Neighbor News
Novice rowers bring home gold at Fall state championship regatta
Lake Quinsigamond hosts the Fall Public School Championships which saw Bromfield Acton-Boxborough student athletes row to several medals.
The Bromfield-Acton-Boxborough Rowing Team took home several gold medals at the final regatta of the Fall, the Mass Public High School Championships, held on Lake Quinsigmond in Worcester. The team split up with the varsity rowers going to Saratoga, New York on their annual trip while the novice rowers held down the fort locally, competing nearby during the last racing weekend of the season on October 26th.
The novice rowers are all in their first year of competitive rowing, having started either this Fall or last Spring, and can consist of both middle- and high-school athletes. Because of the split-squad, the crew only entered ten boats in 34 events, earning 4 golds, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals for the novice boats.
For the first time, there were several races consisting of just middle-school rowers. Bromfield-AB took the gold in the first-ever Middle School 8+, with a time of 16:51. What made this race unusual was not just that it was the first ever at this regatta, but that the team had both boys and girls rowing co-ed. None of the other schools present were brave enough to compete against this Bromfield 8. Rowers were Alice Pope, Liam Makosky, Dylan DaRosa, John Hart, Nick Schelzi, Emily Brown, Caedon Bishop, and Mia Hopman, with Cox Nilay Maity.
Novice co-captain Courtney Robb raced in her first sculling event, the 1x, and rowed the two-mile course in a time of 16:16 to win the gold. Teammate Chloe Alfieri took the bronze and Alaina Burak rounded out the field in seventh place.
Some of the middle-school girls were back to win the Gold in the MS Girls Coxed Quad (4x+) race with a time of 16:25, over a minute faster than the second-place boat. Rowers were Alice Pope, Emily Brown, Taylor Tracey, and Mia Hopman, with Cox Nilay Maity.
The Boys 1st Novice 8+ came in 5th place out of 12 boats, in a time of 13:17, in spite of a mishap during the race. Said Boys Novice Coach Conor Finnegan, “Our first novice 8 had their best race of the year. However, due to an unforeseen change in the race course, several crews in their event were stopped mid-race. The guys were not able to medal but they truly had a great race. The coxing was on point and the rowing looked flawless.” Rowers were Will Thompson, Josh Hollenberg, Zachary Shamah, Chris Arsenault, Andrew Huang, Jack Klem, David Shlemak, and Mitchell Densen, with Cox Josh Canning.
The Boys 2nd Novice 8+ took the silver out of four boats in a time of 13:24. Rowers were Alex Weaver, Aiden Clarage, Maxwell Mascarin, Luka Ilic, Alex Ewing, Michael Gecawicz, Jonathan McWhite, and Eric Guditz, with Cox Anne Wesley.
“Our second novice 8 came in a solid second place as well earning the silver medal. It was a tough week of practice due to the weather, but I thought they pulled it together really well this weekend had had their best race of the season,” said Coach Finnegan.
The Girls 1st Novice 8+ earned another Gold for BAB rowing, winning in a time of 13:36, 16 seconds faster than their Wayland-Weston rivals. Rowers were Becky Nitschelm, Lindsey Hayes, Aly Veo, Courtney Robb, Sierra Gomez, Alissa Kong, Angela Hu, and Julia Evans, with Cox Cammy Farren.
Girls Novice Coach Julie Nocka provided some background into this race. “Our boat was seeded behind rival Wayland-Weston, in a head-to-head race, which is a good thing. The coxswain was able to set her sights on the other boat and inspire the girls to reel them in, which she did. The girls talked about the thrill of getting close enough to hear the Wayland-Weston coxswain calling in vain for more power.”
The girls also fielded a team in the Novice 4+, coming in 3rd in a time of 16:11, just 11 seconds off the silver medal. Rowers were Valentine Bulpin, Molly Bowers, Fiona Carrez, and Julia Ross, with Cox Sarah Bradley.
“As coaches, we could not have asked for a better finish to the fall season. Everyone stepped up in a big way, putting together everything they have been working on all season. The girls took their best strokes of the season today, technically and with power, and the results show it. They have a lot to be proud of,” said Coach Nocka.