Photo/submitted
Shrewsbury – The Shrewsbury High School (SHS) boys’ and girls’ crew teams celebrated their 80th year as a rowing program by turning in a superb performance at the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association (MPSRA) Fall State Championship Regatta in Lowell. The boys’ team won the Boys’ 8+ Team Points Trophy, named in honor of longtime SHS crew coach, Pamela Krause. The girls’ team earned second place in the Girls’ 8+ Team Points Trophy, behind first-place Wayland-Weston. In addition to the individual team trophies, the SHS crew teams, combined, placed second for the Overall Team Points Trophy.
Of the eight SHS boats competing, seven earned medals, placing in the top three of their respective races. The Boys First Varsity boat earned a silver medal, finishing only 1.9 seconds behind first-place Wayland-Weston. The Boys Second Varsity boat earned a bronze medal, the Boys Third Varsity boat earned a silver medal, and the Boys Novice boat won a bronze medal.
“It was a total team effort and I am so proud of these boys,” said Coach Steve Moriarty. ‘They worked very hard this year.”
The Girls First Varsity boat earned a bronze medal; the Girls Second Varsity boat earned a bronze medal; and the Girls Third Varsity boat won a silver medal.
“The girls are coming together as a team and realizing their potential. This is, hopefully, just the beginning of more great things to come from them,” said Coach Matt Hastings.
The SHS crew team is a historic program in Massachusetts that continues to reach new heights even after 80 years in existence. Moriarty, SHS class of ‘82, and Hastings have taken over the reigns from longtime coaches Russ and Pamela Krause. In addition, Lauren Guba, SHS class of ’09, and Chris Noble serve as assistant girls’ and boys’ coaches, respectively, to support the growing interest as more than 85 student-athletes competed for the combined teams this past fall.
The SHS Booster Club, the Friends of Shrewsbury Crew, and continuous fundraising events throughout the year supplement the funding for the program. To ensure that the team can continue their competitive success, the Friends of Shrewsbury Crew has kicked off the “Fund the Fleet” fundraising campaign to raise $92,000 to purchase two new fully equipped racing shells and two new sets of oars.
To help support the program, contact the Friends of Shrewsbury Crew President LeeAnna Goyne, or campaign Chair Tom Siwek at [email protected].
More information on the history and the performance of the crew program, including photos from past seasons and fundraising campaign information, can be found at www.shrewsburycrew.org.
