October 31, 2005

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The William Smith College varsity eight earned fifth place and the first novice eight took fourth at the annual Head of the Fish this past weekend. Four Herons also joined five Statesmen rowers to take gold in the mixed eight event.

The gold medal-winning Hobart and William Smith mixed eight

Powered by first-year Kenzie Cannon (Berkshire/Canaan, Conn.), senior Cassie Priest (King & Low-Heywood Thomas/Stamford, Conn.), junior Lauren Brady (Westover School/Ridgefield, Conn.), senior Rebecca Gutwin (Champion Valley Union/Williston, Vt.), junior Laura Batchelor (Brookline/Brookline, Mass.), sophomore Hannah Gallup (Holy Name/Alameda, Calif.), sophomore Jessica Mahon (Rhinebeck/Rhinebeck, N.Y.), senior Edwina Wilson (Churchill Academy/Westport, Conn.), and first-year Kerry O’Neil (Brighton/Rochester, N.Y.), the Heron varsity eight was the second Division III boat across the finish line with a time of 12:30.9, 21 seconds behind the winner, Williams College. William Smith bested Liberty League rivals St. Lawrence, Skidmore, and Union.

In the second varsity eights event, sophomore Julie Kozarsky (Shawnee/Medford, N.J.), sophomore Jennifer Kirst (Principia/Darien, Conn.), senior Frances Parsons (Hoosac School/Liverpool, N.Y.), first-year Christa Hibbard (Fairport/Fairport, N.Y.), senior Susie Tarrant (Kimball Union Academy/Cleverdale, N.Y.), sophomore Lucinda Keck (The Lawrenceville School/Princeton, N.J.), senior Jessica Wojslaw (Norwalk/Norwalk, Conn.), first-year Alexandra Haack (St. Mark’s/Bryn Mawr, Pa.), and junior Sarah Loomis (Milton Academy/ Larchmont, N.Y.) led the Herons to sixth place finish in the 12-boat field. Their time of 13:13.46 was 30 seconds behind winner Williams College. William Smith again bested conference rivals St. Lawrence, Skidmore and Union.

Fueled by first-years Rachel O’Connor (Saugus/Santa Clarita, Calif), Anne Wakeman (Lawrence Academy/Marlboro, Mass.), Hannah Zale (Middlesex School/New York, N.Y.), Alice Bellone (Cohasset/Cohasset, Mass.), Elisha Law-Simmonds (Auburn/Auburn, N.Y.), Emily Maguire (Miss Porter’s/Madison, Conn.), Katherine Faherty (Deerfield Academy/Gloucester, Mass.), Becky Gosse (Cortland/Cortland, N.Y.), and Maya Eigel (Wellington School/Columbus, N.Y.), the first novice eight turned in a time of 14:15.78 to secure fourth place out of 38 boats. Along with defeating Division I Colgate, the Herons once again outraced the Saints, the Thoroughbreds, and the Dutchwomen.

First-years Prabi Basnet (Rati Bangala School/Kathmandu, Nepal), Amanda Struss (Lauralton Hall/Monroe, Conn.), Jen Putnam (Alexander/Batavia, N.Y.), Allison Glueck (Miss Hall’s School/Wellington, Fla.), Emily Helstowski (Miss Porter’s/Bridgehamptom, N.Y.), Casey Marshall (Batavia/Batavia, N.Y.), Emma Cochrane (Newton North/Newton, Mass.), Justine Beaumont (Kent Place/Morristown, N.J.), and Zoe Larson (Ossining/Ossining, N.Y.) crossed the line in a time of 16:05.94 (22nd of 38) in the second novice eights.

In the varsity fours event, junior Eliza Spear (Beaver Country Day/Boston, Mass.), first-year Alexandra Bowers (Tabor Academy/East Sandwich, Mass.), Cannon, Haack, and Loomis crossed the line in a time of 15:10.69 (18th of 38).

Priest, Parsons, Gutwin, and Wilson combined forces with Hobart’s Daniel Gilbert (Brighton/Rochester, N.Y.), John-Michael Chadonic (Lawrenceville School/New York, N.Y.), Gardner Loring (Middlesex/Duxbury, Mass.), Gavin Johnstone-Butcher (St. Paul’s School/Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) and Tim Faxon (Salisbury School/Pelham, N.Y.) to win the mixed eights event in a time of 11:48.79. Cascadilla took second, nearly a full minute behind HWS.

“This team has produced the best performances in my experience as head coach,” fourth-year William Smith Head Coach Sandra Chu said. “I feel that the team has created something unique and special this fall that bodes well for the spring season. The focus we’ve had on excellence in all areas of our sport: the physical, the mental, and the execution of great technique, has been impressive.”

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