NMH Crew : Boys Crew

Race Results - Spring 2004

Season records (W-L)

B1 Varsity: 23 - 12
B2 JV: 4 - 7
B3 Novice: 3 - 19

NMH @ NEIRAs
Saturday, May 22nd
Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester, MA

distance: 1500m
conditions: cold, gusty tailwind

B1 results:
2nd in heat, 6th in Grand Final (out of 17 crews)
Final season record: 23 wins and 12 losses (most wins for an NMH crew)
B1 lineup: Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Ness, Keil, Rogers, Russell

NMH met their season goal of earning a spot in the Grand Finals at NEIRAs Saturday, rowing a fantastic race in their heat to post the fourth fastest time of the morning and just beat out last year's NEIRA champion Andover by 5/1000s of a second. Coach Hamilton tells me this is the first time NMH has made the Grand Finals since 1988, and the boys earned their spot with great speed and true grit. A little slow off the line, NMH settled into a nice groove during the first 500m, moving through the early leaders Andover and St. Johns and establishing a slight lead throughout the middle 500m. Somewhat surprised with the speed of the upstart Hogger crew, St. Johns responded with a power 10 to pull even approaching the sprint, and Andover began their charge as they realized the threat. It was an exciting finish, with three crews going all out and only two to advance to the Grand Finals. In the closest finish of the day, St Johns pushed past for a one seat lead but NMH just held off the bowball of the Andover eight. What a race!

Our finals began well, with a strong start and NMH moving nicely during the first half of the race. Sandwiched between eventual champion St Pauls and second place Simsbury, NMH did not fold as these opponents moved out to claim the early lead over the pack, including St Johns, Kent, and Exeter. It looked like a great race was building at the halfway point for the third place bronze, but suddenly NMH found itself riding the buoys on the edge of their lane. Their rhythm and power disrupted as they tried to extricate themselves from these obstacles, NMH was left behind at the 1000m and we finished a distant sixth, dampening the enthusiasm of the crew for their fine achievements of the day.

Our four graduating seniors leave a wonderful legacy for the underclassmen. Oarsmen with only a few victories under their belt during their previous spring races, they demonstrated to their younger teammates that there is virtue in continuing to work for success even after many disappointments. They also taught each other that hard work in practice has important benefits, but it is a lot more fun to win! I will miss these guys very much.

Andrew Ness '04 - four seat
  three year varsity oarsman, rowing at Columbia next year
Ian Buffam '04 - stroke seat
  four years on the crew, rowing at George Washington
Alex Rafferty '04 - seven seat
  two year varsity oarsman, rowing somewhere next year!
Matt Trevithick '04 - six seat
  first year on varsity, rowing at Boston University next year

Our JV boat did not qualify for the twelve spots available in the B2 races at NEIRAs. This crew has some excellent prospects for next year's varsity boat, so we hope to continue to build on the success of our varsity. The novice boat did qualify and demonstrated how much they have learned this season. They boys reported that their race was their best effort of the spring and observers on the shore commented on how well they were moving together as they finished their morning heat. Unfortunately, their opponents were faster and NMH finished fifth, with only three to advance to the finals.

Complete results available at NEIRA.

NMH @ Andover
Saturday, May 15th
Merrimack River, Lawrence, MA

distance: 1500m downstream
conditions: very warm, light current, moderate tailwind

B1 results
1. Andover 4:59.8
2. NMH 5:01.7

NMH gave Andover all it could handle on its home course today, rowing stroke for stroke with the defending New England champions. NMH hasn't been this close to a top crew for many years, but the boys in B1 rowed with poise and confidence, and very nearly pulled off the upset. The boats were even for the first 500m, NMH rowing at a 34 and Andover at a 35. Andover took a few seats going through the bridge, but NMH made a big move at 700m and gained a slight advantage. Andover responded powerfully through the 1000m mark, just as NMH lost some of its steam, and the home crew broke out to an eight seat lead heading for the finish. NMH regained its drive and slowly reeled Andover back seat by seat as both boats sprinted for the line in front of yet another wildly screaming crowd. Distance ran out on the Hoggers, however, and we suffered a four-seat defeat.

