MHS Crew Team Claims Five NY State Championship Titles

Friday, 22 June 2012 00:00

Manhasset’s Crew Team traveled to Saratoga Springs, New York, to race against more than 600 boats and 3,000 rowers who competed in the 2012 New York State Scholastic Rowing Championships in mid-May. Both the boy and girl crews continued the team’s winning tradition in the two-day regatta.

Manhasset came home with five New York State Championship Titles. The Girls Varsity Lightweight 4+ extended their championship winning streak for the third year running. Of the 12 Manhasset boats selected to compete in this championship event, the team captured an exceptional tally of nine medals—including five gold, one silver and three bronze—and the remaining three boats all advanced to semi-finals:

New York State Championship Titles–Gold Medalists, First Place

Girls Varsity Lightweight 4+, Al Borghard Cup: Sarah Henry, Olivia Henry, Clare McIntee, Katharine Frost, Coxswain: Justine Yunakov

Girls Varsity Lightweight 8+, 1st Place Scholastic, West Side Cup: Jennifer Juliano, Kelly Kenlon, Alexandra Nikolaidis, Emily Battaglia, Juliet Paterek, Emma Goodwin, Nikki Brown, Sarah Gunzburg, Coxswain: Hannah Press

Girls Junior 4+, Dark Horse Cup: Gabriela Piatek, Dagmara Lapins, Mari Catherine Gillis, Keagan Hanley, Coxswain: Jessica Kelly

Boys Junior 8+, Longfellow Cup: Tommy Kuehn, Damien Quinn, Stasi Thermos, Jason Yunakov, Mark Andriotis, JP Schiefele, Kosta Baktidy, Raffi Khatchadourian, Coxswain: Matt Harris

Boys Freshman 8+, President’s Cup: Danny McGorry, William Morea, William Delaney, Tommy Panetta, Michael Kennedy, Marc Soyak, John Knox, Declan DePietro, Coxswain: John Amorosana

Silver Medalists, Second Place: Boys Varsity Lightweight 4+: Max Johnson, Christian Voto, Paris Thatos, Stefan Hummel, Coxswain: Jordan Kostoulas

Bronze Medalists, Third Place: Boys Varsity Senior 4+, 3rd Place Scholastic: Michael Yu, Daniel Soyak, Alan Delaney, Chris Kasabian, Coxswain: Alex Kavourias

Girls Freshman 8+: Erin Lyons, Annie Mills, Chase Middleton, Kiara Romotzki, Alexa Postiglione, Courtney Marino, Francesca Sostar, Sophia Langner, Coxswain: Jonathan Nikolaidis

Girls Novice 4+, 3rd Place Scholastic: Madeline Diskin, Janna Winchester, Caroline O’Connor, Kendall Glynn, Coxswain: Chloe Kang

Semi-Finalists

Boys Junior 4+ (A Boat): Coxswain: Angelica Cramer, Patrick Mills, William King, Connor Lee, Michael Scrobe

Boys Junior 4+ (B Boat): Coxswain: Hannah Press, Matt Harris, Harry Tsou, Matthew Moreira, John Luke Mantikas

Boys Novice 4+: Coxswain: Jonathan Nikolaidis, Thomas Moschitta, John Farrell, John Karantzios, Austin Yung

Based on their excellent performance at the NYS Championships, eight boats have now qualified for and will advance to compete in the Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s National Championship Regatta being held in Camden, New Jersey at the end of May. This marks the fifth year in a row that Manhasset High School’s crews have qualified for the Scholastic Nationals.

According to Head Coach Hugo Guardado-Henriquez, “The large number of medals we earned and boats that have advanced to compete in Scholastic National shows the deep talent of our team. Out of 80 athletes who competed in State Champs for Manhasset, 66, or over 80 percent, came home with a medal. Along with Assistant Coaches Chris Mare, Tara Marsigliano, Jim Finke, Alan Pedisich and Team Trainer Dan Kozerski, I am extremely proud of every member of our team.”

Coach Guardado-Henriquez added that, “Our performance at State Championships has also qualified two Varsity boats to compete in the Junior National regatta.” This is the fourth consecutive year that the team has qualified and will participate in the prestigious U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships, an invitational event that will be held in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in mid-June.