May 28, 2025 by JP Powers
This weekend, Hingham Crew faced off against the strongest rowing programs in New England. By the time the dust settled, the boys and girls of Hingham Crew had firmly established themselves as one of the premier rowing programs in the region, as they broke through to a level of performance that the program had never before seen.
On Saturday, the team traveled to Worcester, Mass, to face the top public and private schools in New England at NEIRAs. To qualify for the regatta, a crew must finish in the top 18 among all high school teams in New England (top 12 finish for third varsity boats). Hingham was able to qualify for the maximum number of spots, racing girls and boys first, second, and third varsity boats in the event. Despite bringing a number of very strong boats year after year, Hingham hadn’t had a boat qualify for the grand finals since 2016. On Saturday, two Hingham boats, the girls second and third varsity, both qualified for the grand final. In addition, the girls first varsity not only qualified for the petite final, they pulled off a win against some incredibly strong competitors. Both the boys and girls crews were able to pull together incredible performances, with the girls team finishing in fifth place among all teams – by far the best performance of any public school program and a true testament to the hard work and dedication the coaches and athletes put into this season’s preparations.
On Saturday morning, amid intermittent rain squalls and light breezes, a series of heats were held to qualify boats for the petite finals (top 7-12 boats) or grand finals (top 1-6 boats). The first boat to race was the Hingham third varsity, with coxswain Ginger Niehoff, stroke Stella Gutierrez, Anne Sargent, Jane Betti, Ellie White, Taylor Sargent, Eme Bias, Lydia D’Arcy, and bow Peyton Burke, who managed to beat Kent, Glastonbury, and East Lyme – finishing just three seconds behind St. Paul’s for second place, but still managing to put Hingham into their first Grand Final race since 2016! In the afternoon race, the Hingham girls continued their amazing performance as they managed to power their way past Exeter and Duxbury, into an unprecedented fourth place finish. This result establishes the Hingham third varsity as the fourth fastest third varsity boat – public or private – in New England, demonstrating the depth of talent and power on the Hingham team.
The second Hingham boat to race was the boys third varsity, with coxswain Jordan Brown, stroke Jack O’Leary, Seph Darlington, Will Whitrap, Martin Seggev, Aedan Sullivan, Ben Hansmire, Liam Govoni, and bow Zakary Robbins, who found themselves in a loaded field, as they faced Exeter, Andover, Kent, St. Paul’s, and St. John’s Prep. The Hingham boys got a tremendous start off the line, racing out ahead of several competitors before the race was stopped due to a breakage on the St. John’s boat. Because the issue occurred in the first 250 meters of the race, the officials red-flagged the boats for a restart. After some time to fix the boat’s issues, the race was eventually restarted. Unfortunately, Hingham’s start in the second race was less favorable. The boys started off on the back foot, but fought gamely in an effort to make up some ground. The boys, despite rowing with a ton of heart and grit, were not able to chase down the lead boats, but rowed a great race regardless.
The next race featured the girls second varsity, with coxswain Maddie Owens, stroke Sophia Santarelli, Dania Thayer, June Rogan, Izzy Wagner, Madeline Kittinger, Aubrey Fairfield, Coco Prohm, and bow Natalie Shaw. The girls, who were in a loaded field, exploded out of the gates alongside Brookline. After battling Brookline for much of the race, with Deerfield taking a strong lead, the Hingham girls locked in for one of the most incredible two-boat battles of the regatta. Knowing that they needed a top two finish to make the Grand Final, neither boat would give an inch. With only a couple of hundred meters left in the race, it was still anyone’s race, but the grit and power that the girls have shown all season was on full display as they edged out to a small lead of a seat or two. Finally, as they neared the finish, the girls found a small margin and pulled Hingham into their second Grand Final of the day with an incredible effort! In the afternoon Grand Final, Hingham, the only public school entry, was jockeying for the third spot and rowing an incredible race, battling hard and nearly catching Kent, submitting a gutsy and powerful effort, and finishing as a top six second varsity boat in New England.
