SAILING CAPTURES SECOND STRAIGHT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
May 24, 2016
For the second consecutive year, Christian Brothers Academy Sailing reigns supreme over the state of New Jersey.
The Colts sailing program won the 2016 New Jersey State Championship on Saturday at Toms River Yacht Club, besting a fleet of the top twelve sailing teams over a 14-race series.
In one of the most competitive state championships in recent years, CBA sailed most of the day in a four-way battle with second place Ranney School, third place Rumson-Fair Haven and fourth place Southern Regional.
The Colts were led by junior captain Joe LaForgia in the A Division, with crews Ryan Golding ’16, Chris Magno ’17 and Ryan Mullins ’19. Sophomore Mike Ehnot and senior captain Mark Iorio won two races in the B Division, including a crucial race win in the second-to-last race.
It’s the second state championship in program history, succeeding the 2015 victory at Shrewsbury Sailing & Yacht Club. The state title caps another record setting season for the sailing team. CBA also won both the fall & spring league championships, won two district invitationals at SUNY Maritime College and traveled to national invitationals at the Coast Guard Academy and the College of Charleston.
Christian Brothers grabbed some of the biggest individual awards of the season as well. LaForgia was named the 2016 New Jersey Sailor of the Year and Magno was honored as the 2016 New Jersey Crew of the Year.
LaForgia and Ehnot were named first team all-state skippers, while Magno and Iorio were dubbed first team all-state crews (pictured below). The six individual honors were the most of any school in the state.
The team graduates two senior captains who have dedicated four years to the team, Iorio (Pace University) and J.P. Burgess (Providence College).