The Ithaca College men’s and women’s rowing teams fought valiantly in its battles against the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers, Williams College Ephs, William Smith Herons and University of Rochester Yellowjackets on April 5 at the Cayuga Inlet.
The weather was a big factor on Senior Day with 21 mph winds and rain for the beginning of the race. Heavy tailwind throughout the race led to fast race times and some speedy work from the Bombers.
The women’s varsity eight began the day strong against the Tigers. The Bombers came out of the gates ahead and did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the race. The Bombers steadily made improvements on their margin, and by the time they emerged from under the Cliff Street Bridge, they were up two boat lengths. The South Hill squad crossed the finish line 27 seconds before the Tigers and up about three boat lengths.
The men’s varsity eight took from the playbook of the women’s team and also put the pedal to the metal against the Tigers. The Bombers got out in front and by the Black Diamond Trail Bridge, they had a half-boat advantage over the Tigers. Despite the Tigers fighting early, their stamina could not match the South Hill squad, who began to pull away once they left the Taughannock Blvd Bridge and won by about 24 seconds and a three-boat gap.
After successful runs for the first varsity, the second varsity attempted to get into the action. The women’s 2V ran into trouble early against the Tigers when they lost steering around the Black Diamond Trail Bridge. Bombers’ first-year coxswain Kaelyn Morandi improvised and stuck her arm in the water to try and make up for the damaged skeg, but the Bombers soon lost their lead. Due to the mishap, the Tigers stole a victory and 2V had to wait another hour to get back on the water.
Women’s head coach Beth Greene said some debris hit the boat and forced Morandi to act quickly with the loss of the skeg making the boat move from its straight line.
“There was a stick underneath the waterline that they couldn’t see,” Greene said. “It got the skeg, which is made to break away so that it does not damage the hull. … [Morandi] could breathe and regroup to at least go ‘OK, let’s just go full pressure’ and try to use her arm. … [Losing the skeg] was not something that happens in a normal racing situation.”
The men’s 2V had better luck as the team emerged from the Black Diamond Trail Bridge with a boat length lead. The Bombers continued to push, not showing exhaustion in the slightest as they pushed their lead to three boat lengths by the finish line. The Bombers defeated the Tigers by 27 seconds, an impressive eight seconds off the 1V’s time.
Men’s head coach Justin Stangel said the team’s depth is improving and he loved to see the 2V push.
“Selection has been a little bit more challenging and it’s not an easy thing deciding seats,” Stangel said. “[The rowers] are challenging themselves and putting themselves in good positions, but at the end of the day you gotta make a call. … We want to see the whole program get fast and it’s good to see depth.”
The women’s third varsity eight squared off with the Herons next and had to battle multiple environmental factors during the race. The Bombers were introduced to 40 mph gusts from their back and ended up having to deal with the Herons’ puddles as they fell a boat-and-a-half-length behind them after the Cliff Street Bridge. First-year coxswain Smeena Gill tried to encourage the Bombers, screaming “Lock in” as they passed by the lookout, but the Bombers were too far behind. They fell by 14 seconds.
The IC men’s team had its hands full with the Ephs next as the A varsity four took the water. The Ephs, who are ranked No. 1 in all of Division III, put their full effort in, but the Bombers only lost by about two boat lengths. The truly intense matchup would be the first varsity eight matchup against the Ephs, which would see the Bombers push hard for the chance to dethrone them. The Ephs began up about half a boat length, but the Bombers did not let them get too far in front. The Bombers could never muster enough to get ahead, but they still earned a season-best time of 6:05, just 14 seconds behind the Ephs.
Stangel said that the Ephs were tough, but he was pleased with the results the team had.
“We were really fortunate to try and hang onto [the Ephs’] stern as long as we could and try and push ourselves to see what speeds we can throw down,” Stangel said. “It’s a good mark right now for where we are at and we’ll try and continue to build speed over the next few weeks as we get ready for championship season.”
The Yellowjackets were up next for the women, and they did not hold back on them. The Bombers’ first varsity eight destroyed the Yellowjackets, gaining at least five boat lengths on them by the end of the race. Senior coxswain Caroline Hoskins screamed “This is why we do it” to her teammates with the Yellowjackets so far behind that they most likely could not even hear it. The women’s second varsity also handled the Yellowjackets, extinguishing them by 46 seconds and about five boat lengths.
Greene said the 2V felt like they missed out in their previous race and had to grind to give the Yellowjackets their best.
“They were putting together a really nice piece until they lost the skeg,” Greene said. “They were executing things they wanted to improve off from last week. They felt kind of robbed that they didn’t get to put in their full performance, so I think that’s kind of the point of sport. You put yourself in uncomfortable situations and realize how capable you are.”
The men’s 2V would fall to the Ephs and the women’s first varsity four would defeat the Tigers by about two boat lengths. The last race between the Bombers’ men’s B varsity four, the Ephs and the Yellowjackets finally consisted of some tight racing. The Bombers and the Ephs were dead even for the beginning of the race until the Ephs emerged from the Cliff Street Bridge just barely half a boat ahead. By the lookout point, the Bombers were going hard and gaining ground, but the Ephs found just enough in the tank to power through and win by three-fourths of a boat length.
The Bombers will next compete at the Knecht Cup Regatta at 8 a.m. April 12 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