In the boys second varsity morning heat, they faced off against an impressive lineup, featuring Kent, Andover, St. John’s Prep, St. Paul’s, and Boston Latin. Undeterred, the young Hingham boat with coxswain Brent Strauss, stroke Owen Cerrato, Landy Vittorini, Brendan Engel, Hector Munoz, Spencer Farish, Oliver McLucas, Gerard Bottini, and bow Liam Connolly, rowed with discipline and strength, as they battled back ground following a challenging start. Though the boys fell just short of making it to the next round, they showed plenty of grit and zero quit, powering across the line and capping off a season of growth and talent.
The girls first varsity, with coxswain Emily Gu, stroke Emme Beaudoin, Thea Migliaccio, Maeve Schnorr, Eliza Powers, Louisa Orth, Bianca Kiley, Ava Sugrue, and bow Lynnayah Ryan, battled a tough field in the morning heat, but finished strong to secure their spot in the afternoon Petite Final. In the final, the girls rowed perhaps their best race of the season. Facing many of the same boats who had given them fits during the season, including Boston Latin, Duxbury, Hanover, and Brookline, the girls got off to a great start and simply never took their foot off the gas. Rowing even with Hanover and Brookline, slightly ahead of the rest of the pack early, Hingham found their power at about the midway point and increased the stroke rate to break away from the tight pack, after a two-boat battle with Boston Latin. In the last third of the race, Hingham just completely dominated, cranking up the rate and blowing through the field. Despite a late charge from Boston Latin, the girls held on and pushed through the finish to a big Petite Final win.
The boys first varsity, with coxswain Lucas Mangili, stroke Hanley Stroka, Nate Bradl, Sam Ackerman, Lachlan Knies, Slater Fairfield, Arlo Maxwell, Will Barry, and bow Nicholas Mangili, found themselves in an incredibly fast heat. With a great start, Hingham found themselves bunched in a tight pack as they battled amidst the rain showers. At the race’s midpoint, Hingham found themselves even with Duxbury and threatening to break through for a spot to advance. The two arch-rivals battled neck and neck along the course, with neither boat conceding an inch. Despite an incredible effort from Hingham, Duxbury managed to find just enough pace to overtake the boys in the last 150 meters, hitting the line a fraction of a second ahead. Overall, it was a tremendous effort from the boys, who left everything on the water as they did themselves proud.
Hingham Crew’s performance and NEIRAs was truly astonishing. The impressive dedication of all of the athletes contributed to results that represent a new level of excellence for the team, as Coach Pat Houle noted, “The Hingham girls truly turned heads at NEIRAs this year. With every one of our boats outperforming the competition, we earned three spots in the finals — a remarkable achievement, especially as one of the few public schools to make it that far. Seeing our boats compete alongside the prep schools was a true testament to their relentless hard work and dedication.”
On Sunday, Hingham traveled to the Watuppa Rowing Center, in Fall River, Mass to defend the state title they won during the Fall season. With Hingham’s fourth varsity boys and fourth, fifth, and sixth varsity girls boats joining the fray, Hingham came well prepared to show that Hingham’s championship era is just getting started. Conditions at race time were a bit chilly and breezy with wind gusts in the mid-teens mph, significantly impacting boats along the course. The morning time trials were run along a 1,900 meter course, instead of a 1,400 meter course, which caught most of the boats off-guard, as they had expected to be racing a much shorter race.
The first Hingham entry to line up was the girls second varsity. Fresh off of their incredible Grand Final turn at NEIRAs, the girls lined up bright and early for their time trial and had no problem putting up the best time by 3 seconds among the seven boats in their race. This auspicious start was simply the prelude to their dominant afternoon race. In the finals, the girls were far ahead of their competitors, except for the Brookline boat, who pursued them relentlessly. Despite Brookline’s best efforts, the experienced and powerful Hingham girls simply would not be denied, crossing the finish line in a flurry of activity and beating even the Brookline entry by a couple of seconds to secure their place as the top second varsity girls boat in Massachusetts.
