(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) - In AUS football action Saturday afternoon at Raymond Field, the StFX X-Men improved to a 2-1 record with a 38-29 victory over the Acadia Axemen.
Under nine minutes into the first quarter, Acadia's Bobby Troop scampered in for a three-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play 85-yard drive to give the Axemen an opening quarter lead.
But StFX's Jordan Catterall, who posted a game-high 114 yards in receiving on only three receptions, tied the game at seven with a 51-yard reception for the first of five StFX majors.
With less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Jeremy Ford added a 30-yard field goal to give the X-Men a 10-7 lead heading into the second frame.
An 18-yard toss from starting StFX pivot Tivon Cook to Keon Hughes pushed the lead to 17-7 in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Cook finished the day 15-for-29 for 277 yards in the air including three touchdowns.
A snap over Jeremy Ford's head that rolled into the end zone gave the Axemen a two-point safety two minutes into the second quarter. The X-Men would respond again following a 32-yard StFX punt return by Demetrius Ferguson plus an Acadia objectional conduct penalty that would spot the ball on the Axemen's 39-yard line.
Running back Ashton Dickson, who posted a game-high 105 yards in rushing for the X-Men, stretched the lead to 24-9 with a 29-yard touchdown.
Acadia's Eli Prochnau jumpstarted the Axemen at 11:25 in the second quarter with a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown. StFX's Jordan Catterall then sparked an 84-yard drive with a 54-yard reception that eventually setup the X-Men's fourth major of the day when Jeremy Steeves pulled in a two-yard reception to give StFX a 31-16 lead heading into the intermission.
Ferguson's interception return for a touchdown ended the StFX run late in the third quarter. Acadia scored early in the fourth on a one-yard rush by Bobby Troop that ended a six-play, 79-yard drive.
Ryan Begin added two field goals late in the final quarter to bring the Axemen to within nine points, but StFX prevailed with a 38-29 win.
Axemen starting pivot John Shaw was replaced Darcy Lavoie in the second half. Lavoie was 14-for-25 attempts for 188 yards with two interceptions, while Shaw was 8-for-13 with 60 yards passing and one interception.
Statistically the game was close but the scoreboard showed a different story. The Axemen created 330 yards offence while StFX edged Acadia with 352 yards. Penalties played a factor at times with Acadia landing 13 penalties for 108 yards. The Axemen also held onto the ball for 32 minutes compared to StFX's 25, but big plays made the difference - both on defence and offence.
The X-Men improve to 2-1 while Acadia drops to 1-2. The undefeated Mount Allison Mounties will hold onto first place with a 39-8 win over Saint Mary's, while StFX sits in second place. Acadia will travel to Sherbrooke next Saturday in the RSEQ-AUS interlock to take on the 1-2 Vert et Or while StFX hosts the 2-1 Montreal Carabins. Both games kickoff Saturday at 2 p.m.
Source: Acadia Sports Information