Hilltop Happenings

– Written by Sports Information Director Procter Smith

A year ago at this time, hopes were high for the crew season ahead. Salisbury’s 1^st boat projected as one of the top line-ups in New England. That projection proved accurate, as the team swept its league-races to finish a perfect 11-0. Then came the disappointment of the New England Championships. While a third-place finish is certainly distinguished and represented a step up from the boat’s fourth-place finish in 2018, it was not what the team had hoped for, especially seeing a Kent boat that Salisbury had defeated a couple of weeks before capture first place. Another perennial power, St. Paul’s School (Concord, NH), claimed the silver medal.

Now flash forward, and head coach Toby Ayer has a number of places to fill as six members of that 1^st boat graduated. He does have captains Brian Decellesn ’20, a University of Pennsylvania commit, and Harrison Rupp ’21 as well as Parker Stone ’20. All three are entering their third season together in the 1^st boat.

Likely to join that core group is Dylan Anton ’20, a stalwart on the 2^nd boat in each of the last two springs. Ayer also has a veteran coxswain in Graham Nance ’20, who has coxed the 2^nd boat for the past three years. Nance may have some competition from Ryan Jing ’20, another experienced coxswain. Ayer is excited, too, with the number of returning rowers competing for spots in the 1^st boat. “Several younger rowers are waiting to move up to faster crews,” Ayer recently shared. “Rowan O'Sullivan ’21, Alex Salvatore ’21, Hudson Gray ’22, Chuck Wang ’21, and Jack Chefetz ’21 are all raring to go and have been training hard.” And the pool of experienced oarsman does not stop there. “Other younger returners,” Ayer elaborates, “include Junho Son ’21, Jack Lambros ’22, Max Lampe ’22, Otto Steinmetz ’22, Ilya Linde ’22, and Niko Valcin ’22.”

As always, several newcomers should have an immediate impact. Foremost among that company is Sven Herrmann ’21, who rowed with Decelles, Rupp, and Anton in the four that raced at the Head of the Charles last October. Herrmann rows for the Saugatuck Boat Club, one of the strongest programs in southern Connecticut. Ayer notes that Herrmann will “add some good strength and size to our team.” Ayer is also intrigued by Griffin Fitzpatrick ’23 and Alex Beidleman ’20. “Griffin is one of the most eager, as well as younger, new rowers at the school,” notes Ayer. “He was seen nightly in the erg room all year long, and his body-type fits the classic rowing paradigm of long and lean. Alex,” Ayer continues, “came with the drive and the fitness of a rower, but with zero on-the-water experience. Nonetheless, he hopes to row in college starting next year.”

Both Kent and St. Paul’s look strong once again. Ayer also expects especially tough competition from Brunswick and Phillips Exeter. Ayer, though, is cautiously optimistic. “After graduating five of last year's first boat,” the veteran coach – and still-active rower – shares, “we knew this would be a year to generate excitement and fitness, so we have been trying to bring new boys into the team. My sense is that our main goal for the first boat would be to qualify for the Grand Final at New Englands. We had news of a mid-year transfer by Hudson Gray's older brother Nick, joining the class of 2021, which could change our prospects somewhat, but, nevertheless, we intend to work on skills, development, and team culture this year, to lay the groundwork for the future,” the circumspect Ayer observes. “We know of a few good incoming rowers next year: with only two graduating rowers,” Ayer adds, continuing to look ahead, “the addition of these newcomers will boost the potential speed of every crew.”