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PORTS
Sports desk: 647-3336
sportsdesk@umich.edu
SECTION B
I I
--- - --- -- --
Var
sity
blanks Michigan
State,
14-0
A cathartic victory for the
Wolverines: They remember
here was no need for a two-point
conversion this year. No on-sides
kick attempt. No sideline passing
route to kill the clock.
Watching Michigan and Michigan State
go back and forth as the press-box shadow
crept slowly over the field Saturday, it
seemed as though neither team was really
winning, and neither was really losing.
But after the daylight expired, and with
the game clock preparing to do likewise, it
happened that Michi-
gan had 14 points and -
Michigan State had
none.
Michigan's points
came in the form of
two Anthony Thomasx
touchdowns - the sec-
ond of which featured,
Thomas cutting, break-
ing tackles and drag- DAVID
ging various Spartans DEN HERDER
30 yards into the end- Double
zone for a marshmal- Down
low shower.
Maybe the biggest
offensive play of the afternoon, reporters
swarming Thomas after the game asked
him to describe all the tucks and weaves
that earned him the touchdown.
"It's hard to relive." Thomas said
frankly. "It's something that just happens."
Ever since watching ABC pan out from
the brick smokestack behind Spartan Sta-
dium my freshman year - anxious about
undefeated Michigan, wishing I were there
to smell it - I realized the latter to be
true.
This rivalry is something that just hap-
pens. It happened when my friend was
Desmond Howard on the playground, it
happened when my high school history
teacher had to sing "The Victors" on a bet,
it will happen every year I have the chance
to reminisce the autumns I spent in Ann
Arbor.
But Thomas is wrong about one thing.
It is not hardto relive in the slightest.
Not a single detail of last year's 34-31
Michigan State victory escapes me. I can
remember every detail - and softly clos-
ing my eyes, every haunting image is at
my fingertips. I remember the slightly
damp astroturf, and how the upper deck
was invisible behind a thick, erie fog only
two hours before kickoff. I remember
ESPN's set in the north endzone, I remem-
ber Lee Corso putting on a Spartan hat
and I remember the students going wild. I
remember Drew Henson's interception, I
remember his touchdown pass and I
remember exactly how Plaxico Burress
looked falling out of bounds on his final
reception.
Every word I yelled inside the stadium,
and every painful taunt yelled at me on the
way out - I remember it all.
I think Thomas remembers every
moment of that touchdown run.
And no matter who tries to tell you Sat-
urday was just "another win," don't
believe them.
Not after the block 'S' has been hang-
ing in the Michigan lockerroom for an
entire year. Not after second-teamers have
been wearing make-shift State helmets in
practice all week to incite spirit.
Not after Lloyd Carr tells you exactly
where he sat for the Michigan-Michigan
State game in 1969 - and perfectly
describes the expression on Bo Schem-
bechler's face.
Saturday's game was a cathartic victory
for Michigan.
And while it may have looked like the
Anthony Thomas show, the playbook was
open wide enough. Michigan is selling the
play-action fake, and Henson is playing
smart on the rollout.
His accuracy and cool head once again
kept Michigan out of trouble - even if
the completion percentage wasn't as high
as in recent weeks. The quick-slant and
tapdance, Michigan's new favorite play,
was again effective for clutch first-downs
- and has yet to be intercepted.
Meanwhile, the performances of Victor
Hobson and Larry Foote on Michigan's
third-quarter goal-line stand were nothing
short of unforgettable.
So hail to the Avengers. Michigan set-
tles into its bye week not undefeated, but
refreshingly vindicated.
On the other side of this oasis, three
opponents who have vivid memories of
their own - opponents who can remem-
ber every second of "The Victors" being
belched into their stadiums, opponents
who remember every detail of a winged
helmet being raised in the air.
Rest up, Wolverines. Michigan State
was the biggest game of the year. But only
so far.
- David Den Herder can be reached at
dden@umich.edu
PETER CORNUE/Daily
Michigan running back Anthony Thomas set a school record for rushing touchdowns this weekend. Story Page 4B.
MMM9
.,:.:: ,
Bowling Green not up to icers' challenge
SUBWAY SERIES
Clemens hurls
two-hitter, bat
in 6-5 victory
FRIDAY: N 6, 1
YESTERDAY: N4, 'L4,3
MORE HOCKEY COVERAGE: PAGE 3B
By Jon Schwartz
Daily Sports Writer
BOWLING GREEN - Just outside
the door to the Bowling Green locker-
room, a sign implores the team to over-
achieve and show the CCHA's coaches
that its team is better than its preseason
No. 9 ranking in the coaches poll.
"Prove them wrong," the sign pleads,
printed over the CCHA logo.
The Falcons were unable to do that this
past weekend, but the Wolverines were
able to legitimize the coaches No. I rank-
ing with two victories, 6-1 and 4-3.
In the meantime, the Bowling Green
players were able to prove that While they
may not be ready to beat a national power
like Michigan right now, they can com-
pete with what may currently be the best
team in the league.
The wins pushed the Wolverines to
4-0-2 on the young season and 2-0 in
the CCHA.
The Wolverines attacked early and
often throughout the course of the series.
"I thought it was a good team effort,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said after
Friday's victory. "We kept them off bal-
anced in the first part of the game and we
made them play in their zone more than
they wanted to."
The Falcons could muster only seven
shots combined in the first period of the
two games. Michigan countered with 37.
The Wolverines made the red light glow
four times in the opening frames while
Bowling Green could only sneak one first
period shot past Michigan goalie Josh
Blackburn all weekend.
"Scoring early was important, and car-
rying a lead throughout the game was
good for our team," Berenson said.
Over Michigan's first four games, the
team often found itself playing from
See FALCONS, Page 3B
BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily
Sophomore Mike Cammalleri scored a goal and added two assists in Michigan's sweep of Bowling
Green this past weekend.
Field hockey nets No. 1 Big Ten seed
By Benjamin Singer
Daily Sports Writer
This Friday's matchup had more than postsea-
son implications - it was winner takes all.
The Big Ten's field hockey leaders faced off
with No. 6 Michigan (5-0 Big Ten, 15-3 overall)
at No. 5 Penn State (4-1 Big Ten, 13-3 overall).
Pennsylvania native April Fronzoni scored with
first-round bye for the Big Ten Tournament.
Even with a loss next week in its final Big Ten
game and a Penn State win, Michigan would win
the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Though both teams were undefeated in confer-
ence play, the Wolverines were coming off two
losses against tough ACC opponents while the
Nittany Lions were riding an 11-game winning
streak.
"I think it helped us prepare in many ways,"
senior co-captain Kelli Gannon said. "They're
good competition and quicker."
North Carolina and Wake Forest had 12 and 13
shots on goal respectively - that's easily more
than the minimum of six Michigan has limited
every other opponent to.
While Tobacco Road proved too much last
weekend for the Wolverines, they got back to
SITTING ON THE TOP
The Michigan field hockey team
earned at least a tie for the Big
Ten title with a 1-0 victory over
Penn State. The Wolverines do
have the tiebreaker over the Nit-
tany Lions, giving them the No.
1 seed at the Big Ten Tourna-
ment which will be at home this
year. A win over the Spartans on
Friday would hand Michigan it's
first Big Ten title.
Remaining schedule:
SI
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