GRAND RAPIDS - The Pioneer girls crew team won the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan state championship Saturday after grabbing three golds and a bronze.

All 21 varsity teams in the state participated including Huron which took third.

Hannah Graham, Annika Gage, Anna DeBoer, Claire Barrett, Rachel Bielajew, Ella Janowitz, Annie Oldani, Kendall Phillips and Sarah Foster (coxswain) won the Women’s Junior-8, covering 1.5 kilometers in five minutes, 44.6 seconds.

Graham, Gage, DeBoer, Barrett, also won the Varsity-4 with a time of 6:36.00. Katie Thiry was the coxswain. Anna Anthony, Bielajew, Janowitz, Annie Oldani, Phillips, and Foster (coxswain) won the Junior-4 in 6:49.0.

“I don’t really compare them to other teams I just look at how they look in their race,” said women’s varsity coach Suzanne Buzzell. They’ve done a great job of making changes, and in the past two weeks they’ve really stepped up their game.”

Scott Birdick and Jacob Merrell gave the Pioneer boys team its highest honor with a silver medal in the two-man boat. The Pioneer boys also had four bronze performances and placed fourth with eight points, one point behind third place Saline, three behind runner-up Huron, but 24 behind Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

Despite not having a girls team, St. Mary’s won the combined title on the strength of the boys team’s lofty point total. Pioneer finished second in the combined standings.

“There are some truly fast crews in the state right now, and I know every one of our kids put everything they had into their races,” said Pioneer head coach Rich Griffith. “To come out this well against our in-state rivals is very satisfying for all of us.”