Like Ohioan General William T. Sherman in the Civil War, the Bowling Green rugby team cut a swath through the old South, leaving behind a path devastation and defeat on their spring break tour. The Falcon ruggers crushed formerly undefeated Georgia Tech 43-6 and 24-12, the University of South Florida 37-19 and 37-17 and Eckerd College 86–5 and 31-24.

This was Bowling Green’s seventh spring break tour and the Falcons have posted a 42-0 record against teams from below the Mason-Dixon line on their southern trips.

“If someone was going to break that streak and beat us, they lost their best chance on this year’s trip,” BG coach Roger Mazzarella said. “We left BG last week without a single outside practice and only a couple scrum practices.”

“I think the game results, especially against Georgia Tech, showed just how talented this year’s club actually is,” he said. “We got bushwhacked by Michigan last fall and I think everyone has written us off as having a “down” year. I don’t agree. In fact I think this spring’s squad has an excellent chance of going undefeated.”

The lack of scrum practice certainly didn’t show as the forwards were the most dominating aspect of BG’s game all week. The Falcons scored four pushover tries and drove their opponent forwards back on their heels in every scrum.

“It’s tough to generate any offense when you’re going backwards all day,” South Florida captain Alex Chriest said. “We considered it a minor victory just to stay on our feet, let alone retain possession of the ball.”

Having last played Georgia Tech in 1984, both BG and the Yellow Jackets were strangers to each other.

“BG’s size certainly caught our attention as they warmed up,” Tech coach Dan MacDougal said. “Five minutes into the game it was obvious that not only was BG big, but they were also technically proficient and we were in deep trouble.”

Despite playing into the wind, facing a low riding spring sun and going uphill, the Falcons kept up a steady barrage of points against the Yellow Jackets. Eight man Art Pietrangelo scored both of BG’s pushover tries and center Ben Fledderjohann had his best day as a Falcon with two tries of his own.

Fullback Jake Puhl and lock Aaron Slates scored on solo efforts. Fly half Derek Imes hit on four conversion attempts to make the final of the first match 43-6.

Tech put up a little more offense in the second match but BG won going away 24-12. Wing James Kuper scored two tries and BG High School grad Eric Nutter and fullback Ben Gutek each got one. Gutek also booted two conversions.

As expected, 2004 national championship finalist South Florida put up a stiffer resistance, but in the end succumbed to the relentless pressure applied by BG’s forwards.

In the first match, a 37-19 Falcon victory, flanker Brian Farrell scored two tries while scrum half Vince Staropoli, wing Dave Demings and fullback Ben Gutek added one each. Fly half Derek Imes hit on two penalty field goals and three conversions.

Winning the second match 39-17, the Falcons were paced by fly half Chris Corbett’s three tries and center Dan Brandenstein’s pair. Wing James Kuper added another as did Gutek, who also kicked the only conversion.

Having knocked loose most of the winter rust, the Falcons then crushed the overmatched Eckerd College Tritons by scores of 86-5 and 31-24. Wing Dave Demings led the Falcons with a hat trick and was followed into the end zone by Gutek, Farrell and scrum half Brian Knaupe with a pair of tries by each.

Joining the scoring parade were Staropoli, Pietrangelo, wing Matt Johnston, prop Andrew Hughes and flanker Bryan Kupper with one try each. Imes hit on eight conversion kicks.

In the second match Corbett, Kuper, Gutek, center Allen Allred and Zak Williams scored tries and center Dan Brandenstein kicked three conversions.

Off to a quick 6-0 record, the Falcons will take on the Cleveland Rovers, a men’s senior team made up mainly of former Falcon players.

The Rovers, boasting eight former Falcons on their starting XV, went undefeated last fall and are tuning up for their run on the Midwest senior men’s championship.

Gametime is 1 p.m. at Cleveland’s Edgewater Park.