SARATOGA SPRINGS — After a fast and furious abbreviated season, the Baldwinsville girls varsity crew team finished strong at the New York State Invitational Regatta, held May 21-23 at Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs. The Bees won first place in the Women’s Junior 4.

The Bees’ Junior 4 boat — made up of coxswain Emma Ciappa and rowers Emma Brookins (stroke), Isabella Cartier (3), Lauren Boyce (2) and Amelia Ponto (1) — sprinted to first place overall with a net time of 6:14.005, just 1.067 seconds ahead of City Honors High School A, of Buffalo. The juniors received a gold medal for scholastic crew, as club and scholastic teams receive separate awards.

In addition, Baldwinsville’s freshman squad took home third place overall in the Women’s Freshman 4 with a time of 6:46.790, finishing 21.742 seconds behind the winning boat of Friends of Port Rowing. Baldwinsville received a gold medal for scholastic crew. The Bees’ Freshman 4 boat is made up of coxswain Delaney Hitchcock and rowers Madelyn Ransiear (stroke), Julia Schultz (3), Emma Huhtala (2) and Eliza Baker (1).

The Bees’ senior boat earned sixth place overall in the Women’s Senior 4 with a time of 5:59.938, receiving third-place scholastic medals. RowAmerica Rye topped the Senior 4 contest with 5:34.050. Baldwinsville’s Senior 4 includes coxswain Morgan Marsallo and rowers Jenna Garvey (stroke), Olivia Ransiear (3), Amory Francis (2) and Emma LeGault (1).

“It was awesome. I was really proud of the girls,” said Coach Chris Ludden. “In both [the juniors’ and seniors’] cases, they were in these dogfights with the other crews around them.”

Thanks to New York State’s pandemic restrictions on high school sports teams, Baldwinsville’s crew team missed out on crucial pre-season conditioning, which typically begins in January, Ludden said.

“We weren’t allowed to do any pre-season workouts and our season didn’t start until April 19,” Ludden said.

Usually, rowers have stayed sharp with indoor workouts until the beginning of crew season in March, when it is warm enough to practice outdoors. B’ville practices just off Onondaga Lake.

“This year, we were able to start rowing on the lake right away, which was good and bad,” Ludden said. “The girls worked hard. They stepped it up and it’s been a lot of fun.”

It didn’t take long for the Bees to get up to speed, though, and their hard work paid off at states.

“The medals are a nice bonus, but I was happy just to see these kids out racing again after their missed season last year, especially the seniors,” Ludden said.

Watch the Bees boats in action on Imagine Aerial’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/watch?v=grJ0v_9KqHI). For the full results of the NYS Invitational Regatta, visit streamlinerowing.com/regattas/ny-state-invitational-regatta-2021/results/.

Follow the Baldwinsville girls varsity crew team on Twitter @BvilleRowing.