Bowling Green drew first blood in the initial offering of a series of sevens tournaments that will fill the Midwest playing schedule over the next two plus months. The Falcons defeated 13th ranked University of Michigan in a see-saw battle by a score of 27-22 to win the College Clash Invitational.

Hosted by the Legacy Center in Brighton, Michigan, the College Clash Invitational features a series of local university matchups that include soccer and lacrosse as well as rugby. The facility features a massive air supported dome large enough to feature a full size turf playing surface as well as warm-up areas. Joining MAC champion Bowling Green and CRC participant Michigan for the rugby segment were MAC runners-up Western Michigan and the Wolverine's arch rival Michigan State.

With the seven-match event being completed in just two-and-a-half hours, fitness was key.

"It was clear that everyone was going to have to have a secure handle on the substitution game as everyone was going to be hit with a back to back at least once," said Bowling Green Coach Tony Mazzarella.

Referee Jeremy Mantei put on a display of fitness as well, as the longtime official and Toledo Celtics captain had to go old-school and do six of the seven matches because the tourney clashed with the Midwest referee conclave over in Kalamazoo.

"I thought he looked pretty good out there," commented BGSU administrator Roger Mazzarella. "He was right on top of every try - first one to the last one."

Michigan opened the tournament with a 33-14 pull-away victory over a very young Western Michigan squad. In the second match Michigan State ran up leads of 12-0 and 19-5 on Bowling Green only to see the Falcons storm back to go ahead 22-19. The Spartans scored another try to again go ahead 24-22 with the game seemingly in hand. But then Bowling Green wing Mario Mockus turned the corner for a last-second try that, when converted, gave Bowling Green a 29-24 victory.

In the second round Bowling Green easily beat Michigan 26-10 and Central Michigan did likewise to Michigan State 22-12.

With the championship slots on the line, Michigan turned a scoreless first-half tie into a 21-5 win over Michigan State. In what is quickly becoming a renewal of a tight-fought 1990s rivalry, Bowling Green and Western Michigan traded tries with the 21-17 difference coming from the Falcons' accurate conversion kicks.

Bowling Green and Michigan then faced off in the Invitational final, trading tries like a pair of old boxers rooted to a canvas floor trading blows.  

BG fullback Adam Regini opened the scoring with a try that was matched by Michigan's Sequoyah Burkholtz. A try by Falcon center Mike Powell and scrumhalf Mitch Sora conversion did nothing for BG as Michigan's Cole Van Hern made it 12-12 with his try and conversion. Center Griffen Palmer's try put BG ahead again only to have Michigan's tie it up again at 17-17 Burkholtz knot the score again right at the halftime whistle.

With fatigue obvious on both squads, the two clubs marched up and down the pitch to within striking distance several times in the second half only to lack the finishing movement to punch the ball in. BG Regini broke the stalemate with a try and freshman Eric Osborne slipped through a tackle to give BG it's only appreciable lead of the match at 27-17.  Burkholtz struck again for a hat trick in the last seconds to make it 27- 22, but too late to deny Bowling Green the championship.

When the Legacy Center's Nicole Smith conceived the idea of the college clash weekends, as a Central Michigan grad and rugby fan of the Chippewas, she was adamant about including rugby. "It is an up-and-coming sport and we have a very strong high school team in Brighton."  The center already has a Can-Am high tournament on the books for May 2 and 3.