Marietta rowers Wilkey Smith, left, and Madi Lovejoy qualified for the SRAA Scholastic National Championship after placing second in the Women’s Varsity 2x Final at the Midwest Scholastic Championships. (Photo Provided)

MILFORD, Mich. — Marietta High School seniors Madi Lovejoy and Wilkey Smith will wrap up their prep rowing careers on a high note.

For the fourth time the Tiger rowers will race in the SRAA Scholastic National Championship. The regatta is scheduled for May 23-24 on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J.

“Madi and Wilkey have joined a select group of Tiger rowers by qualifying for the SRAA Scholastic National Championship four straight years,” said Marietta coach Tanner O’Connor. “It’s quite rare to have Tiger rowers qualify more than once in their rowing career. Qualifying four straight years is nearly unheard of for the Tigers. They’ve had an incredible scholastic career, and we can’t wait to finish things strong at SRAAs and see what’s in store for them at the collegiate level.”

Lovejoy and Smith qualified for the nationals after finishing second in the Women’s Varsity 2x Final at the Midwest Scholastic Championships this past Saturday. They finished at 6:36.81 on Kent Lake at the Kensington Metropark. Skyline Crew from Ann Arbor, Mich., took the top spot in 6:14.76.

“At the end of the season last year we started thinking about how we could get back to nationals,” said Lovejoy, who will row at the University of Central Florida in the fall. “Tanner introduced the idea of a double to us, and we’ve always sort of been a pair and we know how to work with each other super well.”

In their first two years of rowing, they qualified in the Women’s Junior 4+ and again for the Varsity 4 last season. During that time their bond grew stronger. Lovejoy and Smith have been close since they attended Veritas Classical Academy in Marietta.

“We had a teacher who once described us as an old married couple,” joked Lovejoy. “We’ve known each other since we were super little. We’re like sisters. It has been so incredible to accomplish this with her.”

The pair has been steadily improving this season, but everything came together in Michigan.

“Our end goal was to see how far we could go,” Lovejoy said. “We went in this weekend wanting to have a good race and a good time. After we finished the time trial (with the second best time), we got a confidence boost. …I could sense it building over the last few weeks. We worked to see how fast and quick we could get. This weekend it all came together.”

Smith is excited for another opportunity to race at nationals, and appreciates the bond she has with Lovejoy.

“I have been blessed to row and train with Madi,” said Smith, who will row at Louisville next year. “She always has the energy we need to keep motivated. We have been able to push each other to do our best.”

Smith also credits her coach with providing them many opportunities to improve on the water.

“Thanks to Tanner’s dedication, we have had many opportunities to grow and improve,” she said. “He has gotten us boats, gear and even international racing experience. I am so excited to end my senior year with a trip to nationals with my longtime friend.”

Marietta had five other crews compete in the finals on Saturday.

The Men’s Varsity 4+ finished seventh in the A final with a time of 5:57.87. Upper Arlington took the top spot in 5:36.93. The Marietta crew consisted of Charlie Merrill, Nolan Parman, Eli Vessels, Pierson Stengel, and coxswain Audrey Porter.

The Men’s Junior 4+ finished sixth in the A final with a time of 5:49.87. St. Ignatius-Chicago placed first in 5:33.81. The Marietta crew consisted of Vince Ingram, Liam Scott, Schroder McKay, Drennan Threatt, and coxswain Adyson Lang.

Marietta finished fifth in the Men’s Varsity 8+ B final in 5:13.37. Evanston finished first in 5:00.59. The Marietta crew consisted of Ingram, Threatt, Merrill, Parman, Vessels, Scott, McKay, Stengel, and Porter.

The Tigers placed fifth in the Women’s Varsity 8+ B final in 6:21.06. Huron was on top in 6:05.11. Marietta’s shell consisted of Audrey Sears, Ellery Westbrook, Izzy Salazar, Sophia Paschal, Dania Atwat, Adelia Berner, Smith, Lovejoy, and Lang.

Marietta’s Women’s Varsity 4+ finished eighth in the B final in 7:41.08. St. Ignatius-Chicago finished first in 6:55.93. The Marietta crew consisted of Westbrook, Paschal, Atwat, Berner, and coxswain Nora Vigernon.

After petitioning to be including in national competition, the Men’s Varsity 4+ and Men’s Junior 4+ learned Wednesday morning they will be heading to nationals.