In a game that completely and utterly delivered on what was promised, ECRC conference champs American International College defeated MAC champions Bowling Green 46-40 in their ACRC Bowl Series game.

AIC showcased a little bit more speed, but not much, and BGSU showcased a bit more power, but not much, as the two sides were very evenly matched. Bowling Green scrumhalf Mitch Sora was outstanding and lock and captain Alex Garnaut was a tower of strength. For AIC flyhalf JIhad Khabir was electric and his forwards, including lock Connor Gleason, played up to the level they needed to.

AIC ran out to an early lead. Khabir sent a nifty kick ahead for his wing and fullback, and #15 Bryce Neff booted the ball on and dove on it to score in the corner.

Bowling Green replied with a long period of pressure in the AIC 22, but failed to convert that into points. The Yellowjackets stole the ball and countered. Most of the team was involved in the movement and wing Deshae Edwards spun, spurned, and weaved through the defense before offloading to No. 8 Matthew Jones for a spectacular try. Up 12-0, AIC added another when Gleason bulled over from a lineout. Then a snappy short ball to flanker Gavan D’Amore-Morrison saw him cut back and beat everyone to score under the posts.

Down 24-0, then, Bowling Green rallied. With Edwards in the sin bin for AIC, the Falcons used the man advantage to put center Griffen Palmer over. Then the forwards shunted on, sending lock, and one of the team’s leaders, Frank Viancourt, over. 24-14 at halftime.

AIC made it 29-14 in short order when they stole a Bowling Green lineout in the Falcons’ 22 and spun it wide to Seth Halliman for the try. But Bowling Green came back with a huge shove from the forwards putting someone (not sure who) over to make it 29-21 with Mike Powell’s difficult conversion.

AIC, however, responded again. From a scrum they simply spun the ball to Christian Adams, who had little trouble going in at the corner. 34-21 AIC. Then Khabir got the ball with a fractured BGSU defense ahead of him and sliced it up to score under the posts. Neff hit the extras and it was 41-21 with about ten minutes to go.

The Falcons once again stormed back. First they sent Garnaut on a crash from a lineout and he kept going, powering 40 meters for a brilliant solo effort. Then from a scrum at midfield (after AIC’s kick wasn’t right), No. 8 Sean McFarland fed the looping Sora, who sped away for 50 and a try to make it 41-33. Bowling Green wasn’t done. Flyhalf Nick Ross popped a kick ahead for wing Steve Fritsch. It seemed a bit of a speculative play but Fritsch got to it first, toed it ahead, got the bounce, and somehow scored under the posts. The kick was good, and now it was 41-40.

AIC responded, scoring a well-taken team try, with Halliman weaving his way around the outside before popping to D’Amore-Morrison for the possible clincher The conversion attempt was from the sideline, and just wide, giving Bowling Green a chance, but AIC’s defense held.

Halliman and D’Amore-Morrison were outstanding for AIC, but it was an exciting game with contributions from every corner.

AIC 46

Tries: Neff, Jones, D’Amore-Morrison 2, Gleason, Khabir, Adams, Halliman

Convs: Neff 3

Bowling Green 40

Tries: Palmer, Viancourt, Garnaut, Sora, Fritsch, Other

Convs: Powell 5

American International College Yellow Jackets Lineup

Skyler Adams - Prop
Blake Gurgul - Hooker
Jamal Hadley - Prop
Corey Momsen - Lock
Connor Gleason - Lock
Brian Lizotte - Flanker
Gavan D'Amore-Morrison - Flanker
Matthew Jones - No. 8
Kurtis Werner - Scrumhalf
Jihad Khabir - Flyhalf
Christian Adams - Wing
Adrian Ray - Center
Seth Halliman - Center
Deshae Edwards - Wing
Bryce Neff - Fullback

Reserves

James Everhart - Front Row
Stephen Fobes - Front Row
Justin Leaphart- Second Row
Anthony Castro - Loose Forward
Josue Guerra - Scrumhalf
Jacob Ponder - Inside Back
John Jackson - Inside Back
Tarik James - Outside Back

Coach: Josh Macy

 

Bowling Green Falcons Lineup

Corey Bohach - Prop
Phil Bryant - Hooker
Adam Bialecki - Prop
Allen Viancourt - Lock
Alex Garnaut - Lock / Captain
Neal McNamara - Flanker
Frank Viancourt - Flanker
Sean McFarland - No. 8
Mitch Sora - Scrumhalf
Nick Ross - Flyhalf
Cole Shaffer - Wing
Griffen Palmer - Inside Center
Mike Powell - Outside Center
Steve Fritsch - Wing
Adam Regini - Fullback

Reserves

Mario Mockus
Ryan Steinmetz
Ted Kilgore
Alex Cranmer
Rob Oswald
Cody Wilson
Josh Avallone
A.S. Geogehan

Coach: Tony Mazzarella