The competitors will push themselves to the very limit of their physical abilities."
Justin Koch, a junior at College Park, finished eighth in the Men's Junior Heavyweight category, vaulting him to No. 10 in the state and among the top 50 in the nation.
To prepare for this race I try to imagine the whole race and break it down in to challenging focus points," Koch said. You can only take it as it comes until there is nothing left to give.
I love rowing and will be looking for a rowing scholarship in college."
The Woodlands senior Nathan Carbajal placed second in the Men's Junior Lightweight division. He is ranked No. 2 in the state and among the top 16 in the nation.
Grace Carbajal placed second in the Women's Junior Lightweight Novice division. Stephanie Mallard, Alexandra Millheim, and Jill Wethington, also finished in the top 10.
Cambridge Bolen placed fourth in the Women's Junior Novice and Mariana Bandera was sixth in the Women's Junior Lightweight. Casner Pernice placed fourth in the Men's Junior Novice with Paola Holgado and Mark Ricioppi placing in the top 10.
The club returns to the water on Lake Woodlands for practices to prepare for their next regatta in March.
5A swimming to state
The Woodlands boys and girls swimming and diving teams captured regional championships and will be well represented this weekend at the UIL 5A Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin.
Cannon Clifton, a three-time regional champion, leads the way. The freshman is the 100 free regional champ and also swims this weekend on the regional champion relay teams with Tripp Cooper, Knox Hitt and Chad Sorensen (200 free relay) and with Gabriel Garcia, Kyle Meyers, and Luke Norris (400 free relay).
Regional champions along with the top eight times from around the state in each event, qualify for the state meet, which will be held Friday and Saturday in Austin.
College Park sophomore Gray Umbach, region champion and record-holder in both the 200 I.M. (1:49.40) and 100 butterfly (48.75), will also be among the favorites in both events this weekend.
The Woodlands diver Kassidy Cook, region champion and record-holder (539.30) will also be among the favorites along with region champion Erin Foster (200 free), and diver Wil Mayo.