B1 Lineup: Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Ness, Keil, Rogers, Russell

B2 results
1. Andover 5:07.5
2. NMH 5:28.5

Coach Levitt's report: The B2 boys continue to improve as the race with Andover showed a faster stroke rating and more power then the team had applied in recent races. The B2 had a tremendous start beating Andover off the line. Boats matched stroke for stroke through the powerful start and the settle into the race pace. The few seat advantage held by NMH started to dwindle as the two boats raced toward the bridge at the 500 meter mark. Andover surprised the NMH crew with a sprint at the bridge and a stroke rating that rivaled their start. The B2 hung on by also bringing up the rating while attempting to keep the power applied to each stroke. At the half way point Andover had an open water advantage and increased the distance in the last 500. NMH finished the race with their traditional strong sprint with about 200 meters to go.

B2 lineup: Lu (c), Costa, Bulat, Harrington, Allard, Liu, Kim, MacKenzie, Bea

B3 results
1. Andover 5:12.3
2. NMH 5:49.5

Coach Hamilton's report: A shaky start, called while they were bouncing in a wake, saw the third boys half a length down early. For the first 500 meters, they hung in, but when Andover broke clear, the host crew kept opening the lead, the NMH boys rowing with nothing like their customary grittiness. This may have been the last race of the season. We will train next week, hoping a crew seeded above us for the New Englands scratches and we have a chance for redemption.

B3 lineup: Le (c), Ali, Kim, Hartley, Pai, Pack, Park, Padilla, Cardwell

Hanover High School @ NMH
Wednesday, May 12th
Connecticut River, Gill MA

distance: 1500 m
conditions: light current, variable winds shifting from moderate tailwind in junior races to light headwind in varsity races

B1 varsity results:
1. NMH 4:24.0
2. Hanover 4:25.9

NMH won another close race Wednesday in a home dual with Hanover (NH). Both boats battled stroke for stroke for the first 700m of the race, with Hanover pushing out to a four seat lead at the 900m turn. NMH bore down and reeled the Hanover eight back to even and then earned its own four seat lead just before the sprint. With both boats racing for the line, neither gave an inch in front of a screaming crowd. NMH varsity has a 4-1 dual meet record this spring and an overall W-L record of 13-6.

B1 varsity lineup: Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Ness, Keil, Rogers, Russell

B2 Results:
1. Hanover 4:27.6
2. NMH 4:30.2

Hanover's junior varsity flew out of the box with a powerful start, establishing an eight seat lead within the first 25 strokes of the race. NMH showed great resilience during the middle of the race, settling into a good tempo set by stroke Gabriel Costa and coxswain Carol Wood that allowed them to use their length and power for the entire race. Both boats moved with equal speed during the middle 500 m, and NMH began to reel Hanover in during its sprint. The distance ran out on NMH with Hanover holding a solid lead across the line, but the boys in B2 should be proud of the improvement they've made in the last two weeks. They are starting to race!

B2 junior varsity lineup: Wood (c), Costa, Bulat, Harrington, Allard, Liu, Kim, MacKenzie, Bea

B3 Results:
1. Hanover novice 4:40.5
2. Hanover 3V 4:50.8
3. NMH novice 4:57.3

Our novice boys also put together a good race today, but their opponents' strength and conditioning proved to be superior during the second half of the race. Hanover's novice powered their way to an eight seat lead by the 500m mark, while NMH and Hanover's third varsity stayed fairly even. During the middle of the race, NMH tired and began to lose ground on the other crews, but they kept battling. I think their experience last Saturday pulling through several crews to win the Petite finals helped them to maintain their effort during the last 500m today. NMH began rowing with good speed again and finished well in front of the home crowd, not so distant from the winners this time, and definitely starting to race like an eight.

B3 novice lineup: Le (C), Ali, Kim, Hartley, Pai, Pack, Morse, Padilla, Cardwell

NMH varsity wins at Mothers Day Regatta
Saturday, May 8th
Charles River, Cambridge MA

distance: 1500 m
conditions: moderate tailwind and chop, some rolling waves

B1 Results:
1st in grand final, 1st out of 10 overall
NMH brought home gold medals for their victory in the varsity eight Grand Final. The Hogger crew held off a stiff challenge from a charging Norwalk crew to eke out a 0.2 second win. CRI finished further back, along with Brookline, Hanover, and Lowell.

NMH rowed with patience and power to come from behind to win their morning heat at the Mothers Day Regatta on Saturday. Their heat time was the fastest of all ten boats in the event. In the afternoon final, the boys threw patience aside and went out hard, establishing a lead that they sustained for most of the race. In the last 400m, Norwalk pressed NMH very hard and pulled ahead by four seats approaching the finish line. NMH responded with a great power ten to pull even and the two eights battled it out stroke for stroke in front of a wildly cheering crowd. NMH had the last lead across the line, claiming our first victory in the Mothers Day Regatta.

