May 28, 2026 Submitted By J.P. Powers, Photos by: Brian Smith, Wes Darlington, Kristin Buckley, and Tyler Stroka
On Saturday, Hingham Crew traveled to the shores of Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts to take on the best rowing teams in New England. Crew teams accrue points during the racing season and must finish at the top of their category in order to qualify for the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Regatta. As in previous seasons, Hingham qualified the maximum number of boats for the regatta. The morning started with qualifying heats where boats will race to attempt to make either the Grand Finals or Petite Finals. With near-perfect overcast skies, limited wind, and mild temperatures, rowing conditions were nearly perfect for a fast day of racing.
The boys third varsity finds their rhythm as they race ahead
In the first race, the boys third varsity were in a very fast field against private school powerhouses and rival Brookline. Coxswain Spike Govoni, stroke Brendan Conroy, Ryan Potter, Martin Seggev, Luca Arienti, Michael Catalfano, Jack O’Leary, Miles McLucas, and bow James Anderson had a tremendous start off the line, leaping into the front pack. The boys fought very hard and showed excellent skills as they battled bow to bow with rival Brookline. Although the boys didn’t advance, they showed that they can compete on even terms with the strongest boats in the region.
The girls third varsity beats Kent across the line by nearly a boat length
The girls third varsity nears the finish in the afternoon’s Grand Final
Next, the girls third varsity, with coxswain Ginger Niehoff, stroke Neve Brown, Eme Bias, Veronica Webb, Ava Kelly, Abigail Zimmerman, Ellie White, Maddy Kittinger, and bow Peyton Burke tangled with private powerhouses Andover and Exeter, along with familiar rivals Glastonbury, Duxbury, and Kent. Needing a top three finish to advance to the Grand Finals, the girls leapt to a quick lead, and managed to overpower every crew except Andover and Exeter to secure their spot in the Grand Final. In the Grand Final, Hingham was the only Massachusetts public school present, but they raced hard from wire to wire, finishing as the 6th fastest third varsity crew in New England.
The boys second varsity battles rival crews as they submit a strong performance
The Hingham boys attacked the course on Saturday
The boys second varsity, with coxswain Henry Hoch, stroke Owen Cerrato, Ben Hansmire, Aeden Sullivan, Oliver McLucas, Will Vanderweil, Seph Darlington, Ben Ferguson, and bow Zakary Robbins put in an incredible effort in an extremely fast heat. With BC High and Deerfield breaking away, Hingham battled hard in a four-way race against St. John’s, Boston Latin, and Salisbury. Had Hingham been in another heat, they could have had a chance of advancing, but they couldn’t quite get into the lead pack, despite rowing a terrific race.
Kicking up plumes of water, the girls second varsity fights to get clear of Glastonbury (blue shell)
The girls second varsity, with coxswain Maddie Owens, coxswain Stella Gutierrez, Bianca Kiley, June Rogan, Annie Sargent, Lyla Wagner, Megan Buckley, Lydia D’Arcy, and bow Natalie Shaw, faced down an impressive morning heat against rivals Glastonbury, Brookline, Duxbury, and
Tabor, as well as private powerhouse Deerfield. Needing a top-2 finish to secure a berth in the Grand Final, the girls rowed perhaps their finest race of the season. While Deerfield jumped out to an early lead, Hingham powered ahead in a pack with four other shells. Initially unable to find much room, the Hingham girls increased their stroke rate and quickly shook Duxbury loose, finding themselves in a three-way race with Brookline and Glastonbury, with barely a meter of space separating them by the 500-meter mark. With about 500 meters to go, Hingham hit the accelerator and was able to put Brookline behind them. Glastonbury hung close for the remainder of the race as the two boats engaged in a fierce struggle for the lead. At the finish, Hingham had just enough heart and firepower to cross the line one-tenth of a second ahead of Glastonbury in one of the most exciting finishes of the weekend, securing their spot in the Grand Final for an unprecedented second year in a row. In the Grand Final, the girls put up a tremendous fight, cementing their status as a top 6 boat in New England.
