Avon girls four takes silver; Mills boys team wins state title in crew

The Lewis Mills boys four recently won the first crew state title in school history. From left, coach Kyle Saraceno, Will Gentile, Thomas Walker, Ally Fecteau (cox), Nick McGough, Nate Virovoy. (Photo courtesy Kelly Fecteau)

NEW PRESTON, June 10, 2016 – The Avon High crew team had four medal winning shells at the recent Connecticut Public School Rowing Association (CPSRA) state championship meet on Lake Waramaug.

Nearby Lewis Mills won their first-ever state championship when their boys four team won with a dominating 27-second victory over second place Lyme/Old Lyme.

Avon’s girls varsity four finished second in the state championship meet, just 2.4 seconds behind defending champion Lyme/Old Lyme, which also won the national Scholastic Regatta earlier this year. Avon’s team of Tali Filstein (coxswain), Grace Baldauf, Annie Hayes, Emily Boswell and Megan Boswell finished second with a time of 5:56.5, which was 37 seconds ahead of third place Glastonbury.

The Avon team finished 36th in the recent Head of the Charles in Boston out of 85 entries. They were one of two public schools to place in the top 50 percent of the race and secured an entry into next October’s race.

Avon’s girls varsity four 2nd boat won a bronze medal finishing behind two Lyme/Old Lyme boats while the girls novice 8 took third behind Simsbury and Stonington. The Falcons put on a terrific sprint to secure third place. The Avon boys varsity 8 third also won a bronze medal, finishing behind Simsbury and Farmington.

The Lewis Mills boys varsity four won the school’s first state championship in crew. (Photo courtesy Frank Garber)

Lewis Mills won their first-ever state championship in boys four. The Spartans (Nate Virovoy, Nick McGough, Thomas Walker, Will Gentile, Ally Fecteau, cox) finished the race in 5:20.0 with Lyme/Old Lyme taking second in 5:47.5. It was the first state title for any Lewis Mills team in fours or eights.

2016 Connecticut Public School Rowing Association (CPSRA)
Championship Regatta
At Lake Waramaug (New Preston)
Boys varsity eight: 1. Stonington 4:43.9, 2. Simsbury 4:48.9, 3. Lyme/Old Lyme 4:51.0, 4. Avon 4:52.1, 5. Glastonbury 4:53. 3, 6. Guilford 5:06.3
Girls varsity eight: 1. East Lyme 5:23.3, 2. Simsbury 5:24.6, 3. Glastonbury 5:27.2, 4. Guilford 5:26.8, 5. Farmington 5:40.6, 6. Middletown 5:40.9
Boys four: 1. Lewis Mills 5:20.0, 2. Lyme/Old Lyme 5:47.5, 3. Lyme/Old Lyme B 5:56.7, 4. Stonington 6:42.8
Girls four: 1. Lyme/Old Lyme 5:54.1, 2. Avon 5:56.5, 3. Glastonbury 6:34.1, 4. Valley Regional 6:45.0, 5. Guilford 7:21.0
Emerson Cup (most points in the eight-person events): 1. Simsbury 126, 2. Stonington 76, 3. Glastonbury 62¼, 4. East Lyme 35, 5. Farmington 26½, 6. Avon 18½, 7. Lyme/Old Lyme 12, 8. Guilford 11½, 9. Middletown 2½, 10. Lewis Mills 2, 11. E.O. Smith 1¼
Perry Trophy (most points in the four-person events): 1. Lyme/Old Lyme 62, 2. Avon 32, 3. Lewis Mills 30, 4. Glastonbury 12, 5. Valley Regional 7, 6. Stonington 6, 7. Guilford 1½