Varsity four earns third place against elite Northeast field; junior four follows with a silver. A promising day on the water for the Hornets.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Fayetteville-Manlius rowing program traveled to one of the premier early-season sprint regattas in the country on Saturday, and the boys' fours boats made sure the Hornets left with something to celebrate. Competing against top club and scholastic programs from across the Northeast at the 2026 Saratoga Invitational that draws some of the fastest boats in the region, FM delivered two standout performances that signal a team starting the season in exactly the right direction.
Seniors carve their place on the podium
In a field stacked with programs carrying serious hardware, the FM Boys Varsity 4+ stepped up and delivered. Stroked by Nicholas Graff and joined in the lineup by Arthur Souza, John Vanbramer, Benjamin Graff in bow, with coxswain Aiden Glade setting the course, the Hornets posted a time of 5:43.755 and claimed third place out of nine boats. Pittsford took the win at 5:41.100, with Litchfield Hills Rowing Club nipping into second just 0.064 seconds ahead of FM. Two seconds separated the top three, a razor-thin margin in a field of that caliber.
| Place | Team | Net Time | +/- Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsford Crew | 5:41.100 | — |
| 2 | Litchfield Hills RC | 5:41.691 | +0:00.591 |
| 3 | Fayetteville-Manlius | 5:43.755 | +0:02.655 |
| 4 | RowAmerica Rye | 5:44.045 | +0:02.945 |
| 5 | Wayland-Weston | 5:54.261 | +0:13.161 |
| 6 | Saratoga Rowing Assoc | 6:01.774 | +0:20.674 |
| 7 | Friends of Shenendehowa | 6:04.838 | +0:23.738 |
| 8 | Maine Coast Rowing | 6:23.158 | +0:42.058 |
| 9 | Friends of Concord Crew | 6:25.505 | +0:44.405 |
The FM Boys Varsity 4+ at the 2026 Saratoga Invitational. Nicholas Graff (stroke), John Vanbramer, Aiden Glade (coxswain), Arthur Souza, Benjamin Graff (bow), with Coach Meredith Andrews. Photo: Caitlin Graff
Junior four charges to silver and a glimpse of what's coming
If the varsity four's performance was the headline, the boys' 2V/Junior 4+ added an exclamation point. Alex Domaszczyski, Jack Prendergast, Ben Prendergast, and Landon Grandmain, steered by coxswain Kye Culican, crossed the line in 6:01.171, a runner-up finish behind Narragansett Boat Club in a six-boat Final that included crews from RowAmerica Rye and Burnt Hills. These are rowers who have watched their older teammates set the standard, and on Saturday they followed in their seniors' wake. A runner-up finish from the program's junior boat is a clear sign the pipeline is healthy
| Place | Team | Net Time | +/- Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Narragansett BC | 5:44.700 | — |
| 2 | Fayetteville-Manlius | 6:01.171 | +0:16.471 |
| 3 | RowAmerica Rye - B | 6:02.932 | +0:18.232 |
| 4 | Burnt Hills | 6:04.916 | +0:20.216 |
| 5 | Friends of Port Rowing | 6:24.076 | +0:39.376 |
| 6 | Friends of Shenendehowa | 6:41.508 | +0:56.808 |
The FM Boys 2V/Junior 4+ at the 2026 Saratoga Invitational. Kye Culican (coxswain), Alex Domaszczyski (bow), Jack Prendergast, Ben Prendergast, Landon Grandmain (stroke), with Coach Meredith Andrews. Photo: Caitlin Graff
Six more boats on the water
Beyond the fours, FM raced six additional events across the day, giving every athlete in the program meaningful race experience against a deep and diverse field. Here's how the rest of the Hornets' fleet finished.
Up Next: Central New York Section Championships
After testing themselves against the best programs in the Northeast, the Hornets turn their attention to home waters. On Saturday, May 2, 2026, The 2026 CNY Section Championships bring all of the area's scholastic programs together on Onondaga Lake for the first local showdown of the season, and for the FM Novice rowers, it will be their very first competitive race.
Share Your Photos from SaratogaWere you near the shore or on the bridge on Saturday? Add your photos to the team album.
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