Head of the Merrimack – September 25, 2011
The Lowell High School Crew Team headed downriver to Methuen for the kick-off of the 2011 Fall season with their first regatta, the Head of the Merrimack. Teams included rowing clubs and high school rowing teams from New Hampshire and Massachusetts launching over 100 boats in a compressed 3 hours of continuous racing on the 4 mile course. Lowell’s varsity and novice teams raced 9 boats which included a first place finish by Men’s varsity coach Jess Murray in the Women’s Open 1x.
Lowell’s Women’s Varsity 8 A dominated with a gold medal performance, besting the Concord Crew’s time by almost 30 seconds. The Women’s Jr. Ltwt 4 placed second behind Concord Crew. The Men’s Jr 4 finished fourth in a field of nine with a solid performance.
There were strong performances from the other boats Lowell High launched, but they weren’t quite enough to get to the medal stands. For many of the novice rowers and their families, the experience of competing in their first regatta was really what Sunday was all about.
Lowell looks forward to hosting the 32nd Textile River Regatta on the Merrimack this Sunday on Oct. 2nd with over 3, 000 rowers participating.
Medal Winner:
Women’s First Varsity 8: Sabrina Maceachern, Stephanie Beaudry, Haley Clarke, Lauren Thistle, Lauren Blazon, Sarita, Natalia Czerwonka, Kate Keller, and Coxswain Sara Vargas.
Races
Mens Jr. 8+ 6th Lowell A 22.06.00
Womens Jr. 4+ 6th Lowell 29.16.00
Womens Jr. Ltwt 4+ 2nd Lowell 27.35.00
Womens Jr. 8+ 1st Lowell A 23.53.00
Mens Jr 4 4th Lowell 23.59.00
Hello Rowers and Parents,
Fall 2011 is HERE! Important Dates are listed below.
August 25- First day of practice for all RETURNING ROWERS (rowers who have been on the team for at least one season). Practice is at noon until 4pm (hopefully sooner). Please bring your permission slips and running sneakers.
August 31- Crew meeting for all NOVICE ROWERS (rowers who are trying out for the team for the first time). After school in the Big Cafe.
September 1- Swim Test for all NOVICE ROWERS
September 6- Varsity Parents Meeting at 6:00pm at the Boathouse
September 12- Novice Parents Meeting at 6:00pm at the Boathouse
September 25- Head of the Merrimack- Methuen MA
October 2- Textile River Regatta- Lowell MA
October 9- New England Junior & High School Regional Championship Regatta- Worcester MA
October 16- New Hampshire Championships- Pembroke NH
October 22/ 23- Head of the Charles- Boston MA
October 29- Head of the Fish- Saratoga Springs NY
October 30- MPSRA State Championships- Worcester MA
See everyone very soon! Please email or text with any questions.
Coach Jess
Varsity Parents and Rowers, Our first race of the spring season is here! The Saratoga Invitational is this Saturday, April 30th. Rowers need to be at the boathouse at 5:00am on Saturday morning. All rowers are taking the bus up to Saratoga. Parents are allowed to take their own child home with them. The bus will arrive home at the boathouse between midnight and 1:00am on Sunday morning. The GPS address is 1456 Route 9p, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-6649 *****Due to Bridge Construction please use the following directions to get to the regatta site. US 87 to Exit 13S. Take a right onto Route 9. Go approximately 1.9 miles and take a left onto Route 9P (you will see Ripe Tomato Restaurant on the corner). Follow around Saratoga Lake approximately 8 miles to Lee's Park/Boat Launch entrance on the right.*****
Saratoga lineups
12:44pm Event #21 women's lightweight 8+
cox:Miranda Stroke:Sabrina, Anna, Natalia, Corinne, Aly Burgess, Hilary, Gravlin, bow:Saba
1:16pm Event #23 women's varsity 8+
cox:sara Stroke:Erinn, stephanie, hailey, kendra, brittany b, bryana, blazon, bow: thistle
2:04pm Event #29 women's junior varsity 4+
cox:miranda stroke: Lina, brittany m, lyndsey, bow:emily
3:56 pmEvent #30 women's varsity 4+
cox: sara stroke: Erinn, stephanie, Hailey, bow: Thistle
2:52pm Event #36 Women's lightweight 4+
cox: sara Stroke: Sabrina, Anna, Natalia, bow: Corinne
6:20pm Event #37 women's JV8+
cox: Kate Stroke: Gravlin, liz, kiara, Idalia, Amanda, monique, michelle, bow: Katrina
6:44pm Event # 38 Men’s V8+
cox: Deanna stroke: Phil, Tretola, Corey, Alex, Erik, Matt, Andrew box: Alejandro
7:16pm Event # 40 Men’s JV8+
cox: Ryan stroke: Richard, Tommy, Cameron, Estaban, Dan, Flaviano, Tony, box: David
If you have any questions please email me. Thanks Jess Head Coach Lowell High School jessica@lhsrowing.com (978)551-3272
Hello Rowers and Parents,
The spring season is swiftly approaching. Here are some important dates so everyone can begin to prepare.
