SEATTLE – In a showdown between the top two crews in the nation, the top-ranked and undefeated California varsity eight beat previously undefeated and second-ranked Washington to take back the Schoch Cup Saturday morning on Montlake Cut in Seattle, Wash.

The victory for the varsity eight snapped Washington's eight-year winning streak in the highly-competitive dual between the two rowing powerhouses.

The Golden Bears split their four races with the Huskies overall, with the Bears also winning the freshman eight race. UW claimed the second varsity eight and the varsity four races.

“We know whenever we race against a great program like Washington it is going to really hard, and we had a great row today and came out with the victory,” California head men's crew coach Mike Teti said on winning the varsity eight. “We faced a really good crew and whenever you get out of here with a win on their home course, you feel really fortunate. The varsity looked close throughout and we went ahead were able to nose the bow in front at the end. Even though this varsity crew is young, they are a mature group. They have a lot of international experience and they have been to the line in a tough race before.

“All the races were hard. The freshman eight had a great row,” Teti continued. “They raced hard. When you are racing against one of the top teams in the country, all the races are going to be close. We came on top in two and were short in two. If we want to contend at IRAs, there is no question we want to get better.”

In the varsity eight, the boats were level through the first 250 meters of the 2,000-meter course. California pushed out to a two-seat advantage by the 500-meter mark and extended its lead to seven seats over UW by the midpoint of the race. Cal held off a late charge by the Huskies, taking a three-quarters length lead into the final 500 meters and winning by a length over Washington (5:38.8 – 5:41.4).

UW erased an early three-seat deficit to Cal through the first half of the course in the second varsity eight to push ahead by a length in the final 750 meters and win by a length and a half over the Bears (5:49.2 – 5:55.1). It marked the first time this season Cal's second varsity eight was defeated.

The Bears' freshman eight earned the wire-to-wire victory over Washington, holding off a charge by the Huskies at the end to edge UW, 5:41.0 – 5:41.6 and remain undefeated for the season. The Bears opened a two-seat advantage in the first 250 meters and were up as much as a half-length just past the midway point of the course, before Washington cut into Cal's lead. The Bears held off the Huskies' late charge to take the win.

In the varsity four, Cal pulled out to a two-seat lead in the first 250 meters and extended it to as much as a half-length by the midpoint of the race. Washington surged ahead through the second half of the course to win by two seats over the Bears (6:18.0 – 6:20.1).

Cal will be back in action on Sunday as the Bears take on Oregon State on Vancouver Lake at 9 a.m. PT.

MV8+

Results: 1. California (5:38.8), 2. Washington (5:41.4)

Cal Lineup: Julian Venonsky (coxswain), Martin Mackovic (stroke), Natan Wegrzycki-Szymczyk (7), Justin Murphy (6), Kyle Flagg (5), Jordan van der Stoep (4), Niki Van Sprang (3), Jovan Jovanovic (2), Morgan Hellen (bow)

M2V8+

Results: 1. Washington (5:49.2), 2. California (5:55.1)

Cal Lineup: Erin Alexander (coxswain), Louis Snelson (stroke), Stephen Tuck (7), Dylan Raphael (6), Aaron Wright (5), Richard Walter (4), Sean Murphy (3), Nick McCutcheon (2), Harrison Van Andel (bow)

MF8+

Results: 1. California (5:41.0), 2. Washington (5:41.6)

Cal Lineup: Jack Conlin (coxswain), Jared Arat (stroke), Alex Wallis (7), James Riley (6), Bennett Stahl (5), Maxwell Hall (4), Matt Scholl (3), Jack Cleary (2), David Parker (bow)