This weekend, both the boys’ and girls’ Hingham Crew teams faced a tough lineup of regattas. Taking on the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championship Regatta (NEIRA) on Saturday and the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association Championship Regatta (MPSRA) on Sunday, both teams showed off their dedication, grit, and strength.
All season, each boat on the boys’ and girls’ teams has been fighting to qualify for the NEIRA championships that took place last Saturday. The first, second, and third varsity boats on each team ended up getting a bid to compete.
On Saturday, both the boys and girls teams made the trip out to Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester for the NEIRA championship. Through the periodic downpour and blazing sun, the athletes faced strong competition from various private and public schools. Each boat competed in a preliminary race to determine the seeding for the finals races in the afternoon.
After the preliminary races, none of the boys’ boats qualified for the finals, while the girls set all three varsity boats to the final round. The girls’ first varsity boat would go on to win the petite finals, while the varsity two boat placed 6th in their respective grand final, in addition to the varsity three boat, which placed 5th in their petite final.
Moving on to Sunday, the rowers’ endurance was truly tested.
The Massachusetts Public School Rowing Championship was moved to the Watuppa Rowing Center in Fall River after the original location on the Merrimack River in Lowell closed due to flooding.
The hectic race day included time-trial races for the Boys 1V and Girls 1V and 2V in the morning, with the finals (if qualified) taking place in the afternoon. Despite a referee’s miscommunication, setting the course at 1900m rather than 1400m, the three crews powered through the confusion, qualifying for the Grand Final races.
Pushing through the treacherous wind and swells during the final races, Hingham came out on top. The boys’ team performance was highlighted by a first-place finish by the varsity three boat. Led by coxswain Henry Hoch and stroke seat Liam Connelly, the 3V boat brought home gold to cap off an exciting season. Despite being placed in unfavorable lane conditions, the varsity one placed fifth, while boats two and three placed fourth in their respective heats.
On the other hand, the girls’ team came away with more than just medals. Led by gold medals in the varsity two, three, and four races, the girls’ crew team secured its second state championship this season. When asked, Ava Sugrue, a senior captain on the team, attributed the win to the “culture we’ve built and the accountability we hold each other.” She went on to praise the team for “trusting the process and staying hungry.” Despite having various regattas and practices canceled due to high winds and rough weather, the Hingham Crew team only used this as an opportunity to prove their superior determination. In addition to winning the trophy for varsity eights, the girls’ novice crew took home gold as well, awarding them the Novice Trophy.
Known to be the most difficult weekend of the crew season, athletes on both teams pushed past their mental and physical barriers to achieve this success. Maeve Schnorr, a senior captain, noted that “It takes a ton of grit to push through a double race weekend”, attributing their success to “every single boat, every athlete, every practice, showing up with a purpose.” Expressing how proud she is of the team, Maeve feels that their mindset and connection was what set them apart. This was truly tested this weekend, but they came out on top!
Both teams look to use their experiences this weekend to fuel their summer training for the upcoming fall season.