In the next time trial, the boys first varsity rowed a terrific race, but slowed as they neared the 1,400 mark, believing that the course was set for that length. Eventually, they realized that the course had been extended to 1,900 meters, as they ramped up the stroke rate for the longer course. They finished with a fine time, well within the top six boats and qualifying for the afternoon final, but had a less than optimal afternoon lane placement that forced them to battle the wind for most of the race. In the afternoon, the wind conditions proved extremely difficult, as the boys battled gamely and finished strong. It was clear from watching the race that they have made tremendous gains this season and the senior leaders have left the boys well-positioned for a strong season in the fall.
Next up, the girls first varsity faced the morning time trials. With a strong effort, the girls finished less than 1/10th of a second behind Boston Latin, narrowly missing third place. By the time the afternoon race rolled around, it was clear that the girls were feeling the effects of their fourth high-stakes race within a 24 hour period. Despite a strong push towards the end, the girls couldn’t quite get into the lead pack, though they managed to cross the finish line ahead of Arlington-Belmont and Weston-Wayland. The strong senior leadership helped to create a culture of winning this season that will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success of this boat next season.
The next race was a final featuring the girls novice eights. Coxswain Ashley Sinkus, stroke Neve Brown, Violet Tysdal, Shelby Stroka, Megan Buckley, Abby Zimmerman, Ava Kelly, Anna Rubel, and bow Leonie Eigenmann, who have been having a terrific season, took a quick lead on the field of six competitors. Demonstrating strong technique and excellent power, the girls led virtually wire to wire, only slightly challenged by the Brookline boat. In the end, the girls finished their gold medal win a solid length and a half in front of the nearest competitor, leaving no doubt about the race’s outcome.
Program Director and Novice Girls Coach Pat Houle shared why he believes the team continues to raise the team’s expectations ever higher, “I’m incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work our athletes have shown throughout this season. Since March, they’ve pushed themselves harder than ever, with our coaching staff raising the bar at every practice. Many put in extra time on the rowing machines outside of scheduled sessions to build their fitness. The depth of our team really shone through at the MPSRAs—every athlete contributed, and the internal competition between boats pushed everyone to be faster. This collective effort made us a force to be reckoned with in every event. Winning the spring overall points trophy for the first time since 2015 is a well-deserved achievement for this exceptional group.”
Hingham had two entries, the fourth and fifth varsity boats, in the girls fourth varsity race. The experienced and skilled fourth varsity, with stroke Shauna Arseneau, stroke Veronica Webb, Hayley Kost, Elsie Olin, Abrielle Beaudoin, Rose Lovendale, Eva O’Sullivan, Anne Kyriss, and bow Celia McCarthy, absolutely ran away with the win, beating second place Duxbury by a solid 3-4 boat lengths to win the gold. Meanwhile, the young and powerful fifth varsity girls, with coxswain Lexi Mesina, stroke Giona Galvin, Charlotte LeClair, Lauren Newth, Sasha Darmon, Lanal Angel, Aliyah Blidner, Aubrey Lambert, and bow Paige Moore, found themselves in an incredibly close race with Duxbury’s fourth varsity. From the start, the Hingham girls rowed relentlessly, battling tough winds and refusing to let the Duxbury boat gain any ground. As the boats approached the finish, it was anyone’s race. Duxbury managed to squeak through with a victory, as the Hingham girls hit the line less than two seconds after for an exhilarating third place finish. The girls showed that the deep Hingham team has a very bright future ahead.
The boys fourth varsity, with coxswain Miles Figueroa, stroke Brendan Conroy, Huck Shaughnessy, Luca Arienti, Ryan Potter, Fox Clarke, Xavier Bogen, Sam Whitrap, and bow Hmood Al-Quthami, executed a terrific race. Despite the windy and choppy conditions, the boys hung tough against a couple of seasoned Wayland-Weston boats and archrival Duxbury. The boys demonstrated great effort, pushing the veteran boats the entire way down the course and showing plenty of skill in the process.
