By Hilary Judd

Blood is thicker than…rivalry?

Apparently so, as Utah State and University of Utah students challenged each other to join forces and resources—in harmony with this week's highly contentious football competition between the two schools—for the second annual "Blood Battle" donation drive.

Initiated last year by then-Associated Students of USU Service Vice President Dan Phelps, the Battle pits the University of Utah's six permanent donation banks against USU's single, temporary location in the Taggart Student Center, said ASUSU Service Vice President Cameron Woolf, who oversaw this year's Battle.

The contest began at 8 a.m. Monday and ended early Thursday afternoon.

"Last year, we were only able to have the [donor] station set up for two days and we gathered less than Utah did," Woolf said, attributing their win to various locations and established presence in the Wasatch Front. "But we booked the Red Cross a year in advance this time. We're ready."

A posted, running total of Utah and USU's donations maintained each school's standing throughout the week, and kept donors aware of the contest.

"It's for a good cause, and, for another chance to beat Utah," said Battle participant and USU sophomore Kyler Ovard. "It's all about the competition.

Luckily for the Red Cross and USU, the Aggies accepted the challenge, and responded to the contest with remarkable support. So much so, in fact, the station had to turn people away Wednesday and Thursday because of lack of supplies.

"We turned over 100 people away this week, because we were maxed out," Woolf said. "We had 698 actual attempts [to donate] in four days, and gathered 536 units of blood."

The Utes' final numbers were not available.

The contest winner was announced during the football game. A trophy and bragging rights for the next 12 months hung in the balance. Oh, and the re-stocked shelves at local donation banks count as payoff as well, providing blood when needed.

"There isn't a real winner—we're getting life-saving blood," Woolf said

Woolf accepted the winner's trophy at the football game.

"It was such a great effort, and such a great cause," Woolf said. "I couldn't get over our students' willingness and eagerness to give, of their time and of themselves."

Woolf said he thought Utah might have given USU a stronger challenge, especially since their studentbody is larger and they have more established donation sites.

But he's satisfied with this year's outcome, and quite content to keep the tradition…alive.

Isn't that what any blood battle's about, anyway?

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