April 7, 2012

Photo Gallery 

Sunflower Showdown Wyandotte County Lake//Kansas City, Kan.

KU's novice eight just came up short in a photo finish.  Novice Four (11 a.m.) 1. Kansas State - 8:05.6 (1 point) 2. Kansas (A) - 8:11.2 3. Kansas (B) - 8:24.6  Novice Eight (11:15 a.m.) 1. Kansas State - 7:08.8 (3 points) 2. Kansas (A) - 7:09.3 3. Kansas (B) - 7:53.6  Varsity Four (11:30 a.m.) 1. Kansas State - 7:55.7 (3 points) 2. Kansas (A) - 8:00.0 3. Kansas (B) - 8:29.8  Second Varsity Eight (11:45 a.m.) 1. Kansas State - 7:12.4 (5 points) 2. Kansas - 7:15.8  First Varsity Eight (Noon) 1. Kansas State - 7:13.4 (8 points) 2. Kansas - 7:24.2

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Kansas State swept all five events from the University of Kansas rowing team Saturday to win the Sunflower Showdown on Senior Day at Wyandotte County Lake.

Kansas State started out of the gate fast to take the first event, the novice four, with a time of 8:05.6, while the two Jayhawk teams finished second and third.

In the novice eight race, Kansas finished less than a second off a first-place finish. The Wildcats barely edged out the KU team of Kaylee Sextro, Jenni Hartzler, Jade Lambkins, Lexa Fowlkes, Brooke Thuston, Julia Alvey, Laura Benz, Allie Griffin and coxswain Sarah Lasini 7:08.8 to 7:09.3.

KU was within striking distance the next two races as the Jayhawks finished second in the varsity four 7:55.7 to 8:00.0 and second varsity eight 7:12.4 to 7:15.8.

Kansas State then won the final race, the first varsity eight, by just over 10 seconds to claim the sweep and all 20 points available.

The all-time series, which began in 1998, is now in favor of the Wildcats, 8-7. KSU has now won the Sunflower Showdown, what used to be known as the Kansas Cup, the last two seasons.

Six seniors raced their final home race on Saturday against the Wildcats. The six seniors are: Molly Boehner, coxswain Lindsey Bricklemyer, Melanie Luthi, Angela Mings, Kathryn Schoonover and Paige Stephens.

KU will head to Camden, N.J. to participate in the Knecht Cup April 14-15 before heading to the Big 12 Championships the last weekend of April in Oklahoma City, Okla.