February 28th VARSITY Team Meeting @ Big Cafe, 3:00pm (Varsity and Novice can pick up fall uniforms from 2:30-3:00)
March 1st First Day of Varsity Practice (most likely at LHS)
March 21h First Day of Novice Practice (at the Boathouse)
March 25th Varsity Parents Meeting at 6:30pm
March 29nd Novice Parents Meeting at 6:30pm
Please email me at jessica@lhsrowing if you want to add something to the agenda for the Parents Meetings.
Thanks Coach Jess
By Carmine Frongillo, cfrongillo@lowellsun.com
LOWELL — The days of Lowell High’s boys and girls crew teams rowing against the current are long over.
Crew is no longer served up as a mere side dish to the entree list of sports public high schools offer. Each year, the sport goes a little more mainstream. And with some help from the Red Raiders, it certainly made a big splash on the Merrimack River yesterday.
Lowell High’s boys and girls crew teams turned in solid efforts at the 31st annual Textile River Regatta. According to regatta officials, over 3,000 athletes and 600 boats took part in races for men and women that included high school novice and varsity, collegiate, open and masters divisions.
The event is a USRowing registered regatta that is put on by the Merrimac River Rowing Association with the support of UMass Lowell crew, Lowell High crew and Friends of UMass Lowell crew.
“The Textile River Regatta grew by 20 percent since last year, so we have over 600 boats racing here today,” said Lowell High boys crew coach Jessica Murray, who oversees the Red Raiders’ crew program. “This event brings a lot of money into the city of Lowell. It has been getting bigger and bigger each year.”
Racing on its ‘home course’ certainly helped Lowell navigate its way to a strong showing.
“It’s certainly a nice advantage because we row on this river every day,” said Lowell High girls coach Robby Walters. “This event is a great experience for everyone.”
Leading the way for the Lowell boys was the varsity 4 boat of Alex Gavriel, Pablo Suero, Corey Nadeau, Brandon Tretola and coxswain Julian Rojas, which placed 14th in a field of 34 boats.
“It was a great boat to row in, it felt good,” said Gavriel, the Red Raiders’ captain. “We had power. I was excited when we finished in the top 20. Competing in events like this, it feels like you are a big part of something.
“We row on our own and we get everything done without an adult in the boat telling us what to do. You have to work 100 percent as a team otherwise your boat won’t go anywhere. You’ll end up going in circles.”
The members of Lowell’s varsity-4 boat hope to use yesterday’s performance as a springboard to a strong showing at States later this month.
“I think we were pretty good,” said Suero. “We did better than we thought we would do. We reached our goal.
“You have to work hard. If you want to beat the other boats, you have to go hard. It’s like running, you have to keep yourself motivated. If you stop in the middle of the water, you are letting your whole boat down. So it’s basically on you and on your mind. That’s your motivation.”