Members of the varsity eight:
Erzhan Burkitbayev 06 - cox
Ian Buffam 04 - stroke
Alex Rafferty 04 - seven
Matt Trevithick 04 - six
Naim Culhaci 05 - five
Andrew Ness 04 - four
Hunter Keil 05 - three
Zach Rogers 06 - two
Jon Russell 06 - bow

B2 Results:
5th in grand final, 5th out of 8 overall
NMH lineup: Lu (c), Costa, Bulat, Harrington, Allard, Liu, Kim, MacKenzie, Bea

B3 Results:
1st in petite final, 7th out of 10 overall
NMH lineup: Le (C), Ali, Kim, Hartley, Morse, Pack, Pai, Padilla, Cardwell

Official times and results available at Powerhouse timing.

NMH vs. Shrewsbury
Wednesday, May 5th
Connecticut River, Gill MA

distance: 1500 m
conditions: calm and cool, light to moderate current

B1 Results:
1. NMH 4:32.9
2. Shrewsbury 4:46.5
NMH lineup: Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Ness, Keil, Rogers, Russell

B2 Results:
1. Shrewsbury 5:06.9
2. NMH 5:23.7
NMH lineup: Lu (c), Costa, Bulat, Harrington, Allard, Liu, Kim, MacKenzie, Pai

B3 Results:
1. Shrewsbury 5:32.5
2. Deerfield 5:41.2
3. NMH 6:17.9
NMH lineup: Le (c), Ali, Kim, Hartley, Morse, Pack, Padila, Owings, Cardwell

Summary:
In our inaugural dual meet with Shrewsbury, NMH took the varsity race with their strongest effort so far this season, while Shrewsbury took the JV and novice events. Conditions were perfect for racing with light wind and calm water, and coxswains' courses were right on the mark.

Senior Andrew Ness rejoined the varsity eight for his first race of the spring, and the boys responded with a fast and powerful race. NMH and Shrewsbury both started well, and settled at a relatively high ratings of 35 strokes per minute. NMH began to earn some ground against the visitors and built a four seat lead by the 500m mark. We planned a big move in the middle of the race, and this time it worked - perhaps to the surprise of the Hogger crew! NMH pushed out to open water by the turn and KEPT MOVING. A strong sprint helped to open up a wider lead, and NMH finished pulling away, erupting into cheers as they crossed the line with their first home course victory in a long time. This was a team win from bow to stern, but our stern four of seniors Ian Buffam, Alex Rafferty, Matt Trevithick, and junior Naim Culhaci were particularly strong today.

The junior varsity race was a good contest until the wheels fell off the NMH crew during the last 500 m. Sophomore Gabriel Costa set a solid tempo of 33 strokes per minute, allowing his crew to apply their power effectively during the first half of the race. NMH and Shrewsbury rowed stroke for stroke, with the visitors pressing for a six-seat advantage by the turn. At this point, an over-the-head crab by the Hoggers sapped their power and their confidence. Although the oar was quickly regained, the rhythm was disrupted and Shrewsbury pushed out to an open water lead during the sprint. The final blow was a broken oarlock that stopped the NMH crew just short of the finish line, leaving them disoriented and disheartened. This crew will have much better finishes in their future!

The novices raced for the first time (finally!) and proved that they have nice speed on their start and a fine coxswain in Teresa Le. All three boats were even for the first 400m, but NMH began to lose its rhythm during the middle of the race while Shrewsbury and Deerfield began to steadily move ahead. Once the Hoggers lost contact, they lost their intensity and finished a distant third. There is much that our novices can learn from a race like this.

NMH vs. Salisbury
Wednesday, April 28th
Connecticut River, Gill MA

distance: 1500 m
conditions: moderate headwind and current, light chop

B1 Results:
1. Salisbury 4:56.1
2. NMH 5:02.8
NMH lineup: Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Rogers, Keil, Costa, Russell

B2 Results:
1. Salisbury 4:55.1
2. NMH 5:28.5
NMH lineup: Lu (c), Liu, Bulat, Kim, Allard, Harrington, Emrey, MacKenzie, Bea

Summary:
NMH lost to a fine pair of eights from the Salisbury School today. In recent years, the host crew in this series has been a little too hospitable, with NMH taking victories in the varsity race when we travel down to Connecticut and Salisbury winning here in Gill. We hoped to break that pattern this year, but the power of the Salisbury crews carried the day.

