San Jacinto Intermediate's Dragon Boat crew gets ready to race with Coach Ryan Nygaard at the helm and faculty member Erica Garza pounding the pace drum.
San Jacinto Intermediate's voyage into Dragon Boat lore turned out to be anything but mythological.
The Tigers paddled their way to glory last Saturday, cruising past a stout lineup of high school competitors to win the Edgewater Dragon Boat Challege in Webster.
Paced by San Jacinto eighth-grade language arts teacher Erica Garza on the bow and steered by San Jacinto Coach Ryan Nygaard on the bow, the Tigers whipped a field that included the salty Dragon Boat crew from Memorial High and another squad from Pasadena High.
The Tigers were bumped to the high-school division after winning a Dragon Boat event in Sugar Land last fall.
Four district intermediate schools -- Jackson, Queens, Southmore and Miller -- competed in the intermediate division with Southmore taking first place.
The event is
an initiative of the Communities in Schools program.
Memorial High crew members fire up before hitting the water.
The Memorial High crew prepares to push off.
Jackson Intermediate crew members strap on life-jackets.
Jackson crew members get ready to row.
Moment of truth! San Jacinto Intermediate's crew (rear) pulls ahead of Memorial at the finish line.
