Just desserts. Maybe they didn’t win their conference or the region, but all of that will be forgotten if Seattle Pacific University can bring home a national title. The Falcons will send their women’s varsity four back east to Worcester, Mass., this weekend (May 7-8) for the ECAC National Invitational Championships on Lake Quinsigamond. The rest of the SPU fleet has concluded the racing season.

Mother of all races. Seattle Pacific rowers have been delivering good news to their mothers on Mothers Day for the better part of the past five years, winning national titles in the women’s varsity four category four times. The Falcons have won the crown the last two seasons, plus 2000 and ‘01. This time around they must first get through Saturday’s qualifying heat. The grand final is Sunday afternoon. Rounding out the field in this non-scholarship national championship regatta are Amherst (Ma.), Bowdoin (Me.), Clark (Ma.), Connecticut College, Franklin Pierce (NH), Mercyhurst (Pa.), Middlebury (Vt.), Skidmore (NY), Smith (Ma.), Union (NY) and William Smith (NY).

Seconds count. Whereas Coach Keith Jefferson arrived at nationals with a juggernaut crew the past few years, this season’s four is lacking in gold so far. They finished second in both the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference and the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association grand finals, although overall they have won five of eight races. By comparison, the national title-winning teams of the past had all won the NCRC and two had been first in the WIRA. SPU, seeded No. 2 behind Bowdoin, will face Skidmore, Mercyhurst, Middlesbury, Connecticut College and Smith in its first race.

So does experience. The first couple times the Falcons won national championships by relatively close margins. In the past two years the average margin has been 11 seconds. Two members of the four have raised their arms at the finish line. Andi Martineau (Sr., Superior, Mt.) was in the varsity boat the last two seasons as well as the novice four which won at Dad Vail in 2002. Carly Bollen (Jr., Missoula, Mt./Valley Christian) was rowing from the varsity bow last year. Alicia Apple (Jr., Sequim, Wa.) was an alternate in ‘04, often making the lineup and she joined the crew on its trip to the Henley Women’s Regatta in England last summer. Completing the crew this season is Megan Sweeney (Jr., Wilsonville, Or.) in the bow and coxswain Megan Giske (Jr., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor).

Wrap on WIRA. Although they took a circuitous route, the men’s pair won the WIRA championship last week in California. Jeremy Bryant (So., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor) and Jason Mobley (Sr., Burien, Wa./Highline) crossed into lanes on either side and nearly collided with one crew before going in front in the final 500 meters. They pulled away and won by 7.1 seconds over Portland in 7:39.8. In the women’s four grand final, Seattle Pacific was in the middle of the pack before making its move. The Falcons swept past Gonzaga and Western Washington and was closing fast on St. Mary’s when the Gaels hit the finish line with SPU on its stern. St. Mary's was timed in 7:40.0 and SPU next in 7:43.1. In other action, the men’s novice four was third in the petite final, behind UCSB and Oregon. It had taken third in its opening heat; the top two teams moved to the grand final. The men’s varsity four and women’s novice four were both fifth in their respective petite finals. Both had been fourth in their qualifying heats.

Women’s results.

• Women’s varsity four: 1-St. Mary’s 7:40.0, 2-Seattle Pacific 7:43.1, 3-Gonzaga 7:46.5, 4-Western Washington 7:48.4, 5-Long Beach State 7:50.7, 6-Oregon 7:51.4
• Women’s novice four (petite final): 1-San Diego State 8:46.0, 2-Humboldt State 8:56.0, 3-Portland 8:56.5, 4-Pacific Lutheran 9:05.6, 5-Seattle Pacific 9:29.8, 6-Long Beach State 10:27.5

Men’s results.

• Men’s varsity four (petite final): 1-San Diego State 7:41.9, 2-UC Santa Barbara 7:47.5, 3-Humboldt State 7:48.6, 4-Sonoma State 8:00.0, 5-Seattle Pacific 8:00.2, 6-Santa Clara 8:14.6
• Men’s varsity pair: 1-Seattle Pacific 7:39.8, 2-Portland 7:46.9, 3-Sacramento State 7:50.9, 4-Orange Coast College 7:51.6, 5-Santa Clara 7:52.4, 6-UC Santa Barbara 8:03.5
• Men’s novice four (petite final): 1-UC Santa Barbara 8:02.4, 2-Oregon 8:04.3, 3-Seattle Pacific 8:23.2, 4-UC Irvine 8:26.9, 5-UC Davis 8:36.1

Women’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Carly Bollen; 3–Andi Martineau; 2–Alicia Apple; Bow–Megan Sweeney; Coxswain–Megan Giske
• Novice 4: Stroke–Kimberly Leinstock; 3–Katie Bobson; 2–Carolyn Robbins; Bow–Claire Walter; Coxswain–Megan Giske

Men’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Jeremy Bryant; 3–Jason Mobley; 2–Ben Zupke; Bow–Jon Paul Ramirez; Coxswain–Jeney Wierman
• Varsity pair: Stroke–Jeremy Bryant; bow–Jason Mobley
• Novice 4: Stroke–Ben Zupke; 3–Nate Shockey; 2–Charles Lowenkopf; Bow–Matt Hall; Cox–Jeney Wierman

SPU Coaches. Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 14-year tenure as head coach. In the past six years alone, Jefferson’s Falcons have claimed national titles in seven events, medaled in four others and won regional crowns in 10. A past oarsman, alumnus and assistant coach, Jefferson became the fifth head coach at Seattle Pacific University in the fall of 1990. In 2003 he took a leave of absence after being called up to active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. A lieutenant colonel in the reserves, Jefferson was n active member of the Marines from 1983-87. Jefferson succeeded Jim Schultz as coordinator of the program after serving two seasons as an assistant. A graduate of Bothell High School, Jefferson rowed for Seattle Pacific from 1979-83. He was a member of the light four which advanced to the semifinal at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia in 1982. Keith and his wife Lori have a son, Randy, and daughter, Emma, and reside in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. Jessica Pennington served as interim head coach in 2003 and returns as an assistant for her fourth season. Pennington was oarsman of the year and an all-region selection as a senior in 2001 when she rowed in the national title varsity four.

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