BY WENDI REARDON
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Students on Team 8 celebrated after battling through three races and sailing through the time trial at Deer Lake Beach last Saturday in front of over 300 people.
The team, sponsored by The Clarkston News, won the final race at the 9th Annual RUSH Regatta with their Medieval boat. The team with Joe Morgan, Brendan Osentoski, Jessica Ray, Devin Spaulding and Christian Uhlig also won the Wicked Fast Watercraft award.
It was a close race to win the RUSH Regatta Cup but Team 1 with Cody Hughes, Madison MacDonald, Logan Rajala and Drew Waite scored 28 points – with three teams tying for second with 21 points.
“This was the best Regatta ever,” said Kyle Hughes, coach for Clarkston High School Team RUSH 27 Robotics team. “The beach was packed with observers. The students of Team RUSH really put on an entertaining show without even planning it.”
She added the crowds were great and cheered on the students even when two people fell through the front of their boat and when one team dropped their flag in the water and attempted to turn around to fish it out of the water.
“The crowds erupted with applause at their tenacity and ‘never give up’ attitude. It was awesome,” she said.
More winners for the day included Alyssa Dubre, Ben Halcrow, Grace Havel and Austin Schmitz who won the Cash Crusader award; and Megan Haddad, Brandon Kirk, Val Vargas and Gabe Weir won best theme.
“These students work really hard. Not only for the team, but also for the community,” said Kyle. “They volunteer thousands of hours from youth camps, STEM presentations, helping the Chamber of Commerce, mentoring younger robotics teams all year and running the Holiday Lights Parade. We are so proud of what this team does for the community. Thank you all in the Clarkston community who supported our ninth Annual RUSH Regatta.”

  Rush Regatta, Team RUSH 27