The boys first varsity fight for position in a loaded field
The boys first varsity battles bow to bow against rival Boston Latin (background)
The boys first varsity, with coxswain Reagan Puleo, stroke Spencer Farish, Landy Vittorini, Hanley Stroka, Lachlan Knies, Lucas Mangili, Nate Bradl, Gerard Bottini, and bow Nico Mangili got off the line quickly against a private-school-laden field. Holding their own against the field, Hingham spent much of the race in a duel with rival Boston Latin. Although the boys weren’t able to quite find the pace to press into the finals, the boys rowed a terrific race and submitted a very fast time. The boys would leverage this experience for even stronger results at MPSRAs on Sunday.
The Hingham girls first varsity (background) goes bow to bow against rival Kent (foreground), whom they would go on to defeat in the morning action
In the Petite Final, Hingham (middle) presses against Brookline (foreground) and Bedford (background)
In the final qualifying race of the morning, the Hingham Girls first varsity, with coxswain Emily Gu, stroke Emme Beaudoin, Izzy Wagner, Louisa Orth, Eliza Powers, Sophia Santarelli, Thea Migliaccio, Coco Prohm, and bow Aubrey Fairfield faced private powerhouses Exeter and St. Paul’s, as well as familiar foes Kent, Duxbury, and Stonington. With Exeter and St. Paul’s finding room ahead of the pack, Hingham easily powered past Duxbury and Stonington, but trailed Kent by a seat or more for much of the race. With about 300 meters left in the race and time running short, the Hingham girls ramped up the stroke rate and charged ahead, walking on the Kent crew and hitting the line a full three seconds ahead, to seize a spot in the Petite Final. In the final, Hingham found themselves up against familiar foes Brookline, Bedford, Kent, Shrewsbury, and Glastonbury. The girls were able to carry a terrific start into a great result, falling just short of Brookline, but defeating the rest of the field for a second-place finish in the Petite Final.
Girls Head Coach Sydney Blasetti sees the impressive results as the culmination of a season built around hard work and preparation: “NEIRAs was a huge step forward for our girls. They showed speed, toughness, and composure, and most importantly, they achieved the goals we set for ourselves as a team.
Some of the Hingham dads showed incredible initiative and Boy Scout skills in rigging up a shelter to keep the team warm and dry on a wet and bitter day.
On Sunday, Hingham Crew traveled to Lowell to compete in the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association Regatta, featuring the top public school rowing programs in Massachusetts.
With scattered showers, chilly temperatures, and strong breezes, the conditions were challenging, but nothing Hingham Crew isn’t used to. The day started with qualifying time trials for any races featuring more than six boats. Hingham qualified all of their boats for the Grand Finals.
The girls first novice puts up a great fight
In the first race, the Hingham girls first novice, with coxswain Grace Mullen, stroke Autumn Dockrey, Paige Hutchinson, Lexie Grimm, Mariella del Sesto, Claire Wang, Emily LeClair, Susanna Grissom, and bow Sherry Xu, defeated Wayland-Weston and Arlington-Belmont and placed fourth out of eight competing boats with a strong effort.
Despite the rough conditions, the boys fourth varsity overpowers their rivals
The victorious boys fourth varsity head back to the dock
Next up, the boys fourth varsity brought home Hingham’s first gold of the day. Coxswain Myles Figueroa, stroke Sam Whitrap, Huck Shaughnessy, Fox Clarke, Mickey Syp, Colin Alexander, Euan Chesney-Douglas, Preston Molitor, and bow Eugene Purtell defeated Wayland-Weston by a significant margin, showing the depth of the Hingham squad.
The boys third varsity goes head to head against Brookline (right)
The boys third varsity, fresh off a strong performance at NEIRAs, put together another great race in the MPSRA finals, defeating arch-rival Duxbury and Wayland-Weston on the way to a
silver medal finish. The boys team has continued to show depth and power as they found success all Sunday.