The next race featured the girls third varsity, who, just as they had at NEIRAs the day before, showed incredible power and skill despite adverse weather conditions. Overpowering most of the boats in the field, the girls were only repeatedly challenged by the Duxbury boat. Despite a late charge by their rivals, the Hingham girls rowed with grit and confidence as they surged ahead, grabbing a gold medal and beating their archrivals by nearly a boat length with a terrific late sprint.
The boys third varsity, who were coming off of a valiant showing at NEIRAs, rowed one of their best races of the season against a very strong field. After a great start, the boys quickly left Brookline and Wayland-Weston in their wake, as they battled archrival Duxbury along the course. The boys demonstrated excellent form and awareness, never allowing Duxbury to gain a seat as they slowly pulled away, walking on their rivals amid the choppy waters and gusty breezes. As they approached the finish line, the boys finally had some breathing room, surging across the line with a boat length lead and securing their well-deserved gold medal.
The boys second varsity, who have grown tremendously this season, showed a ton of fight in their final race. The boys, who found themselves bunched in a tight pack after the start, jockeyed back and forth with a number of boats, as none of the entries were able to find much separation. Finally, the boys were able to power past the Brookline and Arlington Belmont entries, just barely missing the medal stand after Wayland-Weston hit the line two seconds ahead of them. The boys put up an incredible fight and have a lot to be proud of for their efforts this season. Coach Dave Deluliis was impressed with the boys’ effort this weekend, “We came up a little short of our goals at the championship, but we (coaches) couldn’t be prouder of these boys — their heart, resilience, and the way they lifted each other up all season. This team became a family, and what they built together made this a truly special season.”
After the racing concluded, the Hingham girls were awarded the Angel Ruel trophy as girls eights champions, and the novice girls were awarded the trophy for the top novice crew. After not having won the state title in a decade, Hingham Crew had amazingly secured their second state title in a year! Coach Sydney credits the victory to the team’s depth and commitment, “We had six boats, 58 girls, on the team this season, and every single one of them played a role in our success. Whether they were racing in the top boat, pushing their teammates in practice, helping launch crews, or simply showing up, this championship was built by all of them. It takes a whole team to create a culture of excellence, and that’s exactly what these girls did.”
At the conclusion of the racing day, the crew team piled into their buses and followed a police escort into town as the two-time defending state champions. Passing crowds of cheering fans, many clanging cowbells, the team arrived at the high school to be celebrated by family, friends, and fans. With another incredible season in the books, some of the very best rowing coaches in the country, a young roster bursting with promise, and a huge fanbase wielding cowbells, the future is incredibly bright for this amazing group of young athletes. Girls Head Coach Sydney Blasetti reflected on the accomplishments of the two-time defending state champions, “There’s something almost surreal about achieving a goal you’ve been chasing for so long. You imagine the moment over and over again, but when it finally happens, it doesn’t always feel the way you expect. It’s a mix of pride, gratitude, and quiet disbelief. What I’ve realized is that the most meaningful part isn’t just reaching the finish line, it’s everything we did together to get there. That’s what makes this moment unforgettable.”
Coach Sydney shared her thoughts on what makes this team so special and why she believes that there are more incredible seasons ahead, “I was on this team from 2013 to 2016, and to now be coaching it through one of the most historic seasons we’ve ever had—it’s truly the dream. We hadn’t won a spring championship since 2015, and we’ve never gone back-to-back from fall to spring… until now. Hingham Girls Rowing is back and better than ever. We have an incredible coaching staff, amazing athletes, and a team culture that’s built on trust, toughness, and heart. Driving back into town with a police escort, seeing people cheering us home, was one of the most surreal moments of my life. I hope every one of these girls soaks it in and remembers this forever. And the best part? We’re just getting started. I cannot wait to see what next fall brings.”
