Essex County Freeholders Honor Montclair High School Crew

During its Wednesday June 25, the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored the Montclair High School Crew Team for the third consecutive year, and for its outstanding 2014 season.  

The Board’s Commendations were sponsored and presented to members of the team and their coaches by District 5 Freeholder Brendan Gill of Montclair. The meeting was held at Montclair Town Hall.

“Tonight’s presentation has become an annual affair. For the third year in a row, it is my pleasure to acknowledge the success of one of the newest sports at the high school,” said Gill. “But one that has already established itself as one of the most successful in the Montclair tradition; and that is the Crew Team.”

He added, “and it’s always special when I’m able to honor student-athletes from my alma mater, Montclair High School.”

The team’s successful season was highlighted by great results at four prestigious competitions:

• The Garden State Championships, held on April 26 on the Cooper River in Camden, (MHS crews won four gold, two silver and four bronze medals, qualifying seven crews to compete at the National Championships)

• The Philadelphia Championships, held on May 18 on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, (MHS crews won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal)

While the Board’s Commendation applauded the success of the entire 85-member team, the presentations at Montclair Town Hall highlighted the exceptional accomplishments of seven crews in particular:

• Boys Varsity 8 Crew won silver medals at the Garden State and Philadelphia championships and a bronze medal at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, becoming the first Northern New Jersey Boys Varsity 8 to qualify for a Stotesbury Cup final and the first to win a medal.  The crew was comprised of Abe Kolko, Matias Hahn, Nathan Pollack, Janek Bielski, James Wisniewski, Eli Pimpao, Jonathan Silverman, Joe Michalitsianos and Isabella Corriere (Coxswain).

• Girls Varsity Lightweight 4 Crew won gold medals at the Garden State and Philadelphia championships, and a bronze medal at the National Championships.  The crew was comprised of  Rachel Rosenberg, Glynnis Harvey, Emily Schnittman, Nina Alvarado-Silverman and Hallie Meisler (Coxswain).

• Boys Varsity Lightweight Double Crew won gold medals at the Garden State and Philadelphia championships, and a silver medal at the Stotesbury Cup, and was comprised of Max Kim and Teddy Cahill.

• Girls Junior Varsity 8 Crew won gold medals at the Garden State and Philadelphia championships, and a Bronze medal at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta.  The crew was comprised of Tyler Nedzi, Allison Connors, Kelly Freedman, Caton Day, Jenna Walpole, Danique van Winden, Caroline Kelly, Elizabeth Levendosky and Sophia Corriere (Coxswain).

The team was coached by Head Coach Jeremy Michalitsianos, Coach Lorna Rundle and Assistant Coaches Reuben Man, Steve McNeilly, Julian Canha and Veli Etropolski.

“As an alum and a strong supporter of our public schools”, said Gill, “I’m so proud to have the honor of recognizing your efforts.  You represented yourselves and this community very well, and I think that’s why no matter where you are in New Jersey, or even the tri-state area, if you say you’re from Montclair, people know about this place.”    

“Assuming I’m re-elected”, he added, jokingly, “I’ll be back here next year to honor you again.”

Assistant Coach Canha, representing Head Coach Michalitsianos who is in England with the Boys Varsity 8 Crew as it prepares to compete in the Henley Royal Regatta, said, “There’s no other public school in the country that gets the results we do; we don’t have weak crews, and that’s a big tribute to community support and the support we get from the town, and we wouldn’t be in the position we’re in without it.”