April 21, 2026 Submitted By J.P. Powers, Photos by: Wesley Darlington, Brian Smith, Kristin Buckley
After a long, hard winter of indoor training sessions, followed by only a handful of practices on the water (due to unfavorable wind and weather conditions), Hingham High Crew finally made their season debut against some of the strongest competitors in the region. Despite limited opportunities to build coordination and chemistry, the strength and depth of the team was immediately apparent as Hingham posted strong showings throughout the afternoon.
The hospitality team races to feed a huge team of athletes and fans.
The weather on Saturday in Worcester on the 1,500 meter course was overcast and a bit chilly, with temperatures ranging from the high 40s to the low 50s. By race time, the light morning drizzle had mostly cleared, and the rowers had a slight tailwind, leading to some very swift racing performances.
The girls show excellent early-season form.
The girls first varsity crosses the finish line after a strong season debut.
The girls first varsity, with coxswain Emily Gu, stroke Emme Beaudoin, Natalie Shaw, Louisa Orth, Eliza Powers, Sophia Santarelli, Izzy Wagner, Stella Gutierrez, and bow Bianca Kiley, showed excellent form and gained valuable experience, beating Simsbury and Shrewsbury, as they turned a solid start into a very strong debut race. The girls will continue to develop speed and cohesion as they find more time on the water in the coming weeks, but the first outing was a very promising start.
The boys pour it on as they approach the finish.
The boys third varsity returns to shore after an excellent first race.
The boys third varsity, with coxswain Liam Govoni, stroke Brendan Conroy, James Anderson, Aedan Sullivan, Luca Arienti, Fox Clarke, Jack O’Leary, Colin Alexander, and bow Huck Shaughnessy looked tremendous in the season opener. Powering past private school rival St. John’s and a Shrewsbury entry, the boys rowed with excellent early form and conditioning, as they showed tremendous early season potential.
The girls third varsity rowed a great race with an incredible finish.
The girls go stroke for stroke against Boston Latin (background), finding a win by the closest of margins.
The girls third varsity, with coxswain Ginger Niehoff, stroke Lena Angel, Peyton Burke, Veronica Webb, Eme Bias, Abigail Zimmerman, Haley Kost, Shelby Stroka, and bow Celia McCarthy found themselves locked in a thrilling duel with rival Boston Latin. As the girls streaked ahead, they found a tiny gap as they closed in on the finish, besting their competitors by less than half a second and showing incredible grit and determination.
The boys second varsity look to be honing some excellent rowing talent.
In the next heat, the boys second varsity, with coxswain Henry Hoch, stroke Owen Cerrato, Ben Hansmire, Will Vanderweil, Seph Darlington, Martin Seggev, Asher Ellis, Miles McLucas, and bow Ben Ferguson finished in a tight group with rivals Boston Latin and St. John’s, well ahead of Simsbury. The boys showed great early-season promise, looking well conditioned after a winter spent building strength and aerobic endurance.
The fourth varsity powers through for a big win.
Coach Pat Houle (left) and Coach Sydney Blasetti (right) help the victorious fourth varsity back to the dock.
The fifth varsity is locked in as they power ahead.
The fifth varsity emptied the tank in an impressive season debut.
The next race, the fourth varsity, featured two talented Hingham entries. The fourth varsity, with coxswain Shayla St. Croix, stroke Anna Rubel, Sasha Darmon, Rose Lovendale, Ellie Reid, Kaylee Araujo, Mariella DelSoto, Audrey Lambert, and bow Fiona Galvin, raced past Exeter for a dominating win. Meanwhile the fifth varsity, with coxswain Ashley Sinkus, stroke Susanna Grissom, Charlotte LeClair, Ali Rosetti, Abby Farris, Cora Blackwell, Aliyah Blidner, Kaitlyn Reera, and bow Sherry Xu, battled very hard and stayed close all the way to the end. The depth of the Hingham squad is certainly going to be a strength as the racing season progresses.
The boys first varsity goes head to head with Simsbury (background), powering past them with each stroke.
The boys cross the line after a ferocious battle along the course.
The boys first varsity, with coxswain Reagan Puleo, stroke Hanley Stroka, Lachlan Knies, Lucas Mangili, Landy Vittorini, Spencer Farish, Nate Bradl, Gerard Bottini, and bow Nico Mangili, racing against an exceptionally strong field, showed a ton of early season power and promise as they defeated Simsbury and held their own against the private school powerhouses. The boys continue to show improved skill and cohesion as they work to move up the ranks among the regional rowing powers. Boys Head Coach Sarah Dewey particularly likes the focus the boys are beginning to develop, “I’m pleased with the Boys efforts at the Exeter Invitational. We have our work cut out for us this season but confident the boys are on the right track, locked in and ready to roll!”
The girls second varsity shows off incredible early season power and tenacity.
Hingham girls overpower Kent (foreground) on their way to a strong finish.
In the day’s final race, the girls second varsity, with coxswain Maddie Owens, stroke Maddy Kittinger, Annie Sargent, June Rogan, Aubrey Fairfield, Lyla Wagner, Ava Kelly, Coco Prohm, and bow Lydia D’Arcy took on a loaded field and submitted a tremendous effort, beating Kent, Boston Latin, and Simsbury, despite very limited time on the water together. The girls rowed with plenty of power and purpose, demonstrating great potential as they continue to develop their technique. Girls Head Coach Sydney Blasetti was excited to see the early-season competitiveness, “Great way to kick off the spring season. We had some strong racing and several close battles across events, which is exactly what you want early on. Plenty to build on, plenty to learn from, and a great first step for this team!”
Boys Head Coach Sarah Dewey, playbook in hand, is ready to race!
Coach Pat Houle with stroke Maddie (left) and coxswain Maddy (right) are all smiles after a terrific season debut.
Lots of smiles during a big day of racing!
During the next week, the team will have double sessions each day of break before traveling to face the Philips Andover and Hanover crews on the Merrimack River next Saturday in what should be a spectacular showdown.