Hingham’s fourth varsity fights their way through the elements and into the lead
Hingham’s third varsity ramps up the pace as they prepare to pass then field
Hingham’s third varsity (foreground) battles it out with the fourth varsity (background)
Hingham’s fifth varsity girls hold their own in the third varsity race
The fifth varsity find their rhythm as they battle the tough conditions and tough competition
The girls third varsity race was a thrilling show of depth and power from Hingham. The fourth varsity, with coxswain Lexi Messina, stroke Lena Angel, Celia McCarthy, Rose Lovendale, Haley Kost, Shelby Stroka, Sasha Darmon, Kaylee Araujo, and bow Eva O’Sullivan, battled the third varsity boat, as well as entries from Boston Latin, Brookline, Wayland-Weston, and Duxbury, as the two Hingham boats pulled solidly ahead of the pack. The race came down to a two boat duel between the Hingham boats, with the fourth varsity crossing the line one second ahead of the third varsity, as both boats crushed the field for a gold (4V) and silver (3V) finish. The girl’s fifth varsity, with coxswain Ashley Sinkus, coxswain Anna Rubel, Charlotte LeClair, Audrey Lambert, Fiona Galvin, Ali Rosetti, Abby Farris, Cora Blackwell, and bow Aliyah Blidner, raced up in the third varsity race, posting a stellar time after battling it out with Acton-Boxboro’s third varsity boat. Coach Sydney Blasetti was excited about the results: “At MPSRAs, we may not have come away with the result everyone hoped for, but I could not be prouder of this group. Our 3V and 4V showed just how strong and deep this program is, while every boat raced with heart, grit, and complete commitment to one another.”
The boys second varsity kicks up plumes of spray as they battle rival Boston Latin (back)
The boys second varsity battle it out with Boston Latin (back) and Wayland-Weston (right) in striking distance
The boys second varsity found themselves in a tight race with their closest competitors. The boys threw everything they had into the race and finished the season strong.
Despite sub-optimal weather and water conditions, the girls second varsity muscles ahead
With Duxbury peeking over their shoulders, the second varsity pours it on
The girls second varsity race was another extremely close race. Exhausted from four races in two days, the girls put up an incredible fight and nearly managed to chase down the lead boats. With a very strong season in the books, the girls will be back next year stronger than ever.
The boys first varsity races through rough conditions and ahead of their competition
The boys first varsity pushes ahead relentlessly
The boys first varsity, fresh off a solid performance at NEIRAs, put in a tremendous effort in their race. Battling on even terms with the field, the boys beat rival Brookline and demolished Arlington Belmont, just barely missing the medal stand. Coxswain Reagan Puleo called a tremendous race, helping the boys finish strong. Coach Sarah Dewey was excited and proud of the efforts of the boys boats this weekend, ““What a strong finish to a season that got us off to a late start! The boys all rowed their hearts out Saturday and Sunday, and while our top boats weren’t in the medals, they totally locked in, rowed beautifully together and fought like champs.
I’m very proud of their efforts and expect the underclassmen will be inspired to work hard over the summer to prepare for what could be an exciting fall!”
The girls first varsity drives for the finish amid a significant chop
With evident determination, the girls first varsity presses their rivals
In the final race featuring Hingham rowers, the girls first varsity finished among a large pack of rivals. Defeating arch-rival Duxbury, the girls fell a mere 4 seconds shy of the medal stand. Although they didn’t quite get the result they wanted, the girls showed tremendous growth and persistence throughout the season. Despite the graduation of a number of exceptional athletes, the crew team finds itself in excellent shape to be back in contention again next year, thanks in large part to the excellent coaches and strong leadership of the departing senior class.
Coach Sydney reflected on the character and commitment the team showed all season: “What makes this team special has never been just the medals or trophies, it’s the willingness to give everything you have for the seats in front of you and behind you. That’s the culture these girls continue to build every single day. They showed resilience, toughness, and pride all weekend long, and they represented Hingham the right way. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The crew team’s annual banquet celebrating the team’s accomplishments will take place next Wednesday, June 3rd, from 6-8:30 in the High School cafeteria.