The crew championship regatta was the final event in what has been an impressive fall season. The MPSRA (Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association) championship includes only public school crew teams as opposed to previous regattas this season which included private schools and clubs as well. The championships were held on Sunday October 27th in Lowell on the Merrimack River. A unique quirk of New England crew events in the fall is the beautiful scenery that accompanies each regatta. As people gathered to watch and race along the magnificent river, it was hard to miss the refreshing fall foliage. With Hingham’s overall victory in the Massachusetts public school league as well as the girl’s victory in the girl’s division, the regatta proved to be a magnificent experience. Hingham crew’s hard work paid off and their new titles as champions reflect the dedication and pride of the entire team.
With over 100 rowers and a large amount of complex equipment required to perform, the crew team can be a significant commitment for rowers, families, and coaches. This year in particular, the fall season has included an unusually large number of days with weather conditions unfit for rowing. Despite the challenge of less water practice, the team has proven their worth with an extremely successful season. Nate Bradl, a sophomore on the boys team reflected on the excitement of Sunday’s success noting that it was especially satisfying to be rewarded after this season’s intense practices on and off the water. He also gave credit to the boys team’s coaches Abi Kornet, Tyler O’Connell and Sarah Dewey, for pushing the boys team to reach their full potential.
Both the boys and the girls team have worked incredibly hard for their victory and for their team. According to Ava Sugrue, captain of the girls team, “The girls’ crew team had an awesome showing at MPSRA! Every rower gave their absolute best, and you could feel the determination and energy in each race. Everyone knew that each stroke counted, and that drive carried us to winning the state championship.”
After the impressive display at the MPSRA championship the crew team returned to Hingham and paraded through main street accompanied by a celebratory police escort. They were met with cheering families, community members and supporters. Ava described, “Seeing the outpouring of support from the community, with friends and family lining Main Street and gathering at the high school to celebrate with us, made the entire experience feel truly surreal.” The team truly made history and brought great pride to Hingham High School.
The long, athletically challenging practices beginning in late August, as well as the many hours spent organizing and cleaning equipment as a team have led to tremendous success, and allowed for Hingham to display their skills and advancement in a spectacular event. The Hingham High School crew team has become not only a large, supportive community, but also a competitive force to be reckoned with.
