The following student-athletes have been selected to The Washington Post’s 2024 All-Met team for boys’ rowing:
Mekhi Akonnor, Jr., DeMatha
Akonnor caught the eye of several area rowing coaches who lauded his talent.
Justin Blagrove, Jr., Wakefield
Blagrove produced some of the fastest times in the area on the erg machine and won the Washington-Liberty triathlon.
Anton Butler, Jr., St. Albans
Butler was the only non-senior on the Bulldogs’ top varsity eight boat. From the seventh seat, he propelled them to a second-place finish at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia.
Payton Evans, Sr., West Springfield
The two-year captain led his team to a gold medal in the top varsity eight boat at the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association championships.
Luke Hoffman, Sr., McLean
He returns to the All-Met first team after another solid senior season on the top varsity eight boat for the Highlanders, who finished second at states.
William Kunert, Sr., Jackson-Reed
Kunert was a strong, stable presence for the Tigers as a team captain.
Kyle McHugh, Sr., Gonzaga
Sitting in the seven-seat of the Eagles’ top varsity eight boat, McHugh helped the team collect another gold medal in thrilling fashion at the Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Rowing Association championships.
Robert Palmer, Sr., Bethesda-Chevy Chase
The captain sat in the stroke seat of the Barons’ top varsity four boat, which won gold at Stotesbury.
Wesley Solomon, Sr., St. Albans
Another returner to the first team, Solomon helped the Bulldogs’ top varsity eight boat to a silver medal at Stotesbury.
Aidan Spellacy-Urken, Sr., Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Several coaches commended him for a stellar season as a captain for the Barons.
Rowan Streaker, Sr., Walter Johnson
He spent his second straight season on the Wildcats’ top varsity eight boat, this time as a strong senior captain.
Haley, who has coached St. Albans for 30 years, produced the team’s best top varsity eight boat in more than a decade. The Bulldogs were upset by Gonzaga at WMIRA but bounced back to finish second at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta (with a five-second drop between the events) for the fast time in the area.
First four: Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Nathaniel Abrials, Sr., Gonzaga
Colin Bailey, Sr., St. Albans
Marco Burrows, Sr., St. Albans
Kimble Ettelt, Sr., Washington-Liberty
Findley Hartzell, Sr., Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Andres Krizan-Luque, Jr., Gonzaga
Tony Madigan, So., Wakefield
Sherif Naguib, Sr., McLean
Daren Pefok, Sr., DeMatha
Hale Snyder, Sr., St. Albans
Brendan Stroh, Sr., Gonzaga
Hunter Sweeney, Jr., West Springfield
Joseph Thibodeau, Sr., South County
Gunnar Westland, Jr., McLean
John Zegger, Sr., St. Albans