Lowell’s crew program has roughly 70 student-athletes, including boys and girls. Yesterday served as a good chance for the Red Raiders to see where they are at as a team.
“Not many of our kids ever rowed before coming out for the team,” said Murray. “Once in awhile we’ll get a gem in the rough kind of thing, where their parents rowed, but that doesn’t happen very often. So it’s all brand new. Everyone comes here the first day and it’s like this is the boat and you sit in there and there’s shoes.
“But they pick it up quickly. They are athletes. They figure out how to do things. We don’t do a lot of recruiting. I just post tons of signs all over the high school before school starts and kids will show up at the crew team meeting. Now that the sport is getting bigger, kids come to Lowell High because they’ve heard about the crew team and it’s something they want to do.”
According to Murray, the Red Raiders had 13 boats compete in the regatta, which awarded medals to the top three placewinners in each race.
The Lowell girls were led by the tandem of Kate Keller and Stephanie Beaudry, who teamed up for a 12th-place finish in the women’s club doubles. The duo of Anna Michelson and Erinn McLaughlin combined for 17th in the same doubles event.
“The feeling of being in a boat, you and your teammates rowing hard, trying to maintain or increase your pace, is just amazing,” said Suero.
Read more:http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_16248355#ixzz11XVAa3Nm
It was a sunny and warm day. There was a light breeze and calm waters. The perfect conditions for any crew to be racing at the first annual Head of the Merrimack Regatta. At their first race of the season, Lowell showed that they are coming into the season ready and willing to take on any team; adding a gold and a bronze to their rankings.
Jessica as the new Head Coach led her first varsity four to win a bronze medal (3rd place). While Robby as the new girls’ varsity coach had one of his doubles (Kate Keller and Stephanie Beaudry) receive a gold. Also, The girls first varsity eight placed fourth out of 10; only 2 seconds away from 3rd place, and 4 seconds away from 2nd.
Overall, the team did amazing, and the parents’ and children’s dedication has once again proven itself, leaving everyone’s spirits high. The rest of the results are posted here: http://row2k.com/results/resultspage.cfm?UID=6158607&cat=6.
Our seniors were honored at last night’s Lowell High School Senior Athletic Awards. Every single one of the 20 graduating seniors were awarded college scholarships from the crew team parents.
Additionally, Cameron Crockett won the John J. Beaulieu Award for outstanding Male athlete of the senior class, and Nathan Montminy won the John Abraham Award for the highest ranking senior male athlete (Nathan is the Class of 2010 valedictorian!).
Cameron Crockett (left) and Nathan Montminy (right) with their awards.
Rachel Walsh, Eric Rojas, Cameron Crockett, Ashley Price-Dyment and Olisa Adigwe were given medals of recognition for their achievements as tri-varsity athletes.
From left to right - Cameron Crockett, Ashley Price-Dyment, Alcia Blais, CJ Valcich, Nathan Montminy, Aly Hall, Eric Rojas, Rachel Walsh, Dan Marasa, Natali Soto, Lauren Dubois, Joe Larocque, Arianna Rogers and Rhady Sorm.
LHS Crew won the first ever MVC championship for rowing, placing first over Andover, Chelmsford and Westford Academy. The team picked up five gold medals, four silvers, and two bronze, with the girls squad winning every single event in the regatta.
The LHS Girls’ Varsity Four, MVC Champions. (The girls’ also raced in the varsity eight, and won gold in that event as well!) From left to right, Arianna Rogers, Ashley Price-Dyment, Head Coach Kendra Bauer, coxswain Natali Soto, Rachel Walsh and Haley Clarke.
At the State Championships, Lowell continued to impress, with the 7 of their 8 entries qualifying for the grand finals. The boys’ varsity four won a silver medal, placing just 1.5 seconds behind first place Duxbury. The girls 2nd varsity eight won a bronze medal, edging out fourth place Boston Latin by .5 seconds. The girls 3rd varsity eight placed fourth, just missing the medals stand.
