The SHS 3rd Boys Boat surprised spectators and coaches alike by besting four top-seeded rowing teams to place second in their qualifying heat at the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA on May 25. Two hundred and sixteen boats representing 48 schools competed in the regatta. The day was rainy and cold with a strong tailwind in the morning, which shifted to a quartering tailwind in the afternoon.
Simsbury High School entered six boats in the competition. Due to the large number of participants, teams competed in qualifying heats in the morning to determine which crews would row in the afternoon finals. In the 3rd Boat category, 12 crews fought for six slots in the finals. In the 1st and 2nd boat categories, 18 crews competed for six positions in the Grand Finals.
Battling adverse conditions and several New England rowing powerhouses, the 3rd Boys, who were seeded last in their heat, seized second place with a time of 4:46.626, 1.5 seconds behind Boston College High and .9 seconds ahead of third-place St. John’s. This made the SHS 3rd Boys Boat the first Simsbury 3rd Boys Boat final qualifiers in nearly a decade. In the Grand Final, the Simsbury crew put up a valiant fight but ultimately succumbed to faster crews, finishing sixth overall. The 3rd Boys boat crew includes: Eric Bursiewicz (coxswain), Connor Lyman (stroke), Max Gaudio, Matt McGoldrick, Sean Harris, Chris Palms, Charlie Croke, Justin Anderson, and Jack Reid (bow).
The 1st Boys Boat finished fourth in their heat with a time of 4:32.954, qualifying them for the Petit Finals. In 1st Boat categories, 1st and 2nd place winners of heats advance to the Grand Finals while 3rd and 4th place compete in a Petit Final, battling for seventh to twelfth place overall. In the Petits, the 1st Boys fought tooth and nail against top-notch crews and took fourth place with a time of 4:34.659, 2.712 seconds behind first-place St. John’s. They finished 10th overall. The 1st Boys boat crew includes: Amy Carabillo (coxswain), Calvin Krikorian (stroke), Zach Korten, Owen Massing, Billy Fahan, Christopher Gschwind, Brendan Murphy, Dan Sparks, and Trey Proctor (bow).
For all of the seniors, this was the final race of their high school careers.
The last race of the season for Simsbury Crew Team is the Novice Regatta, in Farmington, CT on May 29. For a full listing of the race results, or more information, check out www.simsburycrew.org.
