Bowling Green's Tommy Walsh powers onward. Roger Mazzarella photo

Davenport's JP Eloff en route to one of three tries, Taylor Hodge photo

Davenport and Miami shellacked their respective opponents Saturday by a combined score of 144-18, setting up a massive Oct. 22 clash in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Miami’s win, 92-13, came against Purdue. The Boilermakers are far from a traditional rugby powerhouse, but they boast wins this season over Ohio State and Michigan State. Outside back Reed Fenton scored four tries in the effort.

The Reds are having a stellar season so far, averaging over 60 points a game. Says Jared Moore, Miami’s coach, the success isn’t a result of an infusion of talent.

“They understand the mental part of the game. Not to take anything away from the guys that we have now, but I think there was just as much talent on the two teams that went to nationals and last year’s team, but the problem was the mental preparation and the mental part of it.

“For instance, yesterday a guy that would have normally dump-tackled a guy or hit a guy after a kick, he let up, he didn’t do it, whereas, a year ago or two years ago he would have done that, and that’s a dumb thing to do.

“They’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Not that in years past they didn’t do what they were supposed to do, but this year it’s the little things I see them doing each week that I think is attributing to their success, besides the fact that they’ve been playing for a while.”

Davenport scored 40 less points than Miami Saturday, but did so against a tougher opponent in a 52-5 win over Indiana. The Mudsharks, on the tail end of a brutal three-game series against Bowling Green, Miami and Davneport, came out of the opening bell swinging but lost steam after intermission. Indiana trailed just 10-0 at halftime, but were run off the pitch in the second half.

“They had their backs against the walls and they needed to win to still be able to qualify. I think they came out aggressive on defense. They came after us, and they spent all but 30 minutes in our half. They came out to play. Our defense just held up, which was good for us,” said Davenport coach Kruger von Biljon.

“There were a lot of knock-ons, stupid mistakes from us in the first half. I told the guys to just go back to what we know, play our structures, and we started running our lines and our calls and the game started opening up.”

When it opened up, Panther flyhalf JP Eloff and hooker Gabe Sochanek took advantage. Eloff bagged three tries and Sochanek two.

Elsewhere in the Mideast, Bowling Green managed a 20-19 defeat of Ohio State. The Buckeyes led almost the entire match, but the Falcons jumped ahead with the game’s final score, when down 19-15 Bowling Green fullback Matt Marquette dotted down the game-winning try.

The big momentum shift came a score earlier, though, when Bowling Green’s Sam Polzin intercepted an Ohio State pass and dished to center Alex Hopkirk for the try that brought the Falcons within an unconverted score from the lead.

Signifying the official start of the Guadalajara 2011 Pan American Games, the organiz­ing committee put on a spectacular show for athletes and spectators alike at Friday’s (Oct. 14) Opening Ceremony at Omnilife Stadium – home of local soccer club Chivas.

Festivities included an interactive light display, singing, folkloric Mexican dance, fire­works and, of course, the traditionally inspiring parade of athletes and lighting of the torch. The cauldron was lit by Paola Espinosa, who won a bronze medal in diving at the Beijing Olympic Games, while Enriqueta Basilio, who made history by being the very first woman to light the Olympic Cauldron at the1968 Games in Mexico City, was one among several Olympians to carry the torch into the stadium.

“The Opening Ceremony was incredible in so many ways,” said Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.), four-time U.S. Olympic medalist in shooting. “It was a wonderful representation of the pride and culture of Mexico and it made me even more excited for the Games to begin.”

With true American spirit, all countries were cheered upon entering the stadium, but the crowd erupted as the host country, Mexico, walked into the limelight. Also in at­tendance were Mexican President Felipe Calderon and International Olympic Commit­tee President Jacques Rogge.

More than 6,000 athletes will compete in the two-and-a-half week competition and Team USA adds 617 to the mix. While the entire U.S. delegation has not yet arrived (the USA rugby team won’t arrive until the 26^th of October), close to 200 Team USA athletes marched in the Opening Ceremony.

Olympic champion rower Jason Read (Ringoes, N.J.) led Team USA into the stadium. He was selected by his teammates earlier this week to be the U.S. flag bearer.

“This was by far the best Opening Ceremony I’ve ever attended,” said U.S. taekwon­do athlete Stephen Lamdin (Colleyville, Texas). “Walking in behind the U.S. flag with countless people cheering for us was the experience of a lifetime, and one I’ll never forget.”

The Opening Ceremony of the Pan American Games marked the start of the world’s second-largest sporting event, only behind the Olympics, in Mexico’s second largest city of Guadalajara.

Since the first event in 1951 hosted by Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Pan Am Games have grown significantly.

Originally slated to begin in 1942, the Games were postponed due to World War II. Eighteen sports took part in the 1951 edition compared to 36 in 2011. The number of nations and athletes has skyrocketed as well, going from 21 to 42 countries and 2,513 to 6,000 competitors. Since the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, basque pelota, racquetball and rugby have been added to the program.

The Pan American Games are held every four years, preceding the Olympic Games by a year. The Games of the 60th anniversary year include all 26 sports of the 2012 Olympic Games, along with select non-Olympic sports. Fifteen U.S. teams will use the Pan Am Games as a qualifying event for the London Games, either directly, through world ranking points or as a way to meet a minimum time standard.

“People here in Guadalajara are getting venues prepared,” said Alan Ashley, Chef de Mission for Team USA. “They are building a beautiful village and really putting on America’s Fiesta in special way. They’re improving the quality of the Pan American Games as showing the best athletes in the Americas, and we’re getting ready to go.”

A total of 617 U.S. athletes will look to continue the country’s dominance in the XVI Pan Am Games as the U.S. stands with 3,969 total medals in the 60-year span. Cuba is second on the total medal count list with 1,796. The U.S. controls the gold medal count as well with 1,796 followed by Cuba’s 781.

After the 2011 Pan Am Games, the event will move from South to North America when Toronto, Ont., hosts the Games for the first time in 2015

The U.S. flag was raised Thursday (Oct. 13) at the Pan American Vllage, signifying Team USA’s official welcome to America’s Fiesta.

Several U.S. government and U.S. Olympic Committee officials at­tended the ceremony, including the U.S. consul general in Guadala­jara, Daniel Keller; USOC President Larry Probst; USOC Secretary General Scott Blackmun; and Alan Ashley, USOC chief of sport performance and Chef de Mission of Team USA..

“It’s always fantastic to see the U.S. flag raised, especially here in Gua­dalajara,” said Ashley. “The organizing committee has put together a nice village, where I’m sure our athletes, coaches and staff will have a great home these next couple weeks.”

Also in attendance were approximately 50 Team USA athletes from the sports of modern pentathlon, shooting, softball, swimming and team handball.

“Just being at the Pan American Games is a dream come true for us,” said men’s team handball player Jordan Fithian (McPherson, Kan.) who was standing next to his wife, Jennifer (Bow, N.H.), who plays on the women’s handball team. “Watching the flag raise and hearing our national anthem was pretty unbelievable and it was even better that we got to share it together.”

In the Guadalajara village alone, 598 U.S. athletes will use the housing service provided by the organizing committee. Meanwhile, the village in Puerto Vallarta will host 29 U.S. athletes from sailing, swimming (open water), triathlon and beach volleyball.