Shown in the photo are Athletic Director Lorraine Bouklas, Victoria Greco, Kristine O'Brien and Principal Walter D. Lace. St. John the Baptist seniors Victoria Greco of Northport and Kristine O'Brien-Carroll of Massapequa Park raced past a field of 19 teams and won the Women's Youth Double race in the elite Head of the Charles River Race in Boston on Sun. Oct. 19. The two won the three-mile race by almost 30 seconds and rowed past the Canadian team as well as the favored doubles team of Birgitta & Ingrid Husebye from Norway. They weren't even sure, because of the nature of the race, whether they won or not, until one of their coaches, Sixto Portillo, called them over and told them. O'Brien said, "It was so exciting for us to be there and to win by so much. We were stunned that the team from Norway was crying after the loss to us. They had travelled so far and were one of the favorites to win it."

Both O'Brien and Greco, who are making college decisions now, were thrilled to be able to be part of this competition. They were excited to be fortunate enough to meet the US Olympic Medal winning crew team. Greco told her principal, Walter Lace, "We actually held a Bejing Olympic Medal in our hands! It was great!" Last spring, the same two won the Junior Nationals in this event in Tennessee and will continue to race in this year's remaining competitions and in their collegiate careers.

Shown in the "action" photo of the two athletes, are Victoria Grego and Kristine O'Brien-Carroll winning the Junior national competition last spring in Tennessee.