After a long wait, Hingham rowers get their oars back in the water – Wicked Local

HINGHAM - The Hingham High School Crew team is racing again! HHS crew competed in their first spring race in 707 days on Saturday, May 1, against Phillips Academy in Andover. Both teams had strong performances and some tight races but the Hingham girls team swept with all four boats winning their races.

The teams competed in eight-boats (eight rowers and a coxswain), in 1,500-meter races for varsity boats, and 1,000 meters for novice (first year) rowers, on the Merrimack River in Andover. A sunny, crisp morning for racing, the rowers pulled against strong headwinds throughout the course and some crosswinds.

Our crews fared well in the wind. If rowing on the harbor teaches us anything, its how to handle wind, said Marika Kopp, head coach of the girls team.

Hingham girls first varsity (V-1) boat pulled out a win by 13 seconds. Racing for V-1 were Emma OHoro (coxswain), Charlotte Bogen, Kate Gallagher, Lilly Bryant, Anna Wagner, Olivia Wegener, Teagan Schnorr, Cassandra Dasco, and Claire Gallagher.

The boys first varsity boat lost by just two boat lengths to Phillips Academy. V-1 included Eric Smith (coxswain), Jack Magner, Tasman Claridge, John Rogan, Joe Decola, Luke Turnak, Keegan Mahon, Theo Grossman, and Leo Williams.

The girls second varsity boat prevailed over Phillips by more than three boat lengths. Rowing for V-2 were Alison Tocchio (coxswain), Devon Moriarty, Lily Murphy, Elena Bryden, Helena Orth, Zoe Angel, Anna Capodilupo, Sadie Neidecker, and Kathryn Feeley.

The Harbormens boys second varsity boat finished behind the Phillips team and included Michael Wegener (coxswain), Cam Santarelli, Griffin Perkins, Will DArcy, Ned MacDonald, Jake Moraites, Oskar Scholund, and Brennan Beitler.

HHS girls third varsity boat won by a lead of 26 seconds (or about four boat lengths), coxed by Maddie McPhillips, with Bayan Traiba, Abby Brown, Grace Desai, Elena Vasilakos, Alison Dasco, Ellie Dodd, Sophie Kerr, and Mazie Neidecker rowing.

Hingham boys third varsity came in behind Phillips to the finish. Racers included coxswain Eric Smith, and rowers Gabe Wagner, Nick Germain, Nathan Tesler, Logan Littell, Joe Delmonico, A.J. Rubel, Walker Shetty, and Michael Magner.

HHS boys fourth varsity boat lost by just 16 seconds to Phillips with coxswain Michael Wegener and rowers James Donelly, Adam Quinn, Colin Menuchi, Alex Hart, Charlie Rogan, Jake Robbins, Joe Cassidy, and Jack Burns.

Two Hingham girls novice boats (first year HHS rowers) competed against Phillips novice boat and took first and third places. The winning novice boat included Alexa Fox (coxswain), Sophie Kerr, Maisie Knies, Grace Desai, Bridget Sandler, Denley Bellows, Luka Gutierrez, Bayan Traiba, and Jordan Peterson. The second novice boat was coxed by Sophia Murphy with rowers Alison Dasco, Patti Ricci, Caroline Turnak, Genevieve Vale, Ellie Dodd, Nora Pluto, Ava Lydotes, and Mazie Neidecker.

In the first novice race for the boys, Phillips pulled ahead against HHS coxswain Harrison Kennedy and rowers Dylan Drew, James Barry, Joshua Bradshaw, Eamon Murphy, Jack Salem, Nikolaus Gibson, Alex Doggett, and Kyle Strauss.

In the second boys novice race, HHS competed against two Phillips boats coming in third, coxed by Harrison Kennedy with rowers Dylan Drew, Hunter Schultz, Jack Renna, James Feeley, Jake Kennedy, Nikolaus Gibson, Ryan Kost, and Kyle Strauss.

HHS crew has trained continually through the pandemic under coaches Kopp, Pat Houle, and Hayes Shea for the girls team, and John ONeill (head coach), Austin Letorney, and Jack Murphy for the boys team.

Last spring, rowers took part in a virtual season with coaches lending ergs (rowing machines) to all rowers and conducting practices and even races over Zoom five days a week.

The team practiced this past fall on the water, the only public high school team in the state to do so, and trained through the winter, erging with their coaches and cross training at Mass MVMT, Krigsman Yoga, and Cycle Town.

Additionally over the past year, six members of the girls team have set world records for rowing. Last June, then sophomores, Ella Niehoff and Devon Moriarty, both erged for 34 hours straight to jointly hold the under 19, lightweight longest continual row title.

This winter, senior Cassandra Dasco and junior Helena Orth rowed tandem (alternating at two-hour intervals) for 50 hours for the under 19, open longest tandem erg world record. Most recently, Ella Niehoff went for her second world record with senior Emma OHoro for the under 19, lightweight tandem erg world record, also rowing 50 hours.

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After a long wait, Hingham rowers get their oars back in the water - Wicked Local