Andover Girls Crew began with mixed results and a strong sense of team unity, racing against Deerfield, Community Rowing, Inc. (CRI), Hanover, and Glastonbury. With a record number of rowers this year and high spirits on race day, Girls Crew emphasized the depth of its program and the strength of the community.
The team split its races on Saturday, falling to Deerfield but rebounding with a dominant win over Glastonbury. According to Bella Shmuylovich ’26, the results were in line with expectations going into the races.
“We lost against Deerfield and won against Glastonbury. Deerfield is probably one of the top schools for crew, so having a loss to them was not unexpected, but they’re a tough competitor, so I’m happy with how close the margins were,” said Shmuylovich.
Maggie Agosto ’26 highlighted the G3 boat’s performance in the second race as a standout moment.
“We had a really strong start, got good distance from Glastonbury, and stayed strong throughout. We were so far ahead by the end that it felt like it was just us out there. There was so much cheering. It was really hype,” said Agosto.
Agosto credited her coach for helping the boat rebound after a close first race.
“I want to shout out my coach, Coach Jester. He was really focused on helping us improve. We did 2K pieces at the beginning and end of both races to meet that goal. He was very encouraging, very hyped throughout the day, and gave us fist bumps as we went out,” said Agosto.
This spring, the crew program has grown significantly in size, with six or seven girls’ boats and a comparable number on the boys’ side. Despite the size, team culture has remained a priority. Shmuylovich pointed to the captains’ efforts in maintaining a close-knit atmosphere.
“It can be hard to maintain community bonding, but I give a lot of credit to our captains, Luke [Francis ’25], Giuliana [Cardinale ’25], and Maya [Rodgers ’25]. They’ve been working really hard to make sure that even though we work separately in our different boats, we don’t feel divided by who’s in what boat,” said Shmuylovich.
Eugene Han ’27 echoed the emphasis on team culture, describing the race day environment as energetic and cohesive. Additionally, having joined the crew team this year, Han spoke of the program’s welcoming and supportive environment.
“It was really fun. Spirits were really high. We did boat hair, where everyone on the boat has the same hairstyle, and our coxswain spent hours doing everyone’s hair. There was blue face paint everywhere,” said Han. “Andover Crew’s culture is very communal. Everyone feels like one big family. It’s great being on a team that feels like an extension of yourself… that shared experience creates a really supportive environment.”
As the team looks ahead to the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association’s Rowing Championship, Shmuylovich believes they have a real chance to podium across the board.
“We’re a really deep crew. From what happened this weekend, I feel like we have a real shot at medaling for all the boats. Everyone’s really making sure they’re pulling for the people in front of them and behind them, which is all I could ever want,” said Shmuylovich.
Girls Crew races Hanover High School and Bedford on Saturday, April 26.
