• VIDEO: Logan  Bryan

LAKEWOOD, Wash. – Saturday morning was an opportune time for the many new Falcons rowers to get their feet wet, so to speak.
 
Both Seattle Pacific men's crews, with only one veteran between them, rowed to third-place finishes at the Pacific Lutheran Invitational in the 2016 season-opening regatta on American Lake.
 
"I'm encouraged because I see so much potential in these guys already," said Keith Jefferson, who begins his 26th season as SPU's head coach. "I've been itching to see what they can do out there.
 
"We are so green. Logan Bryan is the only returning rower, and he's only a second-year guy."


 
The first race of the day involved the four-oared varsity crews. The SPU crew, directed by returning coxswain Jasmine Pitzler, featured three first-year rowers along with Bryan, in the No. 2 seat.
 
The Falcons got off the line fast and were in contention during the opening 500 meters before falling back into third place. Puget Sound's "B" crew posted a winning time of 7-minutes, 26.4-seconds followed by the Loggers' "A" boat in 7:40.5.
 
SPU completed the 2,000-meter course in 7:47.8, handily beating the entry from host Pacific Lutheran, which had a time of 8:29.6.
 
It wasn't smooth sailing for SPU, which had its lane infringed upon by Puget Sound.
 
"Our crew got crowded by the UPS boat. The official yelled at them once or twice, but they were constantly squeezing us over," Jefferson described. "They eventually hit one of the big inflatable markers that mark the course and that kind of stopped them for a bit."
 
The SPU crew had brief break to drop Bryan off and pick up newcomer Zach Johnston to fill the vacant second seat. They rowed in the novice four race for first-year competitors.
 
That was an even more eventful race, ending in another third-place result. Puget Sound registered a winning time of 8:20.8 and PLU was second in 8:42.1.
 
The Falcons were five seconds back, in 8:47.2. Along the way, they had some adventures.
 
"There was no stone left unturned of what we call "critical occurrences," exclaimed Jefferson. "They hit every buoy coming down and had a show-stopper crab. You name it. And they would have won if they could have kept going."
 
The Falcons men return to action next week when they host Seattle University and Western Washington in a three-team regatta. The first of three races is slated to start at 10:30 a.m. on the Lake Washington Ship Canal that runs along the north side of the SPU campus.
 
"We're excited to race at home next weekend," said Jefferson. "We will have two races for fours and one for the eights."
 
 
NCAA Rowing
Pacific Lutheran Invitational
Saturday, March 12, 2016
American Lake / Lakewood, Wash.
(all races 2,000 meters)
 
Men's Varsity Four
1, Puget Sound "B", 7:26.4
2, Puget Sound, 7:40.5
3, Seattle Pacific, 7:47.8
4, Pacific Lutheran, 8:29.6
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Jasmine Pitzler, stroke–Cody Riggs, 3–Arthur Emmons, 2–Logan Bryan, bow–Jake Shelton.
 
 

Men's Novice Four
1, Puget Sound, 8:20.8
2, Pacific Lutheran, 8:42.1
3, Seattle Pacific, 8:47.2
 
    SPU lineup: cox–Jasmine Pitzler, stroke–Cody Riggs, 3–Arthur Emmons, 2–Zach Johnston, bow–Jake Shelton.