The most important thing with any high school sports team is having the ability to learn and grow along the way while doing the best to aim towards prominence. The Guilford Grizzlies co-ed crew team certainly did that, as both the boys and girls rowed their way to race improvements throughout the spring.

Head Coach Matthew Wilson was proud of the rowers for being able to stay competitive in competition and come within seconds of other teams at the state level.

“The boys ended with a record of 2-4, however, a lot of losses were close losses by only a few seconds,” Wilson said. “At the state regatta, they made it into the finals which was the first time in six years that they were able to qualify. They had a really great year and have a lot of potential for next year. The girls had a good season as well, ending with a record of 2-3. They had some close losses as well. At the state regatta, they made the finals and ended up placing fifth overall. They were only three seconds off from medaling.”

In the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Association Championship Regatta on May 21, the boys’ eight team placed sixth overall with a final time of 5:16.9 while the girls’ eight team placed fifth overall with a final time of 5:52.8.

During the regular season, both teams competed in the Connecticut Public Schools Rowing Association League, facing the likes of East Lyme, Old Lyme, Middletown, Farmington, Avon and Stonington.

The team had five captains, two for the boys and three for the girls. Leading the charge for the boys were Bradyn Benben (senior) and George Fenollosa (junior). For the girls, Hailey Hutchison (senior), Panorea Vasiliou (senior) and Ashlyn Garrick (senior) led the way. All of the captains stayed focused throughout the season and did their part to keep their teammates locked in on their overall goals as a squad.

“I thought the two s enior boys’ captains were really two good rowers that stepped up this year. I also thought Ryan (Michna) did a great job stepping up, leading the team as a junior, and was instrumental in having a successful season,” said Wilson. “I thought the boys’ captains did a great job leading the team, they were really focused coming into the year. They did a really good job of bringing a wide group of kids together; we only had two seniors on the boys’ team. The girls really dedicated themselves this year to the team. All of the extra stuff they did—building camaraderie, great team unity within the entire girls’ program, it really set them up to have a successful season.”

Wilson noted that the girls’ team this year was his best since 2020, thanks in large part to the trio of captains and their ability to unify the squad.

Guilford had four total teams that competed in the regattas, including the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams and the boys’ and girls’ novice teams.

The first race of the season was held on April 1 against East Lyme, when the boys’ varsity eight boat finished with a final time of 4:50 and the girls’ varsity eight boat finished with a final time of 5:28. On April 22, the Grizzlies competed against Middletown with the boys’ varsity eight boat recording a time of 5:01 and the girls’ varsity eight boat finishing with a time of 5:51.

Although the captains stood out as team leaders, crew really is a sport that requires a full team effort, something Wilson noted was heavily present from a teamwork standpoint on his squad this campaign.

“Rowing is one of those sports where everyone has to do it, it is just not one rower that is the best unlike other sports,” Wilson said. “In rowing, if there is one rower that is not putting in their heart and all of their effort, the boat is not successful. I think it is very important and rowing is very much a true team sport in that sense.”

On April 29, the Grizzlies competed against Farmington. In this race, the boys’ varsity boat saw a time of 5:04 and the girls finished in 5:51.

Guilford’s regular season slate came to a close on May 7 when they raced against Avon. The boys’ varsity boat finished with a final time of 4:42 and the girls’ varsity boat raced to the tune of 5:29.

Despite the strengths of the squad throughout the season, Wilson also explained that forming team synergy can often be a challenge because the athletes have to get acclimated to a new set of fellow boat members when the seniors graduate.

“Every year you have to come in and have experience, with the team having to replace rowers who previously graduated. People have to step up and take on bigger roles than the year that they had before,” said Wilson. “It really takes everyone working together to make the team and boat move. To find a way to get everyone in-sync, to be on the exact same page to move and pull at the exact same time. To have their hands at the exact right height so the boat does not flip flop, I think it is a challenge every year to come together as a team.”

Wilson, who just completed his seventh year at the helm, is assisted by three assistant coaches in Ryan Schafer, Leo Freund and Lydia Staschke.

The Grizzlies boys’ varsity team included Benben, Tyler Case (sophomore), Tim Chamberlain (sophomore), Christian Cuozzo (sophomore), Colton DeBoda (sophomore), Fenollosa, Cooper Formica (junior), Teagan Kruczek (junior), John Lay (sophomore), Emir Metjahic (sophomore), Michna, Tyler Skapcyznski (junior), Raffaele Valentino (sophomore) and George Wiley (junior).

The Grizzlies girls’ varsity team was comprised of Karli Bovina (senior), Eliza Chamberlain (junior), Roxanna Dehghani (sophomore), Garrick, Alexandra Granata (junior), Madison Hartley (sophomore), Tea Hawkes (sophomore), Katherine Hicks (senior), Hutchison, Olivia Hwang (sophomore), Mattea Jerbi (sophomore), Kerinne Marinis (sophomore), Ava Meglio (sophomore), Valentina Miller (sophomore), Taylor Nowak (sophomore), Mikayla Savage (junior), Lia Selig (junior), Sofie Shanbhag (junior), Addi Smith (sophomore), and Vasiliou.