Fab Five: Marietta crew competes in international events | News, Sports, Jobs

The Marietta High School Tiger Navy Womens Varsity 4+ team is competing in next weeks Henley Womens Regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England. Racing for the Tigers begins with time trials on Saturday. Team members are, from left: Katie Lovejoy, Madi Lovejoy, Eden Ingram, Wilkey Smith and Mo Caslow. (Photo provided)

MARIETTA – Flight plans are in order. Shells are being prepared. Now it's just a matter of applying everything they practiced on the water.

The Marietta High School Tiger Navy women's 4+ crew team is entering uncharted waters as the program's first representative in an international event across the Atlantic Ocean.

Senior rowers Katie Lovejoy and Eden Ingram, along with youngsters Madi Lovejoy and Wilkey Smith will put their faith in fellow senior Mo Caslow as the Tigers compete in the Henley Women's Regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England.

“This is the main event every year — it's like the Kentucky Derby for driving.” Marietta coach Tanner O'Connor said.

Marietta's entry into the event came after a 2023 season in which they were ranked first in the Midwest followed by third-place showings at both the Stotesbury Cup and state.

The Marietta High School Tiger Navy Womens 4+ crew team competes last spring. The team will compete in next weeks Henry Womens Regatta in Henley-onThames, England. (Photo provided)

The race for the Navy Tiger crew starts next Saturday at 10.35am London time.

Time trials are the opening stage.

“It's just us against the clock – they're really challenging for a lot of crews because the only competition is your head.” said Ingram, who is not only anxious about the competition stage, but also about the tourist aspect and riding a double-double bus. “You don't know how everyone else is racing, so you don't know if you're losing seconds or way ahead. You are racing against the clock. It's really blind and really hard to get out.”

Marietta is part of a field of 22 teams. The first 16 times advance to the second stage where it is 1v1 – one team competes with another team. Win and move on to the next stage.

Back-to-back racing is when it feels most competitive because you can look over your shoulder and see a crew right where you need to beat them. Ingram continued.

The Marietta High School Tiger Womens Varsity 4+ crew team and the Tiger coaching staff celebrate with their medals. Pictured, from left: Eden Ingram, Wilkey Smith, Madi Lovejoy, Mo Caslow, Katie Lovejoy, head coach Tanner OOnnor and assistant coach Joe Tewkesbury. (Photo provided)

Marietta has experience with six- to eight-shell aces where maybe the first two or three advance. One for one is a whole new animal.

As a way to simulate, the Marietta Men's Varsity 4+ team practiced against the girls shell even when the school season ended.

“We have to give the boys a lot of credit. said Ingram, whose brother Vince was a member of the men's 4+ team. “For the last two years, they've been the boats that push us in every practice. Even when they didn't have another race, they showed up.”

The experience in England gives Ingram and Katie Lovejoy one last chance to compete. Three girls in the Lovejoy family have represented Marietta High School in their rowing careers. In addition to Katie and Madi, their older sister Hannah is a member of the crew team at the University of Central Florida.

“When we were accepted to compete, it was surreal.” said Katie Lovejoy, who now has links to places to visit. “It doesn't feel like we're crossing the ocean – in many ways it hasn't occurred to me that it's such a big deal. Reading the entries to our competition gave me chills because we are in that competition in London.

Members of the Marietta High School Tiger Navy Womens Varsity 4+ team offer a group prayer before a race this season. (Photo provided)

“It's starting to click that this is the last time this team will be together. It's exciting to be on the boat with my sister for the last time.”

As historic as the 2023 season unfolded, last spring threw some curveballs at Marietta High School's crew program. The most damaging setback occurred when the teams lost three weeks of training due to flooding on both the Muskingum River and the Ohio River.

“It wasn't easy this year,” said Mo Caslow, who will continue her aquatics career at Ohio State University in the fall. “This boat, in particular, has a great sense of elasticity and can bounce back from anything. This has a lot to do with what we've been through.

“Those three weeks happened and we knew it was game over if we didn't come in and try hard to make up for the time we had lost. The results we got this season were a bit of a gut punch. Not exactly what we wanted, but we worked hard and came back from nationals, then went right into it, preparing for this international event.”

The girls agreed that Smith is the quiet one of the group, who has the ability to say just a few words that can draw laughter from others.

Coxswain Mo Caslow brings the Marietta High School Tiger Navy Womens Varsity 4+ team back to the dock. (Photo provided)

“Wilkey and I were a couple for two years – we were always there for each other.” Ingram said. “We've always been together because that's how it always ended. She just wants to be as fast as possible. She works hard and we have the same mentality and that's why we get along.”

Once she's in the water, it's business as usual for her. The same can be said for all five girls.

“We're all high school girls — when you've been together for three years, it's going to get a little chaotic with some ups and downs.” Caslow said. “The biggest thing we've taken away from this: we've matured and realized it's about moving the boat fast.

“There's been a lot of maturing and bonding going on.”

Madi Lovejoy and Ingram have switched places for the upcoming race in England. Ingram was on the shot before the pass was made, taking him to the arc.

Left: Katie Lovejoy cleans the shell after a recent practice. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We spent a year and a half in the places where we were – now we go and it's been a good reset for us.” said Lovejoy, who has already made a verbal commitment to join her sister, Hannah, at UCF next fall. “The key allows us to focus on things we didn't notice before when we were comfortable in those seats. Our trainers know what they are doing and it shows in every little move they make.

“It didn't shock us that much – maybe the first couple of days, but we just got on with it. The boat just keeps getting faster.”

O'Connor reports that up to 22 individuals representing the Marietta girls crew team are making the trip out of state. He has taken part in the Henley Regatta in the past.

“These girls have a tremendous amount of talent.” said O'Connor, who is a 2011 graduate of Marietta High School. “With these five, I'm basically not a coach, but more of a collaborator. They have skills and experience. They can feel what the boat is doing and know what needs to be changed. They can make adjustments on the fly.

“This is not typical for those who compete at the school level.”

Since O'Connor arrived during COVID, the Marietta crew program has made a resurgence. Caslow took note, and for an end-of-school year ceremony, students chose someone who was important in their lives. It was a mindless man who influenced her life.

“I chose Tanner,” Caslow said. “We were at a pretty low point as a team during COVID. Everyone got a kick out of it, especially our team. We also had difficulties financially. Tanner came back and we just took off. It was the first year. We regained our non-profit status. It was really a hidden thing – things that the drivers and the team didn't really notice, but its effect was huge.

“I realized (the crew) could become my life because of this person. Who gave me all these links. This has been an amazing experience that has opened my eyes to what rowing really is.

“He is the reason why the team is where it is, absolutely. He just picked it up off the ground and ran with it.”

The girls get on a plane on Sunday. They have their own selection of movies ready for the flight. Caslow even admitted that Ingram will serve as her pillow.

Arriving a few days before the race, they can get a feel for the water and the culture they will encounter. The Marietta High School boys' crew program began in 1964 and the girls followed in 1976 – and never has a rowing team traveled outside the United States except Canada.

“It's just the people I'm excited about – I'm looking forward to meeting them, hearing different accents and learning about their culture.” Madi Lovejoy said. “I'm a person who likes to be friendly at the starting line. I start conversations.

“This is like going to the Olympics as a high school student.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at [email protected]

Left: Katie Lovejoy cleans the shell after a recent practice. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

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