In the varsity race, both crews started well, with NMH settling its rating slightly lower than its competition but holding its own to the 500m mark. Our spacing was good and the boat moved well behind Ian Buffam and Alex Rafferty's solid stroke rating. However, Salisbury made a big push in the middle of the race and opened up an eight seat lead going into the turn just before the 1000m mark. That push was the crux of the race, as NMH could not reel the visitors back into contact and Salisbury gained open water by the finish line. Although disappointed in the loss, we know we're getting faster each week. This was a good crew that beat us today.

In the junior varsity race, NMH failed to settle into a comfortable rating and ran out of gas during the second half of the race. Salisbury has a very good second boat this spring, posting a time slightly faster than its varsity. Due to the current, boats were aligned and started a little upstream of the line in the JV race, and a little downstream in the varsity race, but I don't think the Salisbury JV will let their varsity forget that one second difference!

NMH at Niskayuna
Saturday, April 24th
Mohawk River, Niskayuna NY

distance: 1500m upriver
conditions: gusty headwind but decent water, moderate current

B1 Results:
lineup: Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Rogers, Keil, Costa, Russell
1. NMH 5:44
2. Niskayuna 5:58

B2 Results:
lineup: Lu (c), Liu, Bulat, Kim, Allard, Harrington, Emrey, MacKenzie, Bea
1. NMH 6:22
2. Niskayuna 6:37

Summary:
The NMH boys crew earned two victories in two races on a windy Parents Weekend. Combined with the girls' victories in two of three races, NMH was able to successfully defend the Alumni Cup for a second consecutive year.

In the junior varsity race, NMH raced for the first time this season with a crew composed of one-year veterans and several novices. Their inexperience showed early in the race, as the crew had trouble settling into their rating, according to coach Levitt. B2 has lots of power, however, and they were able to push out to a significant lead by the halfway point. As the high rating took its toll, NMH tired and Niskayuna began to reel them back in. Fortunately, young rowers often row better when they are tired, and NMH began to swing in tempo and apply their power more effectively as their rating dropped. The increased speed gave the boys confidence and they finished well, pulling away from Niskayuna to a fifteen-second victory. Standouts for B2 include coxswain Zhuoxi Lu, who steered a fine course into gusty winds, and Shek Liu, who has shown good leadership from the stroke seat this week.

In the varsity race, our objective was to row confidently and powerfully during the first half of the race and to empty the tanks during the last 400 meters. NMH jumped to an eight-seat lead off the start and continued to move well, opening up a length lead by the 700-m mark. The crew's confidence and power was evident in their puddles today, maintaining even-to-just-positive spacing at a 33, even into the wind. Stroke pair Ian Buffam and Alex Rafferty played key roles in establishing the right tempo in these conditions. Several strong gusts threatened to disrupt the crew's rhythm just before the thousand meter mark, but coxswain Erzhan Burkitbayev steadied his crew and they responded by opening up a two length lead off their fastest sprint yet. Standouts for B1 include our three sophomore oarsmen Jon Russell, Zach Rogers, and Gabriel Costa, who raced like veterans today. Gabriel put so much into his oar that he could barely hold the boat over his head afterwards.

NMH at Andover/Exeter Invitational
Saturday, April 17th
Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester MA

distance: 1500m
conditions: moderate headwind with chop

Results:
1. Simsbury 4:56
2. St Johns 4:58
3. Exeter 5:00
4. Andover 5:01
5. Tabor 5:04
6. NMH 5:16

Summary:
NMH started well and maintained contact with the field for the first 500 m of the race. However, as the other crews raised their ratings to drive for the finish, our race plan may not have provided the speed needed to stay with them. As the other crews began to move ahead, the headwind and our inexperience caused for some unsettled strokes during the middle of the race, and we finished a distant sixth, losing contact with the trailing crews before the sprint.

This race has traditionally been a tough opener for us, as our competition includes some of the best crews in New England. However, it gives us a chance to see where we are at the beginning of every spring and it establishes a benchmark on which to build. We want to be faster so we can race head-to-head with these crews during the latter half of the season, especially at the NEIRA championships. We clearly have some work ahead of us, but this was not our best effort and we can improve in so many areas. The boys in B1 are eager to work hard on their conditioning and their race rating as we prepare for a long trip on Parents Day to Niskayuna, NY to defend the Alumni Cup.

B1 lineup:
Burkitbayev (c), Buffam, Rafferty, Trevithick, Culhaci, Rogers, Keil, Costa